Are your hamster’s balls getting bigger with time? In most cases, you don’t have to worry about the large testicles of your hamster because it’s pretty normal. Hamsters are renowned to have testicles as large as 1/4 of their body. Out of all the rodents, the size of hamster’s balls is the biggest. However, some medical issues result in swollen hamster balls. If you feel that the testicles of your hamster are unusually big, consult with your vet.
Everything about hamsters is either hilarious or cute. From the way they tirelessly run on their hamster wheels to the way they store food in their cheek pouches, everything related to them is adorable. Although these things look attractive to us, these behaviors are not meaningless.
New hamsters often see things as something out of this world. Seasoned owners are well aware of the anatomy of hamster bodies and the evolution behind them. For instance, hamsters can see in the dark as compared to the day. This is because they go out in search of food at night to avoid predators.
Let’s get back to our main topic. Stay tuned till the end as this thread will help you take care of your hamster in a better way.
Why Hamster Balls Are Getting Bigger?
There are a lot of facts related to hamster balls that confuse most new hamster owners. The topic of hamster’s testicles is also one of them. New hamster owners typically don’t expect a hamster to have exceptionally big balls. They often consider this as a disease or tumor.
However, it’s natural for the hamster’s balls to grow until the hamsters reach the age of around 3 months. Mostly, hamsters reach adulthood within the first 2 to 3 months of their life. This is the time when the womb develops in female hamsters and the male reproductive rate reaches maturity.
Here are some possibilities that will explain why the testicles of your hamster are getting bigger:
Hamster Is Growing
If your hamster is younger than 10 months then his balls are not even fully grown yet. As mentioned earlier, it takes around 3 months for a hamster to become an adult. The testicles of the hamsters also keep growing until the hamsters reach adulthood.
Hence, if your hamster is young and his testicles are growing with time, there’s nothing to worry about. You simply have to accept the fact that this is neither cancer nor undesirable growth. In fact, this is a natural phenomenon.
He Is On Heat
When we bring a hamster to our home we consider it as a child. For us, 3 months is not a long duration. However, in 3 months, your hamster gets old enough to reproduce. There will be some hormonal changes in his body. These changes bring some changes to the body of your hamster.
If your hamster’s balls are staying visible unusually, this is an indication that he is on heat. Naturally, this is a way to show female hamsters that male hamsters are willing to mate. The reproductive rate of hamsters is quite high. Hence, you will be witnessing this sight quite a lot.
But, there is nothing to worry about because this is a totally natural phenomenon. You can rest back and let your hamster enjoy his youth.
Spring Is Arriving
Do you have an adult hamster whose balls are getting bigger? If yes then hopefully there is nothing to worry about. In winters, testicles of the hamster’s contract. There is a good amount of skin that covers the testicles of your hamster.
In order to keep the body of your hamster warm, the skin covering the testicles of your hamster contracts. The opposite of this happens when spring arrives. The skin that has contracted in the winter starts unfolding. This happens to balance the body temperature of the hamsters.
On that account, if the size of your hamster’s balls is getting bigger with the changing weather, don’t worry.
When To Worry
In most cases, you don’t have to worry about the big size of your hamster’s testicles. However, there are some situations in which you should become careful.
Here are some scenarios in which hamster’s big testicles should become a concern:
Growth After 3 Months Of Age
3 months of age is the time when the growth of hamsters’ testicles usually comes to a stop in most breeds. If the balls of your hamster are growing after 3 months of his age then this is not a good sign.
Contraction and expansion of testicles are natural with changing weather. But if the balls of your hamster are expanding without any of the reasons mentioned above then you have the right to be worried about his health.
You should keep a keen eye on the growth of your hamster’s testicles. If you are sure that they are growing, you inform your vet as soon as possible.
Swelling
Although the size of hamsters’ testicles is already quite enormous as compared to the size of their body, still, these balls are prone to swelling. The big size of the hamster’s balls makes it even more difficult to notice any kind of swelling.
The best way to determine if your hamster balls are swollen or not is by conducting a temperature. What is a temperature test? A simple method of finding out if your hamster’s testicles are contracting and expanding naturally.
For this test, place your hamster in a relatively cold room for an hour. Before bringing your hamster to warmth, have a close look at its testicles. Check almost after half an hour if the testicles have expanded or not.
If your hamster’s balls do not expand considerably even after bringing it into high temperature, his testicles are swollen. Swelling on the testicles is not natural. Either your hamster has contracted any kind of disease or they have hurt themselves.
The best diagnosis and solution can be given by the vet. Spare some time to take your hamster to the vet. Any delay can be quite dangerous for your hamster’s health.
Testicular Tumors
Tumors are very common in hamsters. The reproductive rate of hamsters is quite high hence chances of tumors are always there. See very carefully if the shape of your hamster’s balls is normal or not.
If you see any kind of lump on the testicles of your hamster then this is most probably a tumor.
The good news is that 96% of the tumors found in hamsters are not malignant. Meaning that they will not spread to the other body parts of the hamsters. Due to this reason, they have pretty good chances of living peacefully with a tumor.
On top of that, tumors in hamsters can be removed by an expert vet if they are accessible.
What You Can Do?
The steps that you should take for the prosperity of a hamster depend upon the condition of your hamster’s ball’s medical condition.
Here are some things you can do to take care of your hamster’s testicles:
If The Testicles Are Healthy
Your male hamster has big testicles and you should help him in taking care of them. If the cage of your hamster has sharp edges, consider getting a new cage. Cages that have sharp edges can cut the bottom of your hamster.
In addition, you should provide a big size hamster wheel to your hamster. You have now learned that male hamsters have quite big balls. When the hamster wheel is small, it can damage your hamster’s balls critically.
If There’s Something Wrong With Hamster’s Testicles
If you have detected any kind of swelling or tumor on your hamster’s testicles, you should immediately contact your vet. Such things shouldn’t be ignored at all.
FAQs
Here are some questions asked by new hamster owners and their answers that might help you as well:
Although castration is possible in hamsters but is not recommended at all. Castration involves anesthesia which makes the whole procedure quite risky for the hamsters.
No, the visibility of testicles varies from breed to breed. Usually, large hamsters like Syrian hamsters have more easily visible balls than smaller hamsters like Djungarian hamsters.
Hamster’s Big Balls Explained
Some hamster owners consider big balls of the hamsters hilarious. Others find it awkward.
There is also a group of owners who instantly get worried about their pet’s health due to its big testicles.
In reality, in most cases, there is nothing much to worry about. Male hamsters naturally have big testicles. It is due to their high sperm production rate. However, in some cases like swelling and tumors, you should consult with your vet.
