How to Know When Your Hamster Is Having Babies

If you suspect that your pet hamster may be pregnant, there are several ways you can tell if she is going to have babies. Observing the behavior and appearance of your pet hamster is the best method to determine if she is pregnant or not. Hamsters are rapid breeders and generally give birth within a month of becoming pregnant, so finding out your hamster is pregnant as quickly as possible is important. Once you recognize if she is pregnant or not it is your job as the owner to help her prepare for the new baby hamsters.

Instructions

    • 1

      Look for obvious signs of pregnancy. Determine if she has had any direct contact with a male hamster and then look for common pregnancy behaviors, such as nesting. Pregnant hamsters have increased nesting activities and prepare their bedding areas for the pregnancy by adding more materials, such as cedar chips, to their existing nests.

    • 2

      Watch for a change in your hamster's eating and drinking behaviors. Most hamsters start drinking significantly more water when expecting. Hamsters also start to eat more food than normal and hoard some of their food underneath their nesting area.

    • 3

      Look for signs of weight gain in your female hamster. Some hamsters gain weight early on in their short pregnancy, while others won't begin to show their increase in size until about a week prior to giving birth. During this last week of the hamster's pregnancy you should see a rapid increase in the size of your animal, which is an important indicator of the new hamsters' arrival.

    • 4

      Look for unusual behaviors with your hamsters, and take note of how she interacts with other hamsters in the cage. If she is fighting with other hamsters, protecting her nest or showing signs of reluctance towards human handling, she may be expecting babies. Most female hamsters display all of these behaviors prior to giving birth.

    • 5

      Take note of your hamster's nipples. About a week prior to the arrival of babies, a hamster's nipples begin to protrude from her abdomen and are clearly visible.