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MissCampbell · 12-16-2013 12:18 AM

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Hi. At frist i want to exuse the bad langue. Im Norwegian, but there is no Norwegian activ hamsterpage.
I baught a then 30 days old dwarfhamster boy. He was in the same cage as his brother. I love him more than anything and I've tried my best to make him happy and he is tamed and not afraid at all. 5 days ago I had the biggest shock in my life! I lifted his house and found babies. So Gino was obviously not a boy..
I know it normal to hear noises from the babies and I do hear it a lot! But sometimes the screams are more intense and I hear some strange noises. This has happend three times! Is she eating them? I am so afraid of that. My belly is hurting constantly. I've counted to six the first time, but haven't shecked since.
I hope her last owners lied about her age. I hope she is older and that this isn't her first litter, but I think it is. And she is only 50 days.
And now some questions.

- what and how often should I feed her?
- can I pick her up? I've did it twice for two minutes become she was asking for it! She jumped off her house and in to the window and she tries to climb the plastic windows.. When I sat her down she just continued and didn't bodder to check the litter ..
- she is often outside the house with the pups, eating, washing herself and today I thought she had got her head stuck behind the house but when I opened the cage to save her she looked at me with the tired eyes she gives me when I accedentky wake her up. She spend a lot of time in her corner and clean her for many minutes and ignores when the babies calling her. Is this normal ?
Is she a bad mum for letting her house be open when she's not around? He closes it when she is in it..
- What are the signs that tells she is stresses?
- is she stressed by television and talking? She sleeps when I watch tv but she's always been couris and comes out to sheck every time she hears a noice.
- if she is outside the cage. Can I lift the house to se the babies without touching? I use the light on my phone to light in to them when the mum is eating and she don't bother. But when my sister was there she ran into the house and closed it. But she had been out for a while..
- should I give her vitamins in the water?
- can you recommend a food type for hamsters with babies?

Tomorrow I'm moving in to my sisters bedroom for a week so the hamsters can have a dark silent room. It will never be 100% silent, but its better than having me there. But my room doesn't have ventilation..
Can they have it dark most of the time? I might have my curtains up so they get a little light.. Do you think that will help? To only disturb once or twice a day..

And I think she eat up her toilet roll . The grey thing inside. But I hope she only ate them to use at material? Is it dangerous ?

Sorry it's long. I'm not good at getting to the point you see

STs Hamstery · 12-16-2013 03:30 AM

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Wow you got a big surprise for sure.
1st don't panic at babies, as Mother knows best. The chirps could be pups really hungry, and not pups being ate, but if she is the age you were told (personally I doubt she is only 4 weeks old as Dwarfs are not estrus cycling until 7 weeks of age) but she is still a very young Mother and she may be doing what is called culling. Very young Moms know if the stresses of motherhood are harming their own lives and will eliminate some pups if they must. Your Mama's health is the top concern right now, and even though it is unpleasant to know she may be culling pups She knows what is best for her life.

To help her to be able to raise her litter feed her high protein foods daily, BUT in small amounts to avoid tummy upsetting. Small bits of hard boiled eggs, Yogurt(natural flavored and no added sugar is best) Sunflower seeds(deshelled is nice for her as there is no extra work for her to munch on them) Tofu is a really good source of protein and extra water too.

She needs to focus 100% on her babies, so hard as it is you should not handle Mom till pups eyes are open at around 18 days old. Even then only short cuddles till pups are weaned.

She's not a bad Mom just a way to young and inexperienced Mom and why she is not tending her family as well as a mature Mother would. If your hearing cries then you know there are still pups there and alive. Leaving the nest open can be because she is hot as well as lots of loud cries from the pups too. Some of my Dwarfs leave their nest open while others like to hide the pups under the bedding. So I wouldn't be real concerned at this unless it's cold where she is housed.

Signs of stress can be many. Not nursing the pups for long periods of time, pacing the cage , Losing weight from not eating to name a few highly noticed ones.

It would be best if she could be away from TVs and other things which would make her leave her pups so your thoughts of leaving her alone in your room is a very good idea. You can lift the curtains in the morning but to be honest Hamsters are nocturnal so they like the dark more then the light so this wouldn't really be needed for her.

Absolutely do Not lift the house to look at the pups as this can cause Mom to feel threaten and kill all her pups instantly.
Only time you should disturb the cage in any way is to quickly add fresh food and water Once a day until the pups have eyes open.

Toilet tubes are a great source of nesting material and is fine for her to chew up and use. It's not dangerous at all.

At about 19 days the pups eyes will open then be sure to handle each pup for very short periods of time and always over the cage as they will be very very quick to jump off your hands until they learn to trust you and understand that huge fleshy thing means no harm to them. You'll need to sex them at 5 weeks, and place the males in a separate cage no later then 6 weeks as at 7 weeks the males can and will mate with all the females including their own Mother if not separated.

Don't be hard on yourself for the length of the post wink

you did just fine and you have to write all you need to know and that is good cause many don't ask.

Enjoy your surprise and please keep us updated on their progress in the weeks to come.
By the way Welcome to HFF

MissCampbell · 12-16-2013 02:08 PM

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Thanks alot for the answer! smile

I still here noises so they are alive smile

Spacemonkey · 12-16-2013 04:39 PM

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Can't add anything to what STs Hamstery has said, just wishing you good luck with them, great news they are still alive smile

MissCampbell · 12-16-2013 05:13 PM

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Thanks

im going to the pet store to buy better food and vitamins . And I gave get egg today.
And I moved out of my room :/

I've read that a hamster killed her babies when they was almost three weeks? When can I move back to my room? smile

she wakes up every time she hears me...

Another thing that consernes me is that she spend much time outside the nest.. But she is usually sleeping or eating. But at the same time she is much with her babies smile

Fingertips · 12-16-2013 07:57 PM

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That must have been such a shock Unsure

Anyway, I hope everything goes okay with mum and babies.

STs Hamstery · 12-16-2013 08:08 PM

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You can move back when their eyes are open(19 days old). It is very rare for a Mother to kill her pups at 3 weeks old but I have had it happen to me but was a Syrian Hamster not a dwarf. In my case the mom had a sore nipple and when the pups suckled on it she attacked them because of pain.

She knows how long she needs to tend the litter so I wouldn't be too concerned at the amount of time she is not on the nest. Sounds like despite her young age she is handling Motherhood pretty well.

MissCampbell · 12-17-2013 07:48 PM

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Thank you for answering smile

Well, I'm not shure if they gave me the right age but she do good smile

MissCampbell · 12-20-2013 12:11 AM

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When i gave the mum food and age got out of the nest. One of the pups tried to follow her! And it actually looked like a hamster. I could se two grey heads coming out of the door, but they only had their head outside :/ I've only been with them one-two times at day just to give them food and change water and they are doing very well Big smile

But if they are still six it might not be enogh space ? The house is made for one dwarf not seven, hehe. Will they make their one nest? What to do?

STs Hamstery · 12-20-2013 01:47 AM

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The house will be fine until eyes open then you may have to take the small house out and add a new bigger one. Glad to hear all are doing well and are peeping their heads out the house.

MissCampbell · 12-22-2013 08:23 PM

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It's been 11 days and they walk around the house and mum made a new nest . One of them have opened his eyes. :-o

MissCampbell · 12-22-2013 08:27 PM

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I can see five if them! So the last one is dead or sleeping

MissCampbell · 12-22-2013 08:33 PM

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The last one got out . So everyone is alive!

Fingertips · 12-22-2013 10:43 PM

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That's great, hopefully you can start handling them soon! Big smile

hammyhugs · 12-23-2013 03:57 PM

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Congratulations love and I am so glad they are all OK. Looking forward to seeing them.

Hugs

JO xx

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