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hamster having babies -- surprise pregnancy

Sent to Pet Experts February 18 2006 at 7:38 PM
   

We did not know our hamster was pregnant. We were surprise on the evening of Feb. 18 to find 2 babies under our hamster where she sleeps. We are not sure what to do. We have given the mother some bread soaked in milk, but we need to know what else to do.

Optional Information:
Age: 1; Female; Breed: short-haired hamster

Already Tried:
Have given the bread soaked with milk. Have not touched the babies.

Customer (name blocked for privacy)
Status:  Closed   Value: $20
Answer
February 18 2006 at 8:21 PM (43 minutes and 2 seconds later)
         
ACCEPTEDCheck Mark
That's good you haven't touched the babies. It's best not to touch the nest for 10 days. If one of the babies crawls out of the nest to a different part of the cage, leave it and it will crawl back or the mother will get it.

Make sure there's plenty of food and water for the mother so she can feed her new babies. Try to keep things calm and quiet around the cage so that the new mother feels safe. If you have a hamster wheel in the cage, remove that so the babies don't injure themselves on it.

After about 5 days the babies will be able to drink on their own. At this point you should lower the water bottle so that they can reach it.

By the 7th or 8th day, they'll start looking like hamsters and nibbling on food.

Around the 13th day their eyes will open, and at this point you can clean the cage. They should stay with their mother for about 28 days, and then the different sexes can be placed in different cages.

Let me know if you have any questions or there's anything I haven't answered.

To tell the sex of your hamsters, check this link which has pictures to make it easy:
http://www.petwebsite.com/sexing.htm

For more information on baby hamsters see:
http://www.hamsterific.com/RaisingPups.html
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Susan Kollgaard -- Guinea Pig and Rabbit Rescue -- 100% Positive Feedback on 221 Pet Accepts
I work with Metropolitan Guinea Pig Rescue and the House Rabbit Society and House Rabbit Sanctuary.
Reply
February 18 2006 at 8:39 PM (17 minutes and 55 seconds later)
         
Relist: I still need help.
The babies are on at the top of the cage where the mother sleeps, so it will be hard to get water to the babies. What should we do?
Customer (name blocked for privacy)
Reply
February 18 2006 at 8:40 PM (48 seconds later)
         
The food and water are at the bottom of the cage.
Customer (name blocked for privacy)
Answer
February 18 2006 at 8:47 PM (6 minutes and 52 seconds later)
         
ACCEPTEDCheck Mark
Will a water bottle attach there? If not there are very small watering tubes that are more flexible in where you can attach them.

If you don't think that will work, let me know what kind of cage you have and we'll figure out what will work best.
Picture
Susan Kollgaard -- Guinea Pig and Rabbit Rescue -- 100% Positive Feedback on 221 Pet Accepts
I work with Metropolitan Guinea Pig Rescue and the House Rabbit Society and House Rabbit Sanctuary.
Reply
February 18 2006 at 8:50 PM (3 minutes and 50 seconds later)
         
Relist: I still need help.
I have a Critter Trail cage and there is an opening on the top where our hamster has made her bed, therefore had her pups up there. I'm not sure how we are going to do the water thing.
Customer (name blocked for privacy)
Reply
February 18 2006 at 8:54 PM (3 minutes and 8 seconds later)
         
Becauser this was such a surprise, I am not sure how old these babies are. They definitely do not look like they were just born. My daughter picked up our hamster, Valentine, and found 2 babies there. You can see the dark stripes on them already.

My daughter was getting ready to clean the cage.
Customer (name blocked for privacy)
Reply
February 18 2006 at 9:04 PM (10 minutes and 21 seconds later)
         
Will the mother eat the soaked milk bread and other items, like boiled eggs, if she is not use to eating them on a regular basis?
Customer (name blocked for privacy)
Answer
February 18 2006 at 9:36 PM (32 minutes and 30 seconds later)
         
ACCEPTEDCheck Mark
I would give the mother what she's used to eating. That will probably keep her feeling more secure. You can always try the other things in small amounts and see if she eats them.

If you can see the dark stripes on them, they must be at least 5 days old. Can you see a light layer of fur coming in? That's harder to see but you should see it around now.

When was the last time Valentine's cage was cleaned? Sometime between then and 5 days ago she had babies.

Actually, I'm thinking that if you lower the water bottle on the lower level that will be fine. The babies will be ready to start drinking once they start moving around and exploring the cage, so they'll go to the lower level. They're probably just starting to explore, but you might not see them do it for a while.
Picture
Susan Kollgaard -- Guinea Pig and Rabbit Rescue -- 100% Positive Feedback on 221 Pet Accepts
I work with Metropolitan Guinea Pig Rescue and the House Rabbit Society and House Rabbit Sanctuary.
Reply
February 18 2006 at 9:42 PM (5 minutes and 47 seconds later)
         
Relist: I still need help.
Since, the babies are at the top with their mom, when will they go down the tube to get to the bottom of the cage? Like for their water. As you can tell, I am really concerned about how the babies are going to get water as they get a little older.
Customer (name blocked for privacy)
Reply
February 18 2006 at 9:44 PM (1 minute and 50 seconds later)
         
When Valentine went below to get some food and water, I checked on the babies. They were moving around -- stretching.
Customer (name blocked for privacy)
Reply
February 18 2006 at 9:54 PM (10 minutes and 20 seconds later)
         
Thank you, Susan Kollgard, for your help on Saturday night. I am going to bed now, but I appreciate your answers to my questions.
Customer (name blocked for privacy)
Answer
February 18 2006 at 10:16 PM (21 minutes and 39 seconds later)
         
ACCEPTEDCheck Mark
The babies will be able to go down to the bottom level to get to the water, too. They're going to start moving around a lot, even though they can't see yet. And you don't have to worry about them not getting enough water since they are still nursing. The mom frequently builds her nest in her sleeping area, which is almost always at the top of her cage. The babies venture down to the lower level when they're ready, and it's fine to have the food and water down there. Their primary source of nutrition for a while is going to be Valentine, the drinking and nibbling is supplimental and practice for when they grow up.

You're very welcome for the help. I'll be around tomorrow in case you have more questions. It sounds like Valentine and her babies are doing great.
Picture
Susan Kollgaard -- Guinea Pig and Rabbit Rescue -- 100% Positive Feedback on 221 Pet Accepts
I work with Metropolitan Guinea Pig Rescue and the House Rabbit Society and House Rabbit Sanctuary.
Reply
February 21 2006 at 7:00 PM (2 days and 20 hours later)
         
Relist: I still need help.
I think our surprise babies are over 5 days old. Besides having the black stripe on them, they also have hair. One of them is also trying to hold food in its hand and then eat it. Their eyes are not open yet! Are we getting close to the time when we have to separate them?
Customer (name blocked for privacy)
Reply
February 21 2006 at 7:01 PM (1 minute and 41 seconds later)
         
I am wondering hold old they are since they have hair on them. As of Sunday morning, 2/19/06, they had hair.
Customer (name blocked for privacy)
Reply
February 22 2006 at 7:54 PM (1 day later)
         
Relist: I still need help.
Trying to figure out how old these surprise babies are. We notice we had babies on 2/18/06. At that time they already had a black strip and some hair was beginning. On Wed., 2/22/06, there is more hair/fur, and one baby was trying to hold something to feed itself.

We want to make sure about the timing of the separation of the hamsters is the reason we are concerned about how old they are.

They are eating well. They make cute little sounds!

Any help would be greatly appreciated!
Customer (name blocked for privacy)
Reply
February 22 2006 at 7:56 PM (1 minute and 56 seconds later)
         
We are excited about these 2 new babies and can't wait to know the sex of them. We love hamsters, so we are going to enjoy them!
Customer (name blocked for privacy)
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