Mamma Hamster Problem!!!!!

[Personalityhamsters]

My female hamster had her babies last night and all has gone well! But tonight i picked her up to check her nipples and she has a hard swollen nipple! Its kinda dark red and blk! Im really worried... Ill make an appointment for tommorow night but that 24 hours away!!!

[racinghamster]

Well first of all, congratulations on your new babies! :) Mum could have a blocked milk duct or some kind of mastitis? Your vet will best advise. Make sure if any antibiotics are prescribed that they are safe for lactating mums. I know there are some antibiotics that are unsafe in rats when they are new mums and for the babies aswell as the drug gets into the milk they are drinking, so do ask your vet about that if anything is prescribed.

Best of luck with the new babies and I hope mum is okay. x

[Minicooper]

There shouldnt be much to worry about, if you cant get to the vets in 24hrs keep checking up on the mum to see if she is ok.

by the way Congrats on your new pups :D :D

[SnuggleHam]

Congrats on the pups! I’m sorry to hear about mother. I’ve never bred hamsters so I don’t know to much about the illnesses that can occur during and after pregnancy. I suppose it’s a good thing you checked on her incase something is infact wrong.

I am concerned about you handling her after giving birth. I know that many breeders are pretty adamant and strict about giving the mom and her new litter space, and not to disturb them as little as possible. Doing so may cause her to abandon the pups or lead her to cannibalism. I think it might be best to leave mom and her pups alone as best you can until its time for a vet visit.

Then there is the concern about the pups. Is it proper to leave them alone in the nest without mom when you go to the vets? Or should you bring the whole family along so as to not separate them? Hopefully one of our experienced breeders will shed some light.

[souffle]

We personally would never handle the female so soon after giving birth unless she was giving cause for concern such as ignoring the litter or appearing ill. They do not normally leave the nest much at all for the first few days.

Consequently we do not know what the nipples look like. Certainly mothers of 6-10 day old pups will have noticeably larger and redder nipples. After suckling is finished they can be quite bare and the skin dry.

Does the mother seem to be attending to the babies well and can you hear them chirping and squeaking as that is usually a good sign that they are OK? A mother with mastitis will appear unwell. I think that as long as it is only one nipple affected she will be able to suckle the pups with the others. She may just have been scratched by a pup or have a reaction to the first feeding.

Taking the mother to the vet at such a time I would say is very risky as she may well abandon or cull the litter but then if she is ill you may lose them anyway so it is a dilemma. Even if the vet would do a house call the handling by a stranger would upset her. Could you ask the vet his opinion before risking a visit.

I personally would give her a bit more time unless I was really concerned. Try to avoid keeping disturbing her to check and listen for the babies. Offer her a treat when she is out so she stands up for it and try to check with a torch while she is standing without touching her. I hope she is OK and it is a false alarm. Best of luck.

[babyboos]

As long as the other nipples look okay a this point I would hang off seeing a vet so soon after whleping. However who knows what may happen in the next 24 hours... if she seems to be avoiding the babies or more nipples start to blacken then you will need to take the whole cage along to the vet, preferably pack it in a large cardboard box so it is nice and dark for the journey.

[Personalityhamsters]

Well The Reason for Picking Mum up was Cause it was night time and she was jumping up at her glass for an hour and i saw the nipple through her tank and picked her up being i saw something abnormal! I then obseved the nipple and it was hard and inflaimed! I have a vet appointment in 30 mins the pups are 48 hours old but they are looking healthy! One was on her nipple and she dragged it out on accident, It had a White milk band and nice fleshy pink color! It looked healthy! I havent seen the nest though just the one but momma braught it back within a second of my glimpse! Ill Keep u updated when i get bak from the vets! (wish us luck!)


The vets is 6 mins away so im sure well be fine! Ive covered her tank with a towel for the trip over so its dark!!!
Thanks for all ur help and talk to you all soon!!!

[Personalityhamsters]

Well We Just got back!
The Vet Has No idea as to what it is! He Says its not a baby but its more of a infection and i have to see a exotic specialist on Wendsday! The babies are squeeking alot and moms on the nest every 5 secs so hopefully we will be good till wendsday!

[SnuggleHam]

I suppose if she’s still eating and drinking and is generally active while caring for the pups that’s a good sign. Besides the nipple you haven’t really said she was doing anything abnormal to suggest an urgent crisis. :)

Im interested to hear what the vet says in Wednesday.

[Personalityhamsters]

ok ill keep u all updated!

ps.. Babies already wandering out of nest and they are looking huge!

[pophammy]

Good to hear that the babies are happy and healthy! Hope that mum is all right!

[souffle]

Glad to hear all seems to be going well with mum and the pups. I expect if the had had been very worried he would not have made you wait till Wednesday. Hopefully it may be just a bruise or a nip from an overenthusiastic suckler! Fingers crossed for you and the little family.

[Minicooper]

I hope everything is ok till wednesday

[Personalityhamsters]

Its half the size it was yesterday! hopefully ot will be gone sonn! He asked me to rub it 2wice a day with warm water and it is working! she says without seeing it- she thinks its an nipple that has too much milk and that the babies should suckle the others which will cause it too slowly downsize and that the trip wont be nessasary... Although i have schedualed an appointment for next wendsday whenn the babies are 2 weeks and shes ganna make sure everybody is up and heathy as can be! The babies are already wandering away from nest and they are only 4 days old! They follow mum... They are ginourmous-- Example... they were born about half the size of my pinky finger now they are about as fat as my thumb and almost as long! Its like they are on mirical growth! I believe this time im doing everything right!!! Thanks for all your help i would never have learned without u guys


Will update pics at around 2 weeks :)

[souffle]

OOoooo I am so pleased for you Personality hams, You deserve this good luck as you HAVE done it right and really listened. No one is perfect and we all make mistakes but you have tried so hard. It sounds like a blocked milk duct which the pups may have cleared now by suckling. May have been bruised due to them too making it look black. Did she get any medication or is it clearing alone? At five days I would start sprinkling the oatmeal and wheatgerm near that nest as it sounds like those little porkies are looking for food already! Rooting for you all and looking forward to meeting them. Don't forget to wait till their eyes are open though! I know you wont...you are an expert now :lol: :wink:

[pophammy]

That's great news. Glad to hear she seems to be on the mend and the pups are doing great!

[babyboos]

I am a little confused sorry - the babies were born on Friday 11th? or last friday? As if it was the 11th they are only three days old today and shouldn't be wandering anywhere really, plus next Wednesday is less than one week old not two?

[Personalityhamsters]

Like i said before were going to the vets next wendsday not this wends. They were born on the 9th on wendsday last week!


Making them 5 days old today! Thats wat im saying they are 5 days old and there ears are errect! I Think they are on Mirical Growth Formula! LOL

Mamma's nipple is slowly going down but isnt fully gone yet! Shes Active now and eating alot so im not worried about her!

[SnuggleHam]

I also was a little confused about how old these babies are. From the time of posting it doesnt seem to make sense. They wouldn’t be running around within a week? Could you please explain it clearer for babyboos and I? What day were these pups born?

Its just that you posted this thread 11 Aug according to the forum, and you wrote that the pups arived last night, meaning the 10th? If that true they cant be running around yet if they are three days old?

Im really confuzled?

[souffle]

Maybe in all the excitement the dates have become a little confused. We always mark the calendar so we know exactly. It would seem that the babies may have been born Wed night as the first post was just into Friday so last night may mean Wed actually. We have seen babies stumble out a very open nest a five days if it is warm and they will definitly seek food at that age. They are usually very quickly gathered back by mum. Make it easy for them to get the food by sprinkling it near and in the nest and leave plenty for mum to take in. Mums occasionally drag them out still sucking on the nipples too if disturbed.

[Personalityhamsters]

Thet were Born on August 9th!!!!
That is a WENDSDAY

Sorry i must have gotton thing tangled but they were definetley born wendsday afternoon... Making them 6 days old tommorow!~

A few of the bigger ones wander out on there own!
Thats wat im saying that i cant believe how they are maturing... They are big in size
I believe theres 9 but i dont know yet!!!


(This Wendsday the 16th they will be a WEEK old!)

I have marked my calander and they are and were born on the 9th of this month!!! SORRY to confuse u all!

[SnuggleHam]

Thanks for clearing that up Personalityhamsters, appreciate it. :D Im glad the pups are doing well. They must be in good shape if they are already crawling out of the nest!

[Personalityhamsters]

I havnt seen them in a few days but boy can i hear them~

Is it normal to hear them cry ?

[SnuggleHam]

I know with gerbil pups its normal. To me that would mean they are all very healthy and fussing over who gets what nipple, and "who is stepping on me?" and "mom get up I cant breathe!” or “No I had that piece of food first, give it back!” :lol:

[Personalityhamsters]

LOL thats a cute way of putting it :)
Cause they fuss all night long~~

[Personalityhamsters]

Nipple has pink pigment and is way smaller! Yay~

[Personalityhamsters]

Also-- Soon i will be getting my females from a breeder~~~

I am gettin a Dove Tort and a Black Tort

[souffle]

It is definitely normal to hear them squeak, yell and chirp like birds! We look on it as a good sign that all is well. They go quiet after a good feed..asleep I guess, and then we fret as to why they have stopped chirping! Glad to hear mum is doing well. Maybe it was simply normal at the start of suckling after all.

[Personalityhamsters]

Do u guys know if its normal or not for pups to look as if there bellies are swollen?

[souffle]

It is normal for pups to have quite rounded, tubby tums as you can see through the skin and they will look chubby. Grey and bloated is not a good sign though. Are they active, squeaky and wiggly and is mum OK still?

[Personalityhamsters]

Umm they do seem to have a grey look too there tummies~ They are squeeky, and move and are sukkling from mum... Although i noticed mums nipple that was swollen is pussing a bit!

[souffle]

mmmm..difficult to tell on this one as I have not seen the babies and also we do not usually see much of the babies close up at this age anyway. Are the pups taking porridge and things yet other than mums milk? I don't like the sound of the pus oozing though. Are you sure it is pus and not milk? Can you phone the vet and ask advice? How is Cotton? Does she still seem lively and looking after the pups? I would leave her with the pups still and seek vet advice again. Hope they are OK. Offer mum porridge and baby food and see if the pups come out for it yet. Do you think the pups are going the way of the last litter? It seems to be a good sized litter and you have not lost any yet so if you can get them through till about 10days and they start eating on their own they should be fine I think. Good luck. :roll:

[Personalityhamsters]

I lost a Male 2 days ago his tummy swolle up with air~ It looked as if his organs filled with air~
All the other 8 are still alive i think i might loose 2 more of the runts but the other 6 are huge, eating orridge, seeds, boiled egg, carrots, ect and they are 3 weeks this wendsday!

[souffle]

Sorry about the lost baby but sadly it is not uncommon to lose a few. The runts may do OK. Our runt who was half the size of the others, lived longest of all at over three years and he did catch up to normal size at 6 months or so. The others sound like they are doing great and eating well. Only 10 days and you will need to separate them into boys & girls. You could leave the girls with mum a bit longer but it depends how she is looking. How is Cotton now with the lump? What colour are the pups? Can't wait to see some pics! :lol:

[Personalityhamsters]

I have 5 Males and 3 Females, They are ALL Golden Banded, and I seperate them all from mamma tommorow!
They will be 21 days old tommorow~ I found one of the females a home alredy right across the street from my house so i can visit her.... Mamma is tiered adn that is the reason why im taking them out at 3 wks instead of 4 wks. She Is very tiered of them (LOL)

Well Ill update pics as soon as i can! :P


Ps.... Mammas nipple is fully healed now and it doenst seem to have a nipple there but its ok because this is her last and finally successful litter! The 6 large babies are very rambunchious and fight alredy i hear them squeak all night so im finding homes as soon as possible but the 2 little female runts are half the size of the other 6 but they are eating and drinking out of the water bottle... My 2 retired babys cotton the mom and snuggles the dad just got 2 new wheels today and new igloos and treats...
Thankx 4 all ur help and pics comin SOON~~~~~




brandi and hamster family

[souffle]

Wonderful news about the litter and mother. Looking forward to meeting them! :lol:

[SnuggleHam]

Glad everyone is healthy! the babies must be so cute! :D

[pophammy]

Well done on the litter. Glad they are all well! :lol:

[Personalityhamsters]

im Glad too.....
I have 7 left~One found a home and she has a 30 gallon long aquarium with a silent wheel and houses and shes already a spoiled girl- they names her Hope. Ill put pics on later tonight or 2marrow morning.
They are fat Little hamsters (LOL)
Mammas recouping and gaining wait fast~