Animals With the Shortest Gestation Period
Number one is the hamster at 16–18 days (Gestation), followed by the house mouse at 19–21 days and the lined seahorse at 2–3 weeks (carried by the male).
| # | Animal | Gestation | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Hamster Mammal |
16–18 days | Gestation |
| 2 | House Mouse Mammal |
19–21 days | Gestation |
| 3 | Lined Seahorse Fish |
2–3 weeks (carried by the male) | Gestation |
| 4 | Tasmanian Devil Mammal |
about 21 days | Gestation |
| 5 | Brown Rat Mammal |
21–24 days | Gestation |
| 6 | Common Wombat Mammal |
20–30 days | Gestation |
| 7 | Guppy Fish |
21–30 days | Gestation |
| 8 | Rabbit Mammal |
28–31 days | Gestation |
| 9 | Red Kangaroo Mammal |
about 33 days | Gestation |
| 10 | European Hedgehog Mammal |
31–35 days | Gestation |
| 11 | Koala Mammal |
33–36 days | Gestation |
| 12 | European Hare Mammal |
41–42 days | Gestation |
| 13 | Eastern Gray Squirrel Mammal |
about 44 days | Gestation |
| 14 | Wolverine Mammal |
30–50 days of active pregnancy | Gestation |
| 15 | Fennec Fox Mammal |
50–52 days | Gestation |
| 16 | Arctic Fox Mammal |
about 52 days | Gestation |
| 17 | Red Fox Mammal |
about 52 days | Gestation |
| 18 | Coyote Mammal |
60–63 days | Gestation |
| 19 | Gray Wolf Mammal |
about 63 days | Gestation |
| 20 | Cat Mammal |
63–65 days | Gestation |
| 21 | Raccoon Mammal |
63–65 days | Gestation |
| 22 | Dog Mammal |
about 63 days | Gestation |
| 23 | Bobcat Mammal |
60–70 days | Gestation |
| 24 | Honey Badger Mammal |
50–70 days | Gestation |
| 25 | Guinea Pig Mammal |
59–72 days | Gestation |
About this ranking
Short pregnancies belong to two groups. Marsupials such as kangaroos and koalas give birth after only a few weeks to tiny, undeveloped young that finish growing in the pouch. Small rodents and rabbits have short pregnancies and large litters, which lets them breed several times a year.
How it is ranked: Live-bearing animals ranked by the upper end of the typical gestation period in days, shortest first. The list covers the 214 animals in the AnimalStats database, not every species on Earth.
The top five in detail
1. Hamster — 16–18 days
A Syrian hamster is pregnant for just 16–18 days, the shortest gestation of any placental mammal. Litters usually contain 6–12 pups, born hairless and blind. Pups are weaned at around three weeks, and females can breed from as young as four to six weeks.
2. House Mouse — 19–21 days
A house mouse is pregnant for 19–21 days. Litters usually contain 5–8 pups, a female can become pregnant again within a day of giving birth, and she may produce 5–10 litters a year. Young females can breed at about six weeks old.
3. Lined Seahorse — 2–3 weeks (carried by the male)
A male lined seahorse is pregnant for about 2–3 weeks, depending on water temperature. The female deposits her eggs in his brood pouch, where he fertilizes them, supplies oxygen and regulates salinity. He then gives birth to roughly 100–1,500 fully formed young, each about 1 cm long, and can mate again within days.
4. Tasmanian Devil — about 21 days
A Tasmanian devil is pregnant for about 21 days. The mother gives birth to 20–40 rice-grain-sized young, but she has only four teats, so at most four survive. The joeys stay in the pouch for about four months and are weaned at around nine or ten months.
5. Brown Rat — 21–24 days
A brown rat is pregnant for 21–24 days. Litters usually contain 6–12 pups, and a female can mate again within hours of giving birth, producing up to five or more litters a year. Young rats can breed at about five weeks old in good conditions.