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 lifetime of hamsters in both sexes. If possible, it is well to buy one's first breeding stock from a producer in one's own community. This permits the novice to ask questions first hand, see actual operation of a hamstery, and see the animals selected for his own start with hamsters. In buying mail-order, beware of lists that fail to give and guarantee the age and weight of stock, and that fail to guarantee females to be virgins.

One starting a hamstery and planning to begin production at once had best go in person to a hamstery and buy females 8 to 12 weeks old, virginity and exact age guaranteed; and males 15 to 20 weeks; all stock weighed individually in buyer's presence. One may safely buy such stock mail-order from only such shippers as are known to be absolutely honest. Several crooked outfits have shipped heavy weight but worn out stock to fill such orders for beginners. Know your shipper!

When one places more than 8 females in production he has started into commercial hamster raising, and must take into serious consideration all of the essential factors given in this book. Good judgment is of untold value in guiding one through all details of the business. A commercial hamstery is a business institution. After 3 to 6 months introductory stage, some experienced small stockmen with adequate laboratory connections may expand to about 25 producing females. For others, it may appear best to expand to only 8 or 12, for this second stage, while learning more about the business angles of such an industry. Of course, many who start through hobby interest will prefer to keep about the initial number of breeders, say 4 to 8 adult animals, and have all of the fun and profit afforded by such a small space hobby. In any case, wait until your confidence in both yourself and the animals is well established before you build pens for the future. Let your family and friends enjoy with you the pleasantries of the project and all of you will get a lot of fun out of the capers, antics and strange ways of these fascinating little creatures.

The most successful large commercial hamster raisers average to have the animals about a year before they decide to develop into large scale production with 50, 100, or several hundred breeders. It is hoped that this fact may be of guidance to the reader.