How Should Hamsters Act Towards Their Newborns?

Hamsters make good first pets for children because they require little care and yet are interesting to watch going about their daily lives. Most hamsters have a docile nature and can be handled by humans without biting if they are trained from their early lives. If you are interested in breeding hamsters, be aware that a variety of behaviors are expected from mothers tending their newborn babies, called pups.

  1. Hamster Births

    • Because hamsters are solitary creatures, they are generally kept separate from other adult hamsters. This separation is even more important after the birth of newborns, when conditions can affect the nurturing ability of the mother hamster. The gestation of Syrian, or golden, hamster pups takes about 16 days. Dwarf hamsters are born after 30 days. Generally, the mother takes care of the birth and stimulation of the newborns as they emerge from the womb.

    Normal Hamster Behavior

    • After the birth, the mother hamster will clean the pups and consume the birth products. After the litter is complete, she will lick the pups to stimulate them to urinate and defecate until they can do this on their own. Feed the mother high-protein food, such as eggs, cheese and whole-grain bread, throughout the pregnancy and nursing stage to ensure normal growth for the pups. The pups will begin to forage for food in the cage even though they are still blind. Leave small bits of carrot, cauliflower or egg around the cage for them to find. The pups̵7; eyes should open around 14 days of age. Pups should be fully weaned by 21 days. You can then separate the pups from the mother when they are about 28 days old.

    Maternal Cannibalism

    • Occasionally, the mothering behavior in hamsters takes a grisly turn and she consumes her babies. This behavior has been studied by scientists and has been determined to be normal activity to reduce the number of pups in the litter so that they are able to survive in the often harsh conditions of their native environment. Maternal cannibalism can also occur when humans handle the pups too soon after birth, leaving their scent on the pups and making them unrecognizable to the confused mother. Occasionally, a mother hamster will consume her pups due to inexperience, or she may abandon them entirely.

    Providing Good Conditions

    • Providing a good environment can help both the instincts of the mother in caring for her pups and the health of the pups themselves. Try to keep the cage calm and undisturbed by family members. Clean the cage regularly. Do not pick up or touch the newborn pups for at least 10 days after birth. Keep plenty of food on hand for the mother so that she feels confident she will be able to feed her pups and they will be able to survive. She may cull the litter through cannibalism if she thinks there is not enough food to go around.