Page:The Golden Hamster Manual.djvu/50

 be had without this additional cleaning of the pens, this is a profitable practice. An extra generous feeding should be placed at F.P. before the mother is brought back to her home pen and young. Nursing diminishes sharply from the time eyes open, and the litter may be weaned from the 18th day onward. The recommended weaning period is approximately 20 to 27 days from birth, according to different production purposes.

Good stock properly raised may weigh one ounce or more and be fit for long-distance shipment at 21 days. Kittens for future breeders may be left penned with mother until 24 to 27 days if one observes daily whether mother is merely playing or actually fighting them. If she fights them, wean kittens at once.

After a few days rest, she may be mated again, which allows a litter about every 6 or 7 weeks in continuous production. After 5 or 6 litters, the mother is discarded from the breeding group and is replaced by a younger female who continues that pen’s production. Little wonder that science has a careful eye on this unique, odorless, super-prolific nugget of gold, a laboratory animal par excellence. Every new use for such laboratory animals increases demand. She does a good job of weaning up to 10, sometimes 12, standard weight (1 oz. or more at 21 days) kittens per litter; and, with help of supplemental feedings (Chap. 50) may raise up to 14 to 16 of same weight and quality.

Domesticated hamsters engage almost equally in day-time and nocturnal activity. They normally sleep most during mid-day and mid-night. They are never noisy; their vocal ability being limited, in fact, faint. But they make up for it in activity, tricks and capers. On hearing one approach, squirrel-like they sit up or cling inside the door anxiously awaiting any attention. Males have a special fondness for being handled, sitting upon one’s hand, etc.

Hamsters stand a wide range of temperature. Any basement, cellar or room in which one may be comfortable while tending them may be suitable for raising hamsters. In summer, avoid sun’s direct rays shining into the pens.

A 70 degree average, with a 5 to 10 degree variation up and down, is considered ideal for high productivity in domestication. But fairly standard production occurs in quarters where temperature does not long remain below 45 or above 90. In unheated quarters in extreme cold areas of the U. S., production becomes sub-standard or ceases during the three or four coldest months. In extremely hot sections, intense heat may lower production during two midsummer months unless some protection from extreme temperature is provided. Thus, the preference for cellar or basement hamsteries. Hamsters mate better in a temperature of 65 upward, best in 70 upward at moment of mating. While most females mate well in 65 to 70, in winter season one may bring slow or indifferent females into 72 to 75 degrees for about 4 days. Most such may become receptive during that period. Temporary drops to 40 and below have brought no apparent harm to unweaned kittens. 50 upward permits normal weanings, but they do better in 60 degrees upward. In living quarters below 45 degrees hamsters enter broken hibernation, during which small profits may result from matings. Hamsters are raised from