New hamster possibly pregnant? - Page 7

Pebbles82 · 10-27-2018, 02:25 PM

I didn't realise she'd be having them this soon! Didn't read the bit about dates. It's a case of ultimate patience now then and don't freak her out by peering too much - stay back from the cage and just wait till things are ready and just put the food out.

I assume you know that if things are disturbed and it worries the Mum hamster she can cull the babies, so it's really important to give a wide berth to her and the cage. And just put the food out once a day.

I believe it's not until you see pups emerging on their own that it's ok to interact a bit or approach the cage more.

So you might need to be ultrapatient for a couple of weeks! Time to start a new project and try not to think about it and just let her get on with weaning them until they're ready

Ponymad2104 · 10-27-2018, 02:37 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by souffle

No you just have to wait. She will have had them now as that is exactly the behavior you expect. Did she look thinner? For most of the time the babies are pretty quiet especially if they have a deep nest. They normally only make the odd creaky door noise unless mum leaves then they chirp more till she comes back.

Thank you, she looks slightly thinner from the top, when she climbs the bars she still looks a bit round underneath.

Her nest is very deep she's built it to the top of the base of the Alaska and is completely covered so I can't see anything at all

When can I expect to see them venturing out of the nest?

Quote:

Originally Posted by Serendipity7000

So you might need to be ultrapatient for a couple of weeks! Time to start a new project and try not to think about it and just let her get on with weaning them until they're ready

I'll have to find something to do!

Pebbles82 · 10-27-2018, 03:21 PM

I don't know how long before they come out of the nest - Souffle will know. Sounds like a nice big nest

Ponymad2104 · 10-27-2018, 03:46 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Serendipity7000

I don't know how long before they come out of the nest - Souffle will know. Sounds like a nice big nest

It just seems to have exploded the last 2 days, if she has had them I don't think she's had many, she wasn't very big

souffle · 10-28-2018, 12:17 AM

They start coming out the nest about 10 days, Smaller litters tend to stay in a bit longer as they get plenty from mum and less competition. They will make more noise as they get older. I'd start with a teaspoon of porridge or babyfood and some extras now for mama. We use a pringles lid for these. A small litter will be kinder on her if she is still young.
Hang on in there and don't be tempted to peep!

Ponymad2104 · 10-28-2018, 12:56 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by souffle

They start coming out the nest about 10 days, Smaller litters tend to stay in a bit longer as they get plenty from mum and less competition. They will make more noise as they get older. I'd start with a teaspoon of porridge or babyfood and some extras now for mama. We use a pringles lid for these. A small litter will be kinder on her if she is still young.
Hang on in there and don't be tempted to peep!

She's had a title porridge the last 2 nights as I suspected she was very close to having them and would need the extra energy

Ponymad2104 · 10-28-2018, 02:02 PM

She was acting very strange tonight, she was up for over an hour just climbing the bars and sitting still

I've given her some chicken and she's eaten that

souffle · 10-28-2018, 02:22 PM

Could you see any nipple lines at all? Any noise from the nest? It's not unusual for young mums to cull a litter. Sometimes they just don't know what to do or they have problems nursing or sometimes an inbred litter may be unhealthy and die. Mums will instinctively dispose of the dead pups. When is it 16 days since you had her? Ws she bright enough looking? Ears up and seemingly ok?

Ponymad2104 · 10-28-2018, 02:30 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by souffle

Could you see any nipple lines at all? Any noise from the nest? It's not unusual for young mums to cull a litter. Sometimes they just don't know what to do or they have problems nursing or sometimes an inbred litter may be unhealthy and die. Mums will instinctively dispose of the dead pups. When is it 16 days since you had her? Ws she bright enough looking? Ears up and seemingly ok?

It will be 16 days tomorrow, I can't hear any noise from the nest, her nipple lines are more obvious today(when she climbs the bars it makes it very easy to check her underside), but she still looks quite big. she seemed a little off but was eating and drinking so I just wondered if she was low on energy.

She's gone back in her nest now.

Could it be that she just not a very attentive mother?

If she'd culled them would I not see blood on her or in the cage somewhere?

souffle · 10-29-2018, 12:46 AM

If mums only have a few pups they don't need to spend quite so much time with them as the cleaning and feeding takes less time so they will pop out more. Ypu don't really see evidence of a culled litter or pups to be honest. Sometimes it's just some blood stained bedding when you do the first clean out. You have to just wait it out I'm afraid. The odd female does have a phantom pregnancy so she might go back to normal in a few days time.