Hamster Babies

Nikster

My hamster just had babies. My sister and I have a hamster each. They are kept in the same cage. They are dwarf hamsters- Russian Roborovsky. The people in the pet shop assured us that they were the same sex, but as we have discovered in the last few days with the help of google- mine is female and my sisters hamster is male.

Since the babies have appeared we have done a lot of googling and reading. We've found out a lot such as leave them alone for 9/10 days, but I'm very nervous as I have no experience whatsoever in breeding hamsters. I breed tropical fish, but hamsters are just a different thing completely. Has anyone had experience breeding hamsters? I'm looking for advice from experience, not just by what I read

catyb20

I bought a hamster this time last year, it was only when she was being lifted out of the cage that anyone noticed that she babies! There were 9 altogether and out of that only 2 survived, though we were warned of this in the pet shop. So dont be too put off if some of them die. Do not touch them under circumstances as the mother will kill and eat them if she gets your scent from them. She will also eat any of the sick or frail which she doesnt think will survive, this can be very sad when they get bigger and start moving about themselves! You should leave them 4-6 weeks without handling the young, when cleaning the cage, clean around them only.

Hope this helps a little

Our man in Havana

Ok do not worry - give mum some extra food - some millet is good for little hamsters & a teeny tiny amount of cooked chicken will be appreciated for extra protien.

Leave babies with mum for 4 weeks - you can start to handle them when they are running around the cage with eyes open & fully furred. I would then ask a vet to sex them for you & keep the babies - robos are very social hamsters.

Nikster

Bond-007 wrote: »

- robos are very social hamsters.

They might be social animals but I'm scared of my life of them! They can run so fast. Fish have always been my forte, but when my sister went shopping to replace her dead hamster I just fell in love with the dwarf hamsters and had to have one. The deal was that I would pay for the hamster and all the bits and pieces they need, but my sister would care for them. I've tried to bond with my hamster but I'm so nervous. My sister put me in to an empty bath with the drain and everything blocked off and let the hamster run around me. She said the bath was the best place cos it couldn't escape. I'd love to hold it but I think it's as scared of me as I am scared of it. It just runs around the bath like a lunatic. On one occassion it ran up the leg of my pants. I was trying not to scream cos I'd scare it- my sister was unconsolable with laughter. I'm 25 and older than her so she finds it absolutely hilarious. It's easy for her- she'as always been very animal aware- I seem to be scared of anything that moves!

Nikster

My babies are running around on their own now. I held one last night. It was a hige thing for me to hold a hamster and not freak out. Maybe they'll get used to me and I'll get used to them too. They're sooooo cute

dudara

Robos are mental little guys, always busy jumping and climbing. They're very active compared to other forms of dwarf hamster.

Good luck with the little ones.

Sigma Force

Meanwhile go back to the pet shop and give out hell to them, I am so sick of pet shops selling pregnant or sexing them wrong. Dont get me wrong Im no expert but that is why I expect a pet shop to be since its their job. Ok mistakes can be made but it happens way to often. Pet shop should at least give you some free food for them not that they have to but shops are never ever held accountable and until we start complaining to them they wont change. Its best of course if you can buy from a pet shop who does know their stuff who can sex the animals properly and give you care sheets and more info if you want it.

I felt sorry for a hammie a few years ago over a xmas and bought it something i never do I had a suscpicion she was preg too so i figured one less hamster to be given to a child over xmas. Sadly she ate the babies, we didnt go near her but this can happen. I did complain to the shop all they said was they would take the babies i said no i would home them myself.I buy food etc from other places now including online. They were clearly just trying to make some fast cash over that Xmas and they didnt even know where the hamsters origionally came from.

Nikster

Guineapigrescue wrote: »

Meanwhile go back to the pet shop and give out hell to them, I am so sick of pet shops selling pregnant or sexing them wrong. Dont get me wrong Im no expert but that is why I expect a pet shop to be since its their job. Ok mistakes can be made but it happens way to often. Pet shop should at least give you some free food for them not that they have to but shops are never ever held accountable and until we start complaining to them they wont change. Its best of course if you can buy from a pet shop who does know their stuff who can sex the animals properly and give you care sheets and more info if you want it.

I felt sorry for a hammie a few years ago over a xmas and bought it something i never do I had a suscpicion she was preg too so i figured one less hamster to be given to a child over xmas. Sadly she ate the babies, we didnt go near her but this can happen. I did complain to the shop all they said was they would take the babies i said no i would home them myself.I buy food etc from other places now including online. They were clearly just trying to make some fast cash over that Xmas and they didnt even know where the hamsters origionally came from.

You're right about that. When we bought the hamsters we were told they were both male. They also said if they were wrong and they had babies they would take them off us. So therefore they would make quick money 5 babies sold at E20 each equals quick profit for then, so we are going to find homes for them ourselves too

Nikster

My hamster had more babies about an hour ago. We have the male in a separate cage now, but obviously didn't get him out of there quick enough. The first lot of babies are 3 weeks old now and they're so cute. I'm hoping to be able to sex them as soon as possible and seperate them too. But with more babies today I think I'm going to start thinking of giving some away or the house will end up full of hamster cages!

Susannahmia

Nikster wrote: »

My hamster had more babies about an hour ago. We have the male in a separate cage now, but obviously didn't get him out of there quick enough. The first lot of babies are 3 weeks old now and they're so cute. I'm hoping to be able to sex them as soon as possible and seperate them too. But with more babies today I think I'm going to start thinking of giving some away or the house will end up full of hamster cages!

Have you the first batch of babies seperated from the mother? If not you should as the male babies can father more babies at a very young age. They should be weaned at 21 days.

Nikster

Susannahmia wrote: »

Have you the first batch of babies seperated from the mother? If not you should as the male babies can father more babies at a very young age. They should be weaned at 21 days.

We have them seperated from the mother but can't tell the difference between the males and females yet. Any tips on sexing them?

Susannahmia

Nikster wrote: »

We have them seperated from the mother but can't tell the difference between the males and females yet. Any tips on sexing them?

God it is just so hard to do it accuratly at that age, I can only tell when the testicles are dropped. If I were you I would take them into the vet and get him/her to do it.

Nikster

I googled sexing hamsters and I think we have 2 girls and 4 boys. My sister (who thinks she's the expert) thinks there all boys! She's looking for nipples but I'm trying to explain to her that they're a bit young to have nipples!

hadook

The only tip I have for sexing robo's at 3-4 weeks is to repeat it until you're sure you've identified the males and females. It can sometimes help to compare them - say you have two probably boys and two possibly not boys for instance