Buttercup had...babies?! And Hamster baby help! - Page 3

souffle · 05-01-2012, 07:23 AM

Good to hear the family is doing so well.
Buy one get 10 free for you!
You can hold them when their eyes are open as long as you rub your hands in the bedding to get the smell on them. Handle mum too and when you put them back be sure to have a nice dish of food to distract them

You can post pics when their eyes are open too so looking forward to seeing them. Start looking for homes now I'd say

ButterNut · 05-01-2012, 07:57 AM

I havent handled Buttercup in a while so I hope shes still tame. Alright, should I put a add on craigslist and hoobly or something? (We thought we had found a few homes but it turns out that there nos)

Also this is kinda a random question but should they be free or have a price. I feel like if there free people might think of them as throwaway pets so if I put a price what do you guys think is reasonable? (plus ill tame them so the'll be used to humans)

ButterNut · 05-01-2012, 08:02 AM

One last question, when can they leave? Like, I dont mean seperate them from Buttercup into boys and girls but I mean go to there new home?

SammytheSyrian · 05-01-2012, 08:13 AM

Congrats on the babies and do you live in the US? If you do PM me, I'd like see if your close enough that I could get one

souffle · 05-01-2012, 08:20 AM

We let our babies go at 6 weeks upwards. We prefer 7-8 but to an experienced home they can go a bit earlier. They can start to get a bit tetchy with each other from 7 or 8 weeks especially females so best if they are living alone by 8 weeks I'd say.
We find the best place to get homes is by a little ad in the local newsagent with pics especially near a school. Always remember they are your babies and do not feel obliged to give them to anyone who asks. You have to make sure you are happy with the home being offered. We always get people to sign and say they will return the hamster to you if they cannot care for it.
I think you should charge for them too. If a person cannot afford to pay for the animal then they cannot afford vet bills and some people will take freebies for reptile food. Even if you donate it to charity that is your choice. We charge £8 now which I guess is about $10? Tame healthy hamsters should be at a premium so make sure you pick and choose the best owners! Make a list - first come first pick after you and your family have chosen should they want one.
They are also expensive to rear and that amount of babies will eat TONS of food so stock up and be generous

Kissa · 05-01-2012, 08:28 AM

Theoretically they can be sold as soon as they're weaned, which is at about three weeks, it's just a bit upsetting and stressful for the poor mites to be weaned and taken away from their mother and siblings all in one go, so it's one of those really bad ideas

I think the ones in pet stores tend to be somewhere between four and six weeks, and most breeders keep theirs for a few weeks longer -- one breeder's website said they sometimes kept the babies up to ten weeks if they felt it was beneficial. (I don't remember who the breeder was, aside from they were a dwarf breeder; however, there's not that must difference aside from the potential caging issue.)

Price-wise, look at how much they are in pet shops and do it a bit lower, would be my advice. (I agree giving them away free is attracting the very bad owners.)

xXxEricaxXx · 05-01-2012, 09:55 AM

Wow!! I don't know how old this thread is but how exciting for you. Hope all the babies are doing fine by now. How old are they now? I would love to breed hams.

ButterNut · 05-01-2012, 11:43 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by xXxEricaxXx

Wow!! I don't know how old this thread is but how exciting for you. Hope all the babies are doing fine by now. How old are they now? I would love to breed hams.

The last post I posted was today so they are still only 13 days old doing fine

xXxEricaxXx · 05-01-2012, 12:08 PM

Aww. Can't wait to see pics!

ButterNut · 05-01-2012, 12:13 PM

Im so excited that there eyes might be opening tomorow or the day after. I cant wait to hold those little cuties!

I feel lucky that there is still 9-10 left. I just read somewhere that someones hamster had 13 babies and ate 12. o_O

Just to be safe can I hold them right when there eyes open and how much is TOO much handling for each?
(I have so many questions sorry XD)