Pregnant hamster- remove wheel?

[Brenna]

Hey,
I have a slight problem right now, I'd appreciate it if I could get some advice. My neighbors went away on vacation and asked me to take care of their pets while they were gone. They told me that it was possible that the female coud be pregnant again, but she wouldn't have babies while I had them.

This is my problem: The female runs in her wheel all night and for a good part of the day, and I think she will have her babies soon so I'm not sure if it is good for her to run in the wheel. Should I remove it, or leave it in?

I'm afraid she might hurt the babies if I try to remove it after they are born, but if I take it out now she might go crazy because thats all she does all day. The previous litter seemed OK, they are three weeks old and seperated from the mom and I never removed the wheel.

Thank you!

[Kendalle]

I think it is ok until she has them but i could be wrong someone will help soon

[RodentzRule]

Remove the wheel when she starts to look like she swallowed a golf ball, the babies will rub against the wheel and may get damaged. At this point you should add toilet paper or tissue so she can make her nest. When the babies are born dont add the wheel straight away, imo you shouldnt add the wheel until they are weaned, if you do the momma will just go straight back to it and the babies wont get their food or the help they need and may eventually die

[Brenna]

Thank you! I was also wondering what I should do when the owners come back. They really don't know how to take care of baby hamsters, the two dwarf hamsters were their first hamsters that were incorrectly sexed. They are coming home Sunday and I know the babies will be born by then, so is it OK to move them back to their house when they're only a few days old?

[RodentzRule]

Sneak them away and say she wasnt preganant... lol
I wouldnt move them back straight away, this will disturb or scare her and she may *gulp* eat her babies. If you are concerned that they cant take care of them just offer to take them off their hands when they are fully weaned, you could also ask them to sell them to you.

[LuvPets]

When my ham was pregnant, I was told to remove the wheel until they were weaned so they wouldn't get in it with momma and get hurt! It should be fine until she gives birth. My girl never had any signs that I was told about, other than being miserably huge!! I was told to watch for excessive hoarding of food, vaginal bleeding, and a HUGE nest. She makes a huge nest anyway, so I couldn't tell a difference!! The other two signs I never saw! I got up one morning to check on her and there was 2 pups--came home from work and there were 10!!!!


Definately do not move the cage around soon after birth. It will freak the momma out and she will quite possibly eat the babies.


You have been given wonderful and right on target advice from RodentzRule!! Good luck!!!

[Brenna]

The female actually had a litter about three weeks ago, they were just weaned so I couldn't tell if she was pregnant again until she got really big. She already was showing some signs that a female shows when she is pregnant becase she had just had babies, but now I'm 100% sure there's more babies on the way. Thanks for the advice! I took out her wheel and she hasen't gone crazy (yet). RodentzRule, I might have tried your suggestion of sneaking them away if they wouldn't die. I just don't think my neighbors will really care if the babies are eaten because the kid's mom doesn't like animals at all. They didn't even seperate the male and female hamsters until they started fighting, and now the male has his own cage (that I have now escape-proofed because he escaped twice at my house and several times at theirs).

[RodentzRule]

Just to prepare you, she may abandon the babies anyway and you will have to reer them. I am concerned about this as this is her 2nd litter. Preganacy is very stressful for them and since she had the litter 3 weeks ago she may not be ready to raise more pups yet. If this occurs we can tell you what you need to know (and you can sneak away the babies... ) Good luck!

[Brenna]

Haha thanks! I think there is a good chance she will abandon the babies :'( because after a few weeks she got tired of nursing her first litter and would push them away (the babies were ready to be weaned anyway, and this might be normal behavior for mothers, but it was my first litter so I'm not sure). If I have to raise the babies myself, they definitely will have to stay at my house (unless my neighbors suddenly become hamster-crazy and decide to look up online how to take care of them). The female is about three months old, I'm not quite sure because she's not mine. Her first 'litter' was one baby that she ate because she was too young to know what to do with, then she had another litter, and now another. I think it is going to be too much for her and too hard on her body because after her first real litter of five she was VERY skinny. I've been feeding her alot of different foods that were suggested on hamster care websites for the nursing mothers, but she needs time to rest between litters.

[RodentzRule]

Eek, 3 pregnancies in less than 3 months is not good at all and I am pretty certain she will abandon them. If she doesnt im sure the owners would be happy to let you have them after weaning, they do not sound like good owners. Good luck!

[Brenna]

I know, it's not good for her but she's not mine so there wasn't much I could do about the male and female being kept together. Lucky for her (the female) that the owners thought they were fighting so they seperated them (they said it may have been possible that they were mating, not fighting, but they weren't sure). If the mom abandons the babies, hopefully it will be when they are at least several days old so they will have a chance to survive. Just in case, what should I do if she abandons them?

[Brenna]

Quote: Originally Posted by RodentzRule Remove the wheel when she starts to look like she swallowed a golf ball

I just checked her, she definitely looks like she swallowed at least a golf ball, maybe two! I started noticing that she was getting heavier on Monday, so I'm expecting the babies around Friday-ish because I read online that they start rapidly gaining weight about 3-5 days before they give birth. I am going to keep the wheel out, otherwise she may decide that she would rather run in her wheel than take care of the babies. That's what she did when the other litter was about 3 weeks, but I think she will have less patience this time.

[LuvPets]

Oh wow! They sound irresponsible when it comes to pets!! I wish you could just keep them!! You seem much more concerned for their welfare!! I hope you have good luck with them!! If you need anything, just ask!!!

[Brenna]

I love animals and would hate to see one of the hamsters die, I would feel horrible if the mom died from having too many babies because it is so hard on their bodies. I have had hamsters since I was about six years old, but I never bred them or raised babies before, so I've have alot of experience with hamsters but not breeding them. In the past, I've had eight hamsters (my first died of wet tail, one of my dwarf hamsters had diabetes, and another died of depression after her cage-mate died of old age, and the rest died of old age and I haven't gotten another yet ). I really don't want any of the babies to die in this litter that will come in a few days, but I don't know who will take all the babies when they are ready for new homes. I've already had to fnd homes for the five I have right now, I hope she won't have many this time.
Thanks for all your help!!! I'll post when she has her babies or if I have any more problems!

[RodentzRule]

Hey! Your doing great! If she abondons them you will need to feed baby or puppy milk formulae through an eye dropper or syringe. Also you will need to wipe their bum with a wet cloth so they can go potty. PM me or Luvpets (she has been through a hamster preganancy and I havent) if you need some more advice! Good luck and keep us updatated on the lil fuzzys!