new babies

Question
Hi katie, i have a dalmation hamster and she had 7 babies when can we touch the babies? She nested in the solid plastic wheel and it is kind of a small wheel. should i keep her in it or try to get her out? if i have to get her out ,how? and if i try to touch the mom will she bit me? thank.

Answer
You can handle the babies for short amounts of time when they are two weeks old. It shouldn't be for more than five minutes. I wouldn't try to move the mother. It is best that you let her be. At two weeks you can take her and the babies out so you can clean the cage. Make sure you seperate the mom and the babies just until you get the cage clean. You will want to clean the cage as quickly as possible. Make sure you wash your hands before handling the babies. Then just put them back in together when your finished.

Thanks for writing, sorry for the delayed response.