When Does the Mother Hamster Stop Nursing?

Healthy hamsters live for two years, three at most. Left to their own devices, they'll breed and reproduce frequently -- mostly in their first year, so the mother doesn't nurse each litter for very long. Female hamsters can start cranking out babies when they're just 6 weeks old.

  1. Breeding Hamsters

    • The Merck Manual for Pet Health warns, "Breeding of hamsters is best left to experienced breeders," noting numerous genetic defects are associated with different types of hamsters, so breeding these animals without knowledge of a pair's genetic heritage isn't recommended.

    Birth

    • A hamster's gestation period lasts just a little over two weeks; 16 days is average. Avoid handling the pregnant hamster. Before the birth, make sure the cage has plenty of bedding and hay for nesting material. The mother hamster gives birth to a litter ranging from four to 12 pups. Before giving birth, a hamster becomes restless. You might see blood coming from her vagina. Depending on the size of the litter, the entire birth process takes about two hours. Pups are born several minutes apart, one at a time, covered with a thin amniotic membrane called a caul. Warning: If the mother has excess babies, she might eat them. That's a natural part of hamster maternity.

    Mother and Babies

    • Baby hamsters are born deaf, sightless and hairless. They do have teeth, so they can bite and irritate the mother's nipples when nursing. By the age of 5 days hamsters can hear, and their eyes are open. Don't bother mother and babies, especially during the initial week. If she's stressed or startled, she's likely to devour her offspring. That's especially true if it's the mother's first litter. Even if the cage is a mess and smelly, don't bother the brood. That's one reason you put in plenty of extra bedding beforehand. Just feed the mother quickly and leave them alone. The mother hamster nurses her brood exclusively for their first 10 days. They start solid food by the 10th day, with some nursing. She'll start weaning the gradually herself -- they're completely weaned by about the age of 3 weeks.

    Separation

    • By the time hamsters are 3 weeks old, they're no longer nursing. You must remove them from the mother's cage -- she no longer wants anything to do with them once they are weaned and could harm them. At 6 weeks old, they're full-grown, ready to start their own breeding cycle.

    Estrus

    • Once the babies are weaned and the mother stops nursing, her estrous cycle starts up again. Her estrous cycle lasts four days -- then she goes into estrous again three days later. She ovulates about 18 hours into the first day, according to the University of Southern Alabama. That's the only time a male and female hamster can be together, because other than that brief mating period, the female wants nothing to do with the male and will attack him. Females can continue breeding until approximately the age of 15 months.

    Infection

    • Nursing mother hamsters might suffer from mammary gland infection, generally caused by the streptococcus bacteria. Starting between a week and 10 days after birth, the teats become swollen, with a mucus or pus discharge evident. Affected hamsters might devour their pups. Take the mother and babies to the vet, who will conduct tests and prescribe antibiotics.

    Abandonment

    • If the mother abandons her litter, you can try nursing the babies yourself. Other nursing hamsters rarely take on strange babies. If the babies are abandoned, call your vet immediately. She can advise you on hand-rearing hamster pups. Because they grow so quickly, if the pups survive you won't need to nurse them for long.