Possible pregnancy?

[Plush]

Hello all.



I got Honey about 5-6 days ago from a pet shop. She is a full-size adult syrian but I believe she could be pregnant.



What are the basic ways to tell if she is or not? Besides extra weight, of course.



I'm fully prepared to take care of her and the babies if she is in fact pregnant.



Here are two photos I took tonight.



http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v126/Plush93/Honey1.jpg





http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v126/Plush93/Honey21.jpg

[Emma]

Was she kept with other hamsters in the pet shop, did they attempt to sex them? I know lots of pet shops refuse to guarantee sex (of the hamster!) but some will at least try.



I'm sure someone who breeds will be able to answer your question better than I can :? but the only sure-fire way may be just waiting 10 more days and seeing. A swollen abdomen and more prominent nipples might be clues, and perhaps some behavioural changes, but as you haven't had her very long these might be difficult to spot and differentiate from just "new hamster" behaviour.



Sorry I can't be of more help :( although one hamster I got from a pet shop a few years ago, we were convinced she was pregnant from the rate she grew outwards but not upwards, but she turned out just to be greedy, not pregnant! You won't have long to find out either way though.



Emma x

[SnuggleHam]

I agree with Emma, I think the only way to know is by watching her behavior, is she nesting allot? Moving her nest around? When they get close to the birth they may act a bit more lethargic maybe not use their wheel as much?



But you may just have to wait and see if you find some pink little bodies. In some hamsters you can never really tell if they are pregnant, sometimes you wont really see a change until a few days before they give birth,



It would be exciting is she was though!

[Plush]

Was she kept with other hamsters in the pet shop, did they attempt to sex them? I know lots of pet shops refuse to guarantee sex (of the hamster!) but some will at least try.



I'm sure someone who breeds will be able to answer your question better than I can :? but the only sure-fire way may be just waiting 10 more days and seeing. A swollen abdomen and more prominent nipples might be clues, and perhaps some behavioural changes, but as you haven't had her very long these might be difficult to spot and differentiate from just "new hamster" behaviour.



Sorry I can't be of more help :( although one hamster I got from a pet shop a few years ago, we were convinced she was pregnant from the rate she grew outwards but not upwards, but she turned out just to be greedy, not pregnant! You won't have long to find out either way though.



Emma x



She's larger today than when I posted this yesterday so I'm going to assume that she is in fact pregnant.



Her nipples seem much larger now and her belly is swollen and a little firm.



Shouldn't be long now.



Thanks for your help.

[babyboos]

Nipples are a good indicator - they will be quite red and swollen as she nears her time...

[Emma]

Oh exciting :) are you going to let the pet shop know? Even if they don't seem to care, if something goes wrong with a pet shop ham I go back in to let them know, in case someone who works there does care enough to do something about it! (ie sex hamsters better in this case).



Have you thought where to find homes for the babies now?



Hope it all goes well with Honey, good luck :D

[Plush]

Oh exciting :) are you going to let the pet shop know? Even if they don't seem to care, if something goes wrong with a pet shop ham I go back in to let them know, in case someone who works there does care enough to do something about it! (ie sex hamsters better in this case).



Have you thought where to find homes for the babies now?



Hope it all goes well with Honey, good luck :D



I will be calling the pet store Monday to mention it. All the hamsters in Honey's cage were female (I looked at them all and Honey won me over!), so she must have gotten pregnant before the shop got them in. They did say they had only had them for 2-3 days before I came in. Its a pretty nice store. I've gotten a few really great hamsters that lived LONG healthy lives. :)



I'm going to keep 1 or 2 of the babies. As of now I can safely say I can find a home for at least 1 or 2 more. After that I'll maybe post something at work about them. Hopefully, Honey won't have too many (just kidding)!



She is getting pretty big now. They should be here soon. :D

[Emma]

Wherabouts are you?

[Plush]

Wherabouts are you?



I'm from the Pittsburgh Pennsylvania (US) area.

[babyboos]

You could always put an advert on the Classified Section of this forum - not sure if we have any other members near you but at least you will know they are going to hamster lovers :oops: :!:

I do hope she doesn't have too many, she is a young lady and it does take a lot out of them - make sure you are giving her lots of extra food rations, and focus on a high protein content.

[Emma]

You could also post ads in local petshops, vets, newsagents etc, or in local papers. Honey looks like a very attractive ham I'm sure her babies will be pretty too!



Keep us posted :) , hope Honey is doing well.

[Plush]

Honey had her babies this afternoon. No idea how many but she seems to be doing well. :lol:

[babyboos]

Hope everything is well with the little ones. Are they squeeking like mad yet? Make sure to get some ground almonds and wheatgerm next time you are at the store. You will be able to sprinkle this on the nest in a few days time hopefully - Honey willling :D



If you got your Honey from a large chain petstore please make sure their Corporate Office is made aware.

[SnuggleHam]

Oh Yay Little Ones!! :D



I guess your suspicions were right!! aww so cute I can't wait to see pictures of them when it is safe! I wonder what colors will come out....... \:D/

[babyboos]

This is the frustrating bit - waiting for them to emerge from their nest - it normally takes about 10 days, sometime more, sometimes less. I know it is tempting to see the "pinkies" but Honey is a young hamster and you haven't had her long so be wary. Have you ever had a pregnant hamster before Plush, I would not want to tell you anything you already know, although others reading this may find themselves in a similiar situation someday for the first time...

[Emma]

Congratulations Honey and Plush, and good luck resisting the temptation to peek at the pinkies! I know I'd find it hard too - but just think in 10 days time they'll be coming out to play for the first time.



Any questions about anything feel free to ask - feeding or health problems or anything, we'll do our best.



Em x

[Plush]

This is the frustrating bit - waiting for them to emerge from their nest - it normally takes about 10 days, sometime more, sometimes less. I know it is tempting to see the "pinkies" but Honey is a young hamster and you haven't had her long so be wary. Have you ever had a pregnant hamster before Plush, I would not want to tell you anything you already know, although others reading this may find themselves in a similiar situation someday for the first time...



Around 10 years ago, my first hamster, Pepper, was pregnant. Very similar situation to this actually. I brought her home from the same pet store! She was definately pregnant. There was no doubt with her. Then we weren't sure what to do but we did leave her alone for a good while. Eventually the babies came out of the nest. Being totally unprepared then, the nest was in Pepper's second floor house. So twice babies wriggled out of the next and through the bars. Caught them and put them back in and Pepper didn't seem to mind.



Anyways, I got to peek at Honey's babies tonight when she happened to be away from the nest for a brief moment. Might be 8 of them at least. Rather excited to see what colours they will be. :D

[babyboos]

Did you have a word with the petstore - they may well have some other pregnant ladies out there. You may well find the offer to take the babies back when they are weaned, though I would want a reassurance they are going to keep their livestock in seperate sex enclosures from now on if this is not the first time this has happened. Do you know if she was in with her siblings, or just a mix of other young hamsters? - what colours were they? the store may have an idea who the father is, or at least some indication of possible colours he could have been.

[Coco1]

Oh how much fun! I've never had hamster babies / bred my hamsters but enjoy sharing and following your excitement! :D

[Plush]

Did you have a word with the petstore - they may well have some other pregnant ladies out there. You may well find the offer to take the babies back when they are weaned, though I would want a reassurance they are going to keep their livestock in seperate sex enclosures from now on if this is not the first time this has happened. Do you know if she was in with her siblings, or just a mix of other young hamsters? - what colours were they? the store may have an idea who the father is, or at least some indication of possible colours he could have been.



All those in the tank they had her in were the same colour and all female. Though they could have had a male in there and sold him before I bought Honey.

[babyboos]

Does Honey have red eyes or is it just the flash?

[Plush]

Does Honey have red eyes or is it just the flash?



That's just the flash.

[babyboos]

So she is a Black-eyed Cream (ee) Short-haired Syrian Hamster, one of the single gene base self colours... I thought her ears looked too grey for a Red-eyed Cream. The addition of Cinnamon (pp) tends to make the ears pink as well as the eyes red...