Is she/he pregnant?

[sammys/mum]

I got two campbells from a petshop, supposedly brothers, I think the smaller one is a girl though. Also she seems to gace become really wide over the past 4 days! Is she/he pregnant?

[Holly]

Oh dear - well if they are a male and female you need to separate them immediately otherwise babies are inevitable even if she isn't pregnant now. If she's pregnant and actually showing (ie rounder) then I'd guess the birth is imminent as they tend not to show until 2 or 3 days before. You need the male out before she delivers the babies or they will mate again immediately afterwards and you'll have two back to back litters - not good for the mum, babies or you :shock:

Can you post pictures of them and someone on here might be able to help you sex them reliably.

[sammys/mum]

I thought the male could stay in and helped look after the babies?

[I_am_plankton]

I thought the male could stay in and helped look after the babies?

He can, but he will also mate with mum again on the same day or in a few days you will have another litter. I would get him out ASAP

[Matty Day]

post some pics asap hopefully there boath the same sex and one is just getting a little porky

[sammys/mum]

I looked at them through their clear ball (I only got them a week ago and dont want to hold them yet) and neither of them have a scent gland but both have two 'holes' near their rear end. I think they're girls. But yes one is slim and narrow whilst the other is very much rounder.

[Matty Day]

there is another reson one could be pregnant because there was a male in the same cage at p@hand you might have picked two girls.

[sammys/mum]

I got them from a Garden Centre near here and they were the only ones in the tank (they split them into pairs/threes straight away) but yes there might have been one in there at some point or other!

[PinkEmily]

maybe, you should start handling them a bit, just so you can make sure and prepare yourself if one is pregnant.

[Holly]

maybe, you should start handling them a bit, just so you can make sure and prepare yourself if one is pregnant.

That's a good point - if you've had them a week that's more than long enough for them to settle in and taming them now is important otherwise it might be difficult to tame the babies once they are old enough (if you can't get the mother our, for example).

[sammys/mum]

but what if they bite me? I'm not scared of it hurting but they have bitten me before in the cage (one was diagnosed with 'cage rage') Will it make them more vicious? Taste of blood and all that? Sorry if it sounds stupid, but they are renowned for being biters!

[Mollz]

but what if they bite me? I'm not scared of it hurting but they have bitten me before in the cage (one was diagnosed with 'cage rage') Will it make them more vicious? Taste of blood and all that? Sorry if it sounds stupid, but they are renowned for being biters!

If I was you then I would bite the bullet and just go ahead and handle them. However if you are nervous then they will sense that and be on edge because of it. If one is cage territorial then I would use a cup and scoop it out - then just let it crawl out onto your hand.
If you don't start handling them then will never be able to!

As far as I know "getting the taste of blood" would not make a hamster blood thirsty or more likely to bite, it's just all to do with personality and upbringing. Even the most fierc hamster can be brought round with time and patience, although I am no expert with dwarves so it may be better to wait until a dwarf person comes along (and no I don't mean a little person :wink: ).