How to Take Care of Newborn Hamster

Hamsters are a popular household pet, as they are cute, low-maintenance and quiet. Whether you are assisting the mother hamster or taking care of newborns by yourself, vigilant care and feeding will improve the chances that the newborn hamster pups survive and grow strong.

Things You'll Need

  • Toilet paper
  • Hamster food
  • Eye dropper
  • Evaporated milk
  • 2 cages
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Instructions

    • 1

      Clean the hamster cage thoroughly before the baby hamsters arrive. Create a nesting area for the hamsters before they are born. Add layers of toilet paper in one corner of the cage. If there is a mother hamster, she will tear the paper into small pieces and weave a nest. If the mother is not there, tear up the toilet paper yourself in the cage for the newborn hamsters and fashion it as a nest. Keep the cage in a warm area.

    • 2

      Do not disturb the newborn hamster pups for about 10 days if the mother is present. If the pups wander away, the mother will take care of it. Supply plenty of fresh food and water in low containers that the mother can easily access. If there is no mother, keep water in very low containers and a close eye on the hamster pups.

    • 3

      Feed the hamster pups evaporated milk with an eyedropper if there is no mother. Feed each pup three to four drops each every hour until they can eat solid food. Once they start eating solid food, you can feed them the milk formula with an eyedropper every three hours until they are 3 weeks old.

    • 4

      Clean the cage in about two weeks when their eyes start to open. At this point, you can actually handle them in order to clean out the droppings in the cage.

    • 5

      Observe the hamsters frequently during the first two weeks to a month until you notice them eating solid food. At this point, they will have a light coat of fur and will hold the food between their paws while eating.

    • 6

      Separate the females from the males when they are about 1 month old and weaned away from their mom. Keep the sexes in different cages.