my hamster left her babies

Question
Hi,
my hamster just had her babies yesterday(3/25/09) and today she left the nest and is up and about running around and running in her wheel not paying attention to her pups. Is this normal or has she decieded that she isn't going to take care of her pups anymore?
Thank you

Answer
The moms don't actually spend every waking moment with their pups. Usually they will cover the nest with litter to keep the pups warm and hidden while they go about their business. If it becomes a problem, like she hasn't been over to the pups in several hours, I'd get a little worried. She might be stressed as well. If you have a lot of people peeking in on her, or her tank is in a very busy room, I'd try to safely move her tank into a quiet, low traffic room. Resist the urge to hover and watch her every move, as hard a this may be.