My Hamster Had Babies...........

[trisha1972]

Got two hamsters about two months ago from a woman at the pet store that was trying to sell them. When she found out that they would more than likely just become snake food, she asked if my sons could have them. So, we ended up with Cookie (short hair caramel color) and Cream (long hair white, almost albino). The guy at the store tried to tell me that Cookie was the boy; I didin't think so. Anyway..........Cookie had babies last week FIFTEEN of them. Thirteen are all about the same size with two runts. They all seem to be thriving though. I check them, without touching them, daily to make sure everyone is alive and moving around. I have even seen most of them passing itty bitty poops now. The runts get in there and nurse too. I have no idea how she is nursing 15 babies, but it must be working. She is eating two bowls full of food a day along with some carrots and dark greens like spinach or mustard or turnips. I am trying to feed her like I ate while nursing. I have been giving her yogurt vitamin "drops" too. I have Cream in a separate housing unit.


My questions are these:
1. How long before their eyes open?
2. Should I be concerned that she has them in the "penthouse"?
3. Do I need to change her diet in any way other than what I have done?
4. How old should the babies be before I let Cream back into the complex? They have three critter habitats looped together with tubes. He is in one shut off from them at that moment.


Sorry to ask so many questions but I have never had a hamster in my life until now. The pet store guy is OBVIOUSLY not knowledgable about hamsters if he couldn't sex them better than that. I haven't found answers to my questions by searching.


THANKS!!!

 

[Angel Lady]

I wish I knew something to tell you. But 15 of them is a lot for one hamster isnt it..They are people who come in here all the time posting pictures of thier hamsters and things I will see if I can look them up for you,, And try to get you some help..

Here is a link I got from a topic here mabey they are something in here that will help you out.
http/www.petwebsite.com/hamsters/dwarf_c...an_hamsters.htm

 

[zelandonia]

Hey Trisha,

My dwarf hamster book says that babies open their eyes by 10 days of age. It sounds like you have changed her diet in the right way. My book says that they also require more water than usual and that if she is reluctant to leave her nest you can give her more moisture with small pieces of apple. I'm not sure about your other questions.

Good luck!!

z.

 

[emma12321]

If cream is male you won't be able to put them back together or you will have an endless supply of babies and if the store can't get rid of them what would you do with them all.

They are definately dwarfs right ? as if they are golden / syrian hamsters they should be kept alone. Google for all the info you can and be sure to separate them as soon as they are weaned or the babies wil get pregnant as well as mum. If they are dwarfs watch out for babies escaping if they are in a wire cage, they can get through the smallest gaps.

Emma

 

[JackDemp528]

Basically if you said that one has long white hair then it's a teddy bear hamster. The only hamsters that can stay in the same cage are dwarfs. Syrians will fight over territory. And you don't want 15 babies again do you? Good luck finding homes for them. When they get older you should separate them as well. And do some research. I know that hamsters can get pregnant at a very early age. So you don't want them pregnant too.

 

[Angel Lady]

I am glad they are some people here to help you with your little baby hamsters. When can you post us some pictures??We are standing in line waiting to see them

 

[trisha1972]

All 15 are doing VERY well. Though they are only a month old, the mother seems to be starting to wean them. The babies are all growing, eating, and drinking water. The runts are still runts, but cute.
I have ended up with three color variations- caramel with white (like the mom), furry white (like the dad), and a cocoa brown with white that is also longer hair. Most have the red eyes like the dad.
All have their eyes open (finally). They are ALL moving everywhere in their housing units. THe babies and the mom have two houses hooked together with tubes.

 

[b.c.f.c]

congrats.my syrian had 11 babies and i thought that was a lot for a first litter but 15 omg the moms got a job on her hands lol. if yours were syrians i could tell you every thing but i dont know much about dwarf hamsters.

 

[Skylar]

Seperate the mother from the father. Keep the father in a different cage AT ALL TIMES, not just when the hamster babies are there. Syrian hamsters need to be kept in seperate cages, they cannot live together.

The babies need to be seperated at 8 months.

 

[Kiarra]

No...not at 8 months. They ought to be separated into same-sex groups (the females CAN'T stay with their mom, though) at about 21 days, and separated into their own, individual cages by six weeks old, before they start to fight and do damage to each other. Between 4-6 weeks of age, they can also start going to new homes.

Note that they can breed as early as 4 weeks old, so make sure all males and females are kept separately by that time.

 

[Bloo]

No...not at 8 months. They ought to be separated into same-sex groups (the females CAN'T stay with their mom, though) at about 21 days, and separated into their own, individual cages by six weeks old, before they start to fight and do damage to each other. Between 4-6 weeks of age, they can also start going to new homes.

Note that they can breed as early as 4 weeks old, so make sure all males and females are kept separately by that time.

I agree
I think Skylar must have done a typo

 

[littleimp]

As they grow if the mother thinks a baby is not doing to well she will eat it to help the others survive so they might not all make it. How old is she?? It's rare for a young hamster to keep all these babies, they normally eat most of them!

 

[Dave781]

Put pics up!

 

[Mr.September15]

I got dibs! LOL... JK... I wish I had a hamster habitat so i can buy a hamster. There so furry... But the cats are going to get them... I have an odd combination with my pets.

3cats+Birds+fish= ???


LOL...The cats dont usually get the fish, since the fish are in my room. But they do look at the birds. I play with the birds in the cat room and kick out the cats until there finished flying around the room and playing on there Playpen.

-Arrowhead