Steph said...
You seem like you know alot about hamsters. I have a female dwarf hamster who just had baby hamsters about 2 hours ago. It looked like she had about 8-10. She had them in the wheel. When I realized she had them, I was excited and happy. I rushed and got my mini flash light to see them better. Now, I wish I hadn't. She started to rip their little heads off right in front of my eyes. I saw alot of blood and guts. I am mortified, freaked out and in extreme shock!!! Why would she do such a thing? I just glanced at her again and it looks like she is still eating them. What will happen to her if she eats them all? Will she die and what should I do?
October 23, 2007 11:15 PM


Hammy said...
Hi Steph,My sincere apologies for the very late reply, as i have not been checking my mails.Okay. First things first. Your Hamster mother has babies for the first time. There could be 2 possiblities.First :The babies are not healthy, so the mum ate them up to prevent them from suffering in the futureSecond:The mother could very very anxious, just like you, and she could have been so protective of her children that a little light can affect it. In the future, if you have hamster babies again, i would advice you to cover half of the cage; the darker side where the mother has given birth, then it wil be easier for you to peek, while giving the mother plenty of privacy.

What to do :

Sores and cuts visible : Use saline water to wash. Monitor. If still no improvement, bring to vet.

Lump only.:bring to the vet, possibly of a tumour.

It is a little difficult at first i know, but first, you have to be mentally prepared and must not be afraid. You are going to experience a tickling sensation on your palm.

So first, invite her out, using treats and food. Let her get on to your palm slowly. then stroke her, and let her know everything is okay, as holding it for the first time, the hamster will be in fear too, so remember your treats.

hamster just love treats.

Good luck :)

There are many causes to dropping fur. Here are some factors:

Old Age: Hamsters drop some fur when they age. If your hamster is already quite old, do not worry, unless it is dropping fur excessively, for that condition; do make a trip down to the vet to confirm your suspicions.

Ringworm, allergies: If you suspect it is this, try washing with saline water twice daily. If it does not work, do visit the vet.

Couples

Abner & Daisy Mae
Adam & Eve
Amos & Andy
Ariel & Eric
Arthur & Gwenivere
Bangers & Mash
Banjo & Kazooie
Barbie & Ken
Ben & Jerry
Bill & Hillary
Bonnie & Clyde
Boris & Natasha
Charles & Diana
Charlotte & Wilbur
Chester & Cottonball
Chip & Dale
Chips & Dip
Chocolate & Vanilla
Cinnamon & Sugar
Click & Clack
Cocoa & Puff
Coffee & Espresso
Cookie & Cupcake
Cookies & Cream
Cosmo & Wanda
Cutie & Pie
Denise & Da Nephew
Dexter & Deedee
Dinky & Winky
Donald & Daisy
Donny & Donna
Dumb & Dumber
Elvis & Priscilla
Emma & Bam
Flower & Bambi
Frank & Alice
Frank & Beans
Frasier & Niles
Frick & Frack
Frodo & Sam
Fuzzy & Wuzzy
Gadget & Gizmo
Gidget & Gadget
Gismo & Cosmo
Goofy & Max
Grace & George
Guenevere & Victor
Holly & Ivy
Homer & Marge
Henry & Henrietta
Hugs & Kisses
Itsy & Bitsy
Jack & Jill
Jasmine & Aladdin
Jay & Silent Bob
Jekyl & Hyde
Kanga & Roo
Ketchup & Relish
Kim & Ron
Laalaa & Po
Laurel & Hardy
Laverne & Shirley
Left & Right
Lexy & Livy
Lovey & Dovey
Lucy & Ethel
Lunch & Dinner
Luvy & Duvy
Lumber & Jack
Mark Antony & Cleopatra
Mary & Joseph
Minnie & Mickey
Mocha & Caramel
Mom & Dad
Money & Cash
Munch & Crunch
Mutt & Jeff
Nickel & Dime
Oscar & Felix
Peaches & Cream
Pebbles & BamBam
Pepsi & Coke
Phil & Lil
Pickles & Pepper
Ping & Pong
Pinky & Brain
Pip & Squeak
Pixi & Dust
Pixie & Dixie
Pop & Tart
Pride & Joy
Ranalyn & Steviecott
Rex & Cassey
Ricky & Lucy
Rocky & Bullwinkle
Romeo & Juliet
Ronald & McDonald
Ruby & Roxy
Salt & Pepper
Sandy & Brandy
Sherlock & Watson
Shrek & Pheonia
Simba & Nala
Sonic & Knuckles
Sonny & Cher
Sordo & Sylvia
Spaghetti & Meatball
Sparkle & Shine
Spongebob & Patric
Sponge Bob & Sandy
Spring & Fall
Stop, Drop, & Roll
Summer & Winter
Teeny & Tiny
Tele & Tubby
Theodore & Rose
Timon & Pumba
Timber & Tumbler
Tinker & Tamper
Tweedle Dee & Tweedle Dum
Wallace & Grommit
Wiggles & Giggles
Will & Grace
Ying & Yang
Zeus & Roxanne

Females Abby Amber Anastasia Angel Angela Angelica Anistole Annabell Annu Antrodite Ariel Aruba Ashleigh Ashley Ashton Carone Aurora Azre'l Baby Bailey BB Beans Beasley Bebe Bernadette Bianca Bijou Bitz Blondie Beatrice Brandy Brownie Bubbles Buffy Butterscotch Buttons Cali Camilla Candis Carmel Carmen Caspina Cassie Catnip Charlotte Charm Cheeks Cheska Chibi Mog Chica Chica Chubb Chili Chiquita Chloe Chocolat Chubby Chuu Cinderella Cinnamon Clementine Clea Cleo Cocoa Cookie Cottonball Creamy Crookshanks Cruella Crystal Cuddles Cupcake Cutie Pie Daisy Daphne Darling Dharma Dinky Dixie Lick Dizzy Dolly Duchess Dustbunny Ebony Elaine Elexie Elizabeth Elmo Eme Emm Erma Eunice Faith Fancy Fantine Fatty Fiona Flax Flora Fluffy FooFoo Foxy Furball Furry Gertrude Gidget Ginger Gizmo Gloria Glory Gracie Greece Gwenivere Gypsy Hamma Hannah Harriet Heather Helga Hilda Honey Hunny Iris Isabel Ivy Jackie Jade Jakita Jamie Jan Jazzy Jean Louise Jessi Jewel Jezzy Jingles Joanne Josephine Joy Kalua Kate Katie Katrina Keeko Kharma Kiara Kirby Kitty Kylie Lavender Lethe Lila Lilee Lilo Lily Little Bit Lucie Lucky Lulu Maggie Mandi Margarita Marshmallow Matilda Maya Medusa Megan Mia Midget Midnight Millie Milk Mime Mimi Belle Mini Minisita Minnie Missy Misty Mittens Molliy Moochie Moonlight Mystic Nala Nancy Naomi Nestle Nettle Nibbles Niki Nokia Noodles Nookie Octavia Olivia Opal Ophelia Oprah Paige Pajama Lulu Pandit J. Nehru Pashmina Patricia Peaches Peeny Peggy Pepper Peppey Pepsi Penelope Phoenix Pinball Pinky Pixie Pokey Poochie Poppet Portia Powder Princess Pudgie Puffles Pumpkin Queeny Raven Rezeil Rice Roberta Rodalyn Rosebud Rosie Ruby Russia Sadie Safi Sally Samantha Sammy Sasha Sassie Scrounge Sheeba Shorty Sierra Silver Skunk Baxter Smocky Smokey Snickers Snow Snowball Snow White Snuffles Socks Sophia Sparkle Speckles Squiggles Star Star Bright Sugar Sugar Bear Summer Sunny Sweet Pea Sweety Sydney Taizha Tanzi Tara Tickle Tilly Timber Tink Tinkerbell Tiny Theodora Thumbilina Tootsie Tori Tundra Twis Victoria Violet Viva Wanda Wendy Wiggles Wilma Windie Whiskas Whiskers Xena Xenon Yolanda Yummerz Yvette Yzma Zeppelin Zippy Zoe Zowie Zsa Zsa

Males Adam Ajax Albert Alex Alfredo Allsorts Alvin Antony Aragorn Ash Ashes Bagel Bailey Bako Bambi Bart Bashful Batman Baxter Beamer Beans Bear Bernard Bilbo Biscuit Blackie Black Knight Blinkin Blitzen Bob (the Builder) Bobbie Bombur Bonkers Boo Boogie Boris Brimstone Bruise Brutus Bubba Buddy Buff Bullwinkle Buster Butler Butterbean Callahan Carmine Casca Casper Cassius Champ Chandler Charlie Cheddar Cheeko Chester Chewie Chi Chico Chip Chow-Chow Chowder Chub-Chub Chubbolicious Chubbs Chubby Chuckie Cicero Cinna Coconut Congo Convict Cooper Cozmo Cruiser Crumpet Cupid Dallas Davey Dewy Dexter Diemos Dipstick Doc Dodge Donny Dood Dopey Dozer Dragon Drako Dusty Eddy Emmit Ernie Erwin Eugene Ferdinand Fido Filbert Fox Frank Franz Freckles Freddy Fredrick Frodo Frosty Funkerdoodles Furry Fusby Fuzzbutt Gandalf Ganondorf Gavin George Gibbel Gilbert Gilligan Gizmo Goliath Gordy Gotti Gravis Graye Greg Grizzly Gus Gus-Gus Gustav Guzu Guy Hagen Hammer Hammie Hammiechok (Russian for hamster) Hammy Hampton Happy Harold Harry Harvey Hayden Hercules Hermione Hershey Hobbs Howard Howdie Hubert Huey Hugo Hunter Igor Isaac Ivan Jackson Jaq Jasper Jean ValJean Jethro Jetter Jiggs Jingles Jinx Joey Jubilation Jump-Jump Karl Kimba Kippy Ken Kennedy Kerby Klondike Knucks Kodiak Krackerz Kramer Kronk Larry Larz Le Pew Leonard Lewis Linus Little Dude Lloyd Loki Lucky Luke Mac Daddy Macinnis Magnum Martini* Matt* Max Manny Marcus Mario Marshmallow Maximus Memphis Mer Mitch Mo Mole Momo Mondo Monster Monty Moustache Mr. Kipper Mr. Spanks Munchkin Murphy Napoleon Ned Nibbler Nibbles Nick Nicky Nicodemus Nimbus Noo Noo Norman Nugget Odie Oliver Opus Oreo Orris Orville Oscar Oswald Otis Oz Ozzie Pablo Pancho Patches Patrick Patrick (Patty) Melt Peanut Pegiwigin Pellet Pepper Peter Philip Phobos Pippin P.J. Platinum Pluto Polo Poo Pooh Bear Prince Publius Pueblo Putt-Putt Quincy Ralph Ralphie Raoul Rascal Ray Redtan Reese Rex Richard Rigby Ringo Ritz Rocky Rodrigo Rollie Pollie Ron Roscoe Ruckus Runt Rusty Salem Sammy Scooby Scooter Scrappy Doo Shadow Sean Sergeant Shnarf Sisyphus Skipper Skitz Skiwee Skunky Slater Sleep Snickelfritz Sniffle Snoopy Snork Snowball* Socks Sonic Sooty Spanky Speedy Spencer Spike Spot Spots Squeaky Squirrel Squirt Stretch Stripe Stripey Stuart Stuart Little Stubby Stud Superdude Sydney Sylvester Taebo Tai Tashomo Taz Teddy Teddy Bear Templeton Terry Tid-Bi Tiger Timon Tito TK Togapi Topaz Travis Tucker Turbo Twister Twitch Urquell Victor Vince Wahoo Waltigen Warrior* Wilbur Wilby Wilson Winkin Winston Wooly Thyme Xander Xavier Yankydoodle Zac Zach Zane Zeus Ziggy Zipidydoda Zippo

Update : 1/07/2013: I will be also adding suggested names in the comments for easy viewing! Boy or girl name is up to your discretion :)

• alli
• Amigo
• Andrex
• Antone
• Bagel
• Banofee
• Barry
• Biko ( My love bird's name )
• Biscuit
• Brittany
• Brooke
• Butter
• Butterscotch
• cheeky
• Chevy
• Coco
• Coconut
• Cookie
• Cuddles
• Cupcake
• CupKate
• Daisy
• Dora
• Doug
• Flax
• Gus
• hammy
• hammy 
• Honey
• Ichigo ( Strawberry in Japanese)
• jesse 
• Jub-Jub
• Kasimiro
• Katety
• Kaya
• Kayla
• Keiko
• Kerby
• Kirby
• Lilly
• lola
• Lotta
• Marble
• mickey
• midnight
• Misty
• Mocha
• Momotaro
• nibbers
• Nibbles
• nibby
• nikki
• niko
• Oreo
• patches
• Peanut & Almond ( Personal Fav!)
• Pepper
• Pepperoni
• Poppet
• Prints
• sammy 
• sasha
• Sassy
• Scritchy
• shadow
• skittles
• Snuggles
• Sophie
• Spankle
• Squeaky
• starbucks
• Tater &Tots
• Teddy
• tigger
• Treasure
• twilight
• twister
• Wally
• Woodychubbchubb
• Zebby
• Zebra

Check if it has any bones broken. If it is, take it to the vet.

If not, check the toe nails, if it is too long, use a baby nail clipper, or alternatively, you can line the hamster's running wheel with fine grain sandpaper, and the ends of his nails will be worn down while he runs.

I took this from http://www.freewebs.com/hamsterhighway/index.htm and this is a really good guide to follow.

Breeding Hamsters

You generally would breed hamsters according to their specific breed ie Breeding only Syrian hamsters or breeding only Chinese hamsters. It is not advisable to breed hamsters of different breed types. If you've got a friend who has a hamster of the same breed of the opposite sex, you can arrange with him/her to breed your hamsters and then share the load of having to find homes for the young. This is the case for breeding Syrian hamsters as they are more often than not kept in isolation. Dwarf hamsters are different in that they are sociable and can live in social groups - so long as they are introduced to each other after weaning and they 'grow up' together. If you have a cage of dwarf hamsters (who are not of the same sex), they will start to breed when they are ready - and they generally will pretty much 'self regulate' their breeding pattern and frequency and you just have to 'watch' it unfold.
What's the best age to start breeding hamsters?

Generally for female hamsters, the ideal age to start breeding is at 4-6 months - any younger and you would risk her having a poor litter (she has still to grow herself) and also increase the likelihood of cannibalism. Leave it any longer than 6 months and you run the risk of birth complications. For male hamsters, they are sexually active from as young as 6 weeks of age but it's probably best to leave them alone till they're about 2-3 months old before contemplating breeding from them. Dwarf hamsters kept together will start breeding at 2-3 months of age.
How often can I breed my female hamster?

Whilst you can just keep her breeding litter after litter, this will greatly shorten her lifespan. It's best to wait about 3-4 months before you breed her again. This will give her body time to 'recuperate' and put her in a better condition come mating time. If you stick to this regime, it will mean that you will probably get 2 litters out of any one breeding female hamster as they often become sterile when they turn 14 months old. Sometimes you can get a third litter from a female but this is the exception rather than the rule. Strangely enough, this is the self same pattern that dwarf hamsters will adhere to even though they have 'free rein' as to how often they mate and produce offspring. 2-3 litters per breeding female is the norm for dwarf hamsters kept as mating pairs.Breeding Syrian hamsters

Because Syrian hamsters are kept in isolation, you usually have to play 'match-maker' when it comes to breeding frivolities. Female hamsters come into 'season' once every 4 days ( they ovulate during that time) and it's only when they are in season that they are 'receptive' to the advances of the male hamster. Any other times fighting would inevitably occur.
How do I know when my female hamster is ready to breed -(or is in season)?

Given that they will go into season once every 4 days, if you get it wrong the first time, there's always the next time. Generally, the female hamster will emit a musky odor just before she comes into season and inevitably, it's always around evening time that the 'oestrus period' (time when she's fertile and accepting of the male) starts and it lasts for anywhere between 4 and 18 hours. It is during this 'window of opportunity' that she will be receptive to the male so breeding them has to take place then. After the female hamsters finish their season, there is a thick white mucous discharge that is excreted from their vagina. Less experienced hamster breeders will then take that as a starting point, count another 3 days after that and then try for a breeding encounter (anticipating the next oestrous cycle 4 days later). If the weather is cool ( winter), most hamsters will not breed. The other tell-tale sign that she is in season is that when you stroke her back towards her tail, she will freeze on the spot, flatten out and lift her tail.
The hamster breeding protocol

Okay, you've established that the female hamster is ready for breeding, what now? You have 2 choices - you can put her in the male's cage or take them both out and put them in a separate breeding box (neutral territory). Wear protective gloves, have an object ready to separate them if any fighting ensues - they often aren't very selective about who they nip and will nip you in your efforts to separate them if they choose not to breed. If you've picked the right time, the female will 'freeze' with her tail in the air and allow the male hamster to mate with her a few times. Keep them together for anywhere between 15 minutes to an hour - when they start to lose interest in the mating ritual, then it's time to separate them. Virgin males can be a bit confused initially and may turn the female hamster off by mounting her from all directions but they will soon learn 'on the job'. Breeding is generally more successful when both male and female hamsters have had previous mating encounters.
How can I tell if the mating has been successful that the female hamster is pregnant?

If the female doesn't come into season again 4 days later, she's regarded as being pregnant. She will start to become decidedly pregnant - her abdomen will swell (no, she's not getting fat), and her nipples will start to become more pronounced.
Gestation lasts 16-18 days for Syrian hamsters, 18-21 days for the Russian hamsters, 21-23 days for Chinese hamsters and 23-30 for Roborovski Hamsters. The average litter for Syrians is about 7, but can be as great as 24, which is the maximum number of pups that can be contained in the uterus. Campbell's Dwarf Hamsters tend to have 4-8 in a litter but can have up to 14. Winter White Russian Dwarf Hamsters tend to have slightly smaller litters, as do Chinese and Roborovski hamsters.

Hamsters are born hairless and blind in a nest which the mother will have prepared in advance. After 1 week they begin to explore outside the nest. They are completely weaned after 3 weeks, or 4 for Roborovski Hamsters. Most breeders will sell the hamsters to shops when the hamsters are anywhere as of about 2-8 months old.


What do I do after the mating?

You return both hamsters to their respective cages. Female hamsters will need extra food during the pregnancy. High protein foods like tofu, boiled egg, wheat germ (to aid in birthing) can be added to the diet. She can still be handled but it's best to leave her alone when it's closer to the expected birth date. Clean out her cage at day 14 and take out the exercise wheel, provide her with extra nesting material (eg shredded paper). Then put her cage in a warm, quiet spot with as little disturbance as possible and wait...
Ooo - the babies are here - what now?

Let her nurse the babies till they are about 2 weeks old. DO NOT disturb the nest during this time as she may decide to turn on them and eat them. The cage will smell during this time - that's unavoidable, any attempts to change the bedding material would increase the likelihood of cannibalism so it's best to just leave it for the moment and put up with the smell. Sometimes despite all this, the female hamster will still cannibalize her young, this is common in female hamsters bred under 4 months and in older females who will cull some babies to reduce the numbers in the litter. Continue with the high protein foods (other ideas are bread soaked in milk) during this time. At about 3 weeks of age, the hamsters are ready to be sexed and weaned - they are no longer reliant on their mum for nourishment. You can keep them in 2 different boxes/cages (all the male babies in 1 cage and the females in another). They can be kept in these groups for a further 2-3 weeks. In the meantime, you can find new homes for them and they can go to their new owners at 5-6 weeks of age.
It is part of nature that female hamsters may eat their young. If this happens to you, here are some factors that may (or may not) have caused it.

1. She was stressed out by loud noises or the father.
2. The babies were touched by a human and therefore, had another scent on them.
3. The babies were deformed or had genetic disorders.
4. The mother was a first-time, inexperienced mother.

Mothers may eat the babies for any of these reasons. I have found that the second birth is usually much larger and has a much better survival rate because the mother knew what was going on and what to do. The first litter was sort of a surprise to her and she had to learn the ropes.

Sometimes, the mother never has any trouble with the first litter. Again, it just depends on the hamster. If your mother eats her first litter, give her plenty of recovery time and try again. Unless she has problems with her health, I can guarantee more of the babies will live the second time around. It often takes a little time to get the ball rolling, but once it is done, you will have plenty of little pups.

good luck :)

One of the most helpless feelings that a hamster owner experiences is finding a cage of pups and Mama has died - or played Houdini and disappeared.
But, there is hope. If the little ones are 12 to 14 days old they will do fine, with a little extra TLC and plenty of nourishing food. The first step, if Mama has died, is to thoroughly clean the cage. Make sure there is plenty of bedding. Since Mama isn't around to shred the toilet tissue for a nest, roll up the sleeves and have a shredding party! Place the cage in a warm location, with no drafts. If the little ones appear to be a little cold (young pups sometimes have problems maintaining body heat - that's why Mom is generally sleeping with them), place a heating pad, set on low, under the cage. Lower the water bottle so it is easy for them to reach. (As an added precaution, unflavored pedialyte can be placed in the bottle to prevent dehydration.) Fill the food dish with plenty of their normal grain/seed mix, which can be sprinkled with some powdered milk, wheat germ and/or quick oats. For added protein and sustenance, canned dog food (beef or chicken - mashed well with a fork) or boiled egg can be placed in a small saucer (one that comes in toy dish sets works well). Fresh apple will also help with hydration. Although the list of "treats" that the pups would enjoy is astronomical, the primary consideration should be to maintain a well balanced diet that remains similar to what they have been accustomed to during their short life.

If Mom has just decided to take a little private holiday, don't clean the cage (the scent should be the same as it was when she left) and set some traps for her. The commercial "Live Traps" work well, or place some grain and a special treat in a deep dish or pan and use books or pieces of lumber to build steps up to the rim of the dish. Mom will fall into the dish attempting to retrieve the "goodies" and will not be able to get out. Once Mom has returned, put fresh food in the cage and a treat. Place her back in the cage near the food. When she is ready she will find the pups - unless they find her first! Care for the pups the same as suggested above until Mama returns.

In the event the pups are 10 days or less, adoption needs to be considered since they still need "mother's milk" to survive and grow into healthy pups. There are as many methods of adopting orphans as there are breeders. The following is a method that has proven to be extremely successful. The pups will undoubtedly be cold when they are discovered. Clean all residues from the nest off the little ones and wrap them in a clean terry towel. Rub them gently to stimulate circulation - generally the gentle rubbing and warmth of ones hands will have them wiggling in no time. It is best to find an adoptive mother that has little ones a day or two older or younger. Again, make sure that all the residue of the orphan's original nest has been removed, take some of the nesting material that is around the adoptive mother and her babies and wrap it around the orphans. Continue holding them and let them wiggle around in the nesting material - the goal is to make them smell just like Mom's other pups. Entice the adoptive mom away from her nest with a special treat. Once she is busy tending to devouring the treat, place the orphans in the nest with the other babies. Make every effort to keep Mom busy for as long as possible and give the orphans time to squirm in and around their new siblings and, hopefully, smell just like them. Go away and don't disturb Mom and the babies. And, although it is tempting, don't look in the nest for at least a week.

There's no absolute guarantee that this will work - sometimes it is hard to fool hammies and they know right away that there strangers in the nest and will eliminate them.

Adoption successes are solely in the paws of the adoptive mother. If she believes that there is something wrong with the orphans, or if they aren't healthy, she will mercifully dispose of them. If she can't detect any "different smelling kids" in the nest and they are all healthy, she will probably settle right in and raise them. (Fortunately, hammie moms don't count noses - so a few more or less doesn't generally affect the quality of care they receive.


Some more orphan advice...
In the event that you find yourself with a litter of pups and no mom ........
Pups 8 days and younger have a better chance of survival if you can find a "surrogate" mom. A surrogate mom is a female who has recently given birth and is nursing her own pups. There is a chance that she will accept your abandoned pups as her own but no absolute guarantee. If no surrogate mom is available you can try the following but keep in mind this works best for pups over 8 days old.

You will need "KMR" which is a milk replacer that is used for kittens but it says right on the package that it can be used for hamsters. If "KMR" is not available you can also use either baby formula or evaporated milk ( 50%evaporated milk mixed with 50%warm water).

For pups from birth to approximately 12 days old you have to feed them around the clock with an eyedropper. Feed them 3 drops of "KMR" approximately ever hour. Once they begin eating solid food in addition to nursing you can drop the amount of "KMR" in the eyedropper to approximately .5-1ml. and now feed them still around the clock but every 2- 3 hours. Continue this schedule until they are 21 days when even pups with a mom stop nursing completely.

An important step that you can't forget is that after each feeding you gotta stimulate each pup to urinate and defacate just like the mom would do. To do this gently rub each pup's gential and anal area with a warm,moist cloth.

Pups lose body heat real fast without the mom to keep them warm so supply extra nesting material in the form of white,unscented toilet paper and place a heating pad under the tank/cage. Keep the temp on a low setting.

Pups also have a tendency to dehydrate rapidly so when you see them start to eat the dry food that is scattered around the tank/cage you can also supply them with a piece of peeled apple to prevent dehydration. Also when the pups are old enough to drink from the hanging water bottle fill it with water and unflavored pedialyte (50%water/50%pedialyte). This will also help prevent dehydration.

Gotta add this because it's important. When you feed the pups with the eyedropper be real careful and do it gently never forcing the fluid because it's real easy for a pup to inhale the liquid and once it's in the lungs it can kill the pup.

Hopefully you will never have a litter of pups abandoned by the mom but if you do always remember it's possible to hand feed them the way I described and yeah it's hard work but worth the effort to save the little dudes from death. Take care comrades. The Rebel is over and out.

Most cages use a non-toxic water based enamel paint. It is very safe. Not to worry. If you are afraid of the hamster biting the cage, introduce chew toys for it to chew on.

hamsters are very territorial, especially the females. Hamster cages aren't that expensive - buy two and let them live apart. It is possible that one is pregnant(its not your fault, some hamsters are pregnant when you buy them from a pet store) - that is when they are most like this. Please keep them both in different cages - if one of the hamsters is accidentally pregnant, she will eat her babies if she senses any threat, as well as attack the other hamster.

Hammy's are not social creatures, like some other rodents. Male and females (if they are from different breeds that cannot mate with each other) are the only pair that can be kept without any fighting, if raised together.

But If compared, dwarfs are more sociable than syrians i have observed. Syrians prefer to live alone and not together. While dwarfs can accept that another hamster is around. But if gets bad, separate them as soon as possible, if not it will result in one being injured, or eve killed.

Hamsters love to scratch themselves, and a sand bath is good for them to get rid of the dirt, and keep their fur clean. It normal to see them rolling around. It is a good way to keep them clean and for them to smell nice and clean. Its safe for them too. It also encourages them to drink more water, due to the sand being a little salty.

Maybe the hamster does not like the way you handle him. Try giving him his favourite foods on your palm and make him crawl up to you slowly, give it lots of tender loving care, and soon enough, he may be more gentle to you.

and before i forget, remember to wash your hands before you handle it. you may have food smells left behind when you eat, so it may think your hand is food too.

Many people have different views on hamsters. If you would like to play and handle our hamsters, and you are not afraid of big hamsters, then the syrian hamster is perfect for you. But you must be warned that they are not very sociable creatures, even though you put 2 of the same gender together.

if you dont mind smaller sized, and they run around very fast. And if you like them to interact with each other, then the dwarf breed will be suitable for you.

if you dont want to touch them much, and like to see them run very quickly, then the roboroski breed is suitable for you.

everyone has different views. Good luck in finding a suitable one

The reason why mothers eat their babies, is that, they feel that the babies will not live long, so instead of prolonging their suffering, they eat them.

And why i suggest not to touch the babies, is that the mother can pick up new smells, and may think the baby will not be healthy.

• oil the wheel when you find it noisy
• to prevent the cage from being too smelly, change it once a week
• suggested bedding : wood shavings/ old newspaper (not adviced)
  

• get it from a good breeder ( they are more experienced)
• or if you are getting it from a pet shop, go over a few times, observe their cleanliness, and how they handle the hamsters. Ask them where they got the babies from
• Clean bright eyes, not watery
• neat fur, no bald patches
• very active, although sleeps in the day
• no wet tail

You will need to practise this, and start it from young if possible. It is a bit cruel, but please dont torture it.

• use finger and thumb and flick it the mouth when it bites you
• hamster may squeal, so be prepared.
• put it back in the cage
• if it still bites you when you take it out, repeat action and put the hamster back.

If it still does not work, try the 'nice method'

Just give it lots of TLC (Tender Loving Care)

Good luck :)

• well ventilated
  
• basic things - wheel, food bowl, water bottle
• bigger cage for bigger sized hammies
• small ( but not to small) for small size cage
• big is good
• Make sure all small gaps are covered
• fish tanks are no good- not much ventilation- our air does not really sink
• you can add additional things like a used toilet roll, tubes
  

Remember to place fresh food and water to keep your hamster healthy :)

• dont panic
• place food in a deep jar
• put it slanting against a stack of books
• leave the trap there
• wait for the hamster to be trapped :)

Good luck :)

Cuts and sores-> Wash with saline water twice daily until healed

• cover the cage to give it more privacy
• DON'T touch the babies too soon. (I know the temptation to touch them is very high :)
• Give plenty of dry food and water for them
• Leave them alone till they are older
• Try not to change the cage ( i know it stinks, but the mother might eat the baby if you do that

Feel the mother's belly. Normally the bottom half is bloated more then usual. The mother is normally more temperamental to her partner. Her nipples are forming, and she is starting to make a nest.

Diarrhea is caused my stress, normally caused by traveling long distances and handling of hamsters in a new environment.

How to prevent : try not to travel long distances with the hamster. Do not handle the hamsters the moment you reach home. Let them settle for at least day in the new environment.

How to treat: You can either treat it with medication over the counter or visit the vet. Use clean paper towel as bedding for the time being, and feed it with dry food, like seeds

Wet tail is dangerous. It is bacteria formed that gets stuck on the tail of the hamster and it will stay there, making look very wet. Sometimes, some poo will get stuck too.

To prevent that, use saline water to wash the area, and dry with with paper towel. Put it on just a dry diet, like seeds, and stop giving then vegetables or wet food. Monitor the situation. If it gets ba, bring it to the vet

Hi,

i am a very experienced hamster owner. I have kept and treated my hamsters. If you do have any questions, do post them in the comments, or you can email me at hamsterguru@gmail.com i will be very glad to answer your questions. I will post your questions in my posts :)

Have a happy hamster day!

Love
Hamster Guru :)