Difference between revisions of "Care for Newborn Hamsters"
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== Steps == | == Steps == | ||
=== Preparing a Pregnant Mother for Birth === | === Preparing a Pregnant Mother for Birth === | ||
| − | #Assess the parents' risk factors.<ref> Handbook of Rodent and Rabbit Medicine. Laber-Laird & Flecknell. Publisher Pergamon</ref> Hamsters reach sexual maturity as young as 6 weeks old, though it is not advisable to let them mate at this age. A female should be at least 8 - 10 weeks old before mating, and males 10 -12 weeks old. Once a hamster reaches 12 months of age, it should no longer be bred, as health risks skyrocket. | + | #Assess the parents' risk factors.<ref name="rf1"> Handbook of Rodent and Rabbit Medicine. Laber-Laird & Flecknell. Publisher Pergamon</ref> Hamsters reach sexual maturity as young as 6 weeks old, though it is not advisable to let them mate at this age. A female should be at least 8 - 10 weeks old before mating, and males 10 -12 weeks old. Once a hamster reaches 12 months of age, it should no longer be bred, as health risks skyrocket. |
#*The average hamster lifespan is 18 - 24 months. | #*The average hamster lifespan is 18 - 24 months. | ||
#Look for signs of birth. Hamster pregnancies are very short, lasting just 15 - 18 days. When you know your female is expecting, look for the following signs that she's preparing to give birth: | #Look for signs of birth. Hamster pregnancies are very short, lasting just 15 - 18 days. When you know your female is expecting, look for the following signs that she's preparing to give birth: | ||
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#*Eating more than usual | #*Eating more than usual | ||
#Prepare the cage is ready for birth. When you see the signs that the mother is close to giving birth, make sure the babies have an adequate cage to be born into. The cage should be cleaned and prepared before birth, but not too close to the mother's due date. It is important not to disturb the mother in the last few days of pregnancy, as it raises the odds of her cannibalizing the babies. | #Prepare the cage is ready for birth. When you see the signs that the mother is close to giving birth, make sure the babies have an adequate cage to be born into. The cage should be cleaned and prepared before birth, but not too close to the mother's due date. It is important not to disturb the mother in the last few days of pregnancy, as it raises the odds of her cannibalizing the babies. | ||
| − | #*A few days before her due date, put her in a clean cage by herself and leave her undisturbed. If you don't know exactly how far along she is, isolate her when you notice her belly swelling.<ref | + | #*A few days before her due date, put her in a clean cage by herself and leave her undisturbed. If you don't know exactly how far along she is, isolate her when you notice her belly swelling.<ref name="rf1" /> |
#*Remove toys from the cage. The mum might hurt or kill the babies if toys get in the way. | #*Remove toys from the cage. The mum might hurt or kill the babies if toys get in the way. | ||
#*Don't use cotton wool or other materials that could form strands on the cage floor, as they could tangle around the babies. Also avoid straw, as the sharp ends could hurt them. Safer alternatives include aspen, paper flakes, Carefresh, or wood fiber pulp. | #*Don't use cotton wool or other materials that could form strands on the cage floor, as they could tangle around the babies. Also avoid straw, as the sharp ends could hurt them. Safer alternatives include aspen, paper flakes, Carefresh, or wood fiber pulp. | ||
#*Provide the mother with nesting material - something warm she mother can burrow into. Recommended materials include un-dyed tissue paper, toilet paper, or kitchen paper. | #*Provide the mother with nesting material - something warm she mother can burrow into. Recommended materials include un-dyed tissue paper, toilet paper, or kitchen paper. | ||
#*From 2 days before the due-date to 10 days after birth, do not change anything in the cage or handle the mother. | #*From 2 days before the due-date to 10 days after birth, do not change anything in the cage or handle the mother. | ||
| − | #Be sure a nest has been built. When the mother is almost ready to give birth, she will build a breeding nest. Thus, there is no need for you to add any extra housing or move the babies to a separate location. In fact, disturbing the nest after birth could be disastrous. Hamsters are known for cannibalism, and stressing the mother in any way could endanger the babies. This risk is highest the first week after giving birth, and in first-time mothers.<ref | + | #Be sure a nest has been built. When the mother is almost ready to give birth, she will build a breeding nest. Thus, there is no need for you to add any extra housing or move the babies to a separate location. In fact, disturbing the nest after birth could be disastrous. Hamsters are known for cannibalism, and stressing the mother in any way could endanger the babies. This risk is highest the first week after giving birth, and in first-time mothers.<ref name="rf1" /> |
=== Caring for the Hamster Babies Who Have a Mother === | === Caring for the Hamster Babies Who Have a Mother === | ||
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#*Do not clean the cage for those 2 weeks, either | #*Do not clean the cage for those 2 weeks, either | ||
#*Keep the room temperature around 70 F. | #*Keep the room temperature around 70 F. | ||
| − | #Understand how the babies will develop.<ref | + | #Understand how the babies will develop.<ref name="rf1" /> Hamster babies are born incredibly vulnerable — furless, deaf, blind, and with their limbs are only partially developed. However, they grow and develop very quickly. As they grow, keep these approximate landmarks in mind to make sure they're developing at a healthy, normal rate: |
#*5-15 days: eyes and ears should open | #*5-15 days: eyes and ears should open | ||
#* 7 days: they start to crawl around | #* 7 days: they start to crawl around | ||
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#*10-20 days: they start to be able to drink from a sipper bottle | #*10-20 days: they start to be able to drink from a sipper bottle | ||
#Let the mother care for her babies. The newborns' best chance of survival is if they have a mother with strong nurturing instincts. You job is to stand back and let her do all the work. If you upset or disturb her, she's more likely to turn on her young, so stay out of her way. With newborn hamsters in the care of a mother, less is definitely more. | #Let the mother care for her babies. The newborns' best chance of survival is if they have a mother with strong nurturing instincts. You job is to stand back and let her do all the work. If you upset or disturb her, she's more likely to turn on her young, so stay out of her way. With newborn hamsters in the care of a mother, less is definitely more. | ||
| − | #Make sure the mother is well-fed.<ref | + | #Make sure the mother is well-fed.<ref name="rf1" /> In the first couple weeks, when the babies get all their nutrition from the mother, it's important that the mother is well-fed and healthy. You can choose fresh foods like timothy grass, carrots, and other food, but you can still feed her hamster food. |
#*Pelleted food suitable for rats or mice is preferable to hamster muesli. This is because the hamster can selectively eat the tastier bits of the muesli, leaving behind the less tasty but more nutritious bits. | #*Pelleted food suitable for rats or mice is preferable to hamster muesli. This is because the hamster can selectively eat the tastier bits of the muesli, leaving behind the less tasty but more nutritious bits. | ||
#Provide food and water for the babies. At around 7-10 days, the babies will be ready to get food and drink from a source other than the mother. Don't put a water bowl in the cage, as they may drown in it. Instead, place a sipper bottle with the nozzle about {{convert|1|-|2|cm|in|sp=us|adj=on|sigfig=1}} above the bedding. This is in addition to the mother's normally placed bottle — the babies' bottle will be too low for the mother to reach. The babies will begin snacking on their mother's food when they're ready. Once they start to eat solid food, make sure there's plenty to go around. | #Provide food and water for the babies. At around 7-10 days, the babies will be ready to get food and drink from a source other than the mother. Don't put a water bowl in the cage, as they may drown in it. Instead, place a sipper bottle with the nozzle about {{convert|1|-|2|cm|in|sp=us|adj=on|sigfig=1}} above the bedding. This is in addition to the mother's normally placed bottle — the babies' bottle will be too low for the mother to reach. The babies will begin snacking on their mother's food when they're ready. Once they start to eat solid food, make sure there's plenty to go around. | ||
| − | #Separate the hamsters by sex at the appropriate age.<ref | + | #Separate the hamsters by sex at the appropriate age.<ref name="rf1" /> Syrian hamsters must be segregated by sex at 3-4 weeks, at which age they will begin to fight. You can leave dwarf hamsters together safely, but you should separate them by sex if you don't want them to mate. This should be done within 48 hours of weaning, which can be done around 21-28 days after birth. |
#*Puberty starts around 2 - 18 days after weaning. Hamsters are ready to reproduce at this time. | #*Puberty starts around 2 - 18 days after weaning. Hamsters are ready to reproduce at this time. | ||
=== Caring for Orphaned Hamster Babies === | === Caring for Orphaned Hamster Babies === | ||
| − | #Understand the risks. Successfully raising orphaned hamsters is almost unheard of. Newborn hamsters are born very poorly developed, and need a precise balance of nutrition. The mother's milk is the best source for their needs, and manmade replacements won't help them grow healthy organs and bones the same way.<ref> http://www.hammysworld.com/index.php?p=handfeeding</ref> | + | #Understand the risks. Successfully raising orphaned hamsters is almost unheard of. Newborn hamsters are born very poorly developed, and need a precise balance of nutrition. The mother's milk is the best source for their needs, and manmade replacements won't help them grow healthy organs and bones the same way.<ref name="rf2"> http://www.hammysworld.com/index.php?p=handfeeding</ref> |
#* Don’t be disheartened if the orphans die. Their odds were never good, but at least you gave it a go. | #* Don’t be disheartened if the orphans die. Their odds were never good, but at least you gave it a go. | ||
| − | #Be very careful using a surrogate mother.<ref>http://www.hammysworld.com/index.php?p=handfeeding</ref> Though natural hamster milk is the best source of nutrition for developing babies, hamsters are not very well-suited to surrogacy. Even if you have a lactating female without babies of her own, there's a high likelihood that she would cannibalize any strange babies you put in with her. A non-lacting female won't have the milk the babies need. | + | #Be very careful using a surrogate mother.<ref name="rf3">http://www.hammysworld.com/index.php?p=handfeeding</ref> Though natural hamster milk is the best source of nutrition for developing babies, hamsters are not very well-suited to surrogacy. Even if you have a lactating female without babies of her own, there's a high likelihood that she would cannibalize any strange babies you put in with her. A non-lacting female won't have the milk the babies need. |
| − | #Replace the mother's milk as best as possible. The closest you can get to hamster milk is Lactol, which is a milk replacement designed for use with dogs.<ref | + | #Replace the mother's milk as best as possible. The closest you can get to hamster milk is Lactol, which is a milk replacement designed for use with dogs.<ref name="rf3" /> Hamster pups need strict hourly feeding 24 hours a day until they start to eat solids. Luckily, they usually begin showing interest in solids early, at around 7-10 days. Once they start eating solids, you can reduce their milk feeding to once every three hours. |
| − | #Use an eyedropper to feed them.<ref>http://www.chahamsters.org/qandahandfeed.html</ref> Suck some Lactol up in the eyedropper, then squeeze it so a drip hovers on the end of the pipette. Hold the drop against the baby's mouth. Hopefully, it will try to suckle, or at least lick the milk from the tip. | + | #Use an eyedropper to feed them.<ref name="rf4">http://www.chahamsters.org/qandahandfeed.html</ref> Suck some Lactol up in the eyedropper, then squeeze it so a drip hovers on the end of the pipette. Hold the drop against the baby's mouth. Hopefully, it will try to suckle, or at least lick the milk from the tip. |
#*Avoid squirting milk into the hamster pup's mouth. They're so tiny that even a small amount of fluid could flood down into the hamster's lungs and either drown them or cause pneumonia. | #*Avoid squirting milk into the hamster pup's mouth. They're so tiny that even a small amount of fluid could flood down into the hamster's lungs and either drown them or cause pneumonia. | ||
#*This is one of the main reasons orphans are so difficult to rear. | #*This is one of the main reasons orphans are so difficult to rear. | ||
| − | #Regulate the temperature for them.<ref | + | #Regulate the temperature for them.<ref name="rf3" /> Hamsters are born furless, so until they're about 10 days old, they cannot regulate their own body temperature. Keep them at a constant temperature of at least 70 F by either using a heat pad or keeping the room at that temperature. |
#*The babies will be comfortable in temperatures up to 80F. Above this, the youngsters may start to develop heat stress. | #*The babies will be comfortable in temperatures up to 80F. Above this, the youngsters may start to develop heat stress. | ||
#*When the pups are in the nest, partially cover them with bedding to help keep them warm. | #*When the pups are in the nest, partially cover them with bedding to help keep them warm. | ||
