Please help me ASAP!! :(

Question
Hello. I am writing because I bought a dwarf hamster about 2 weeks ago, and lastnight I took her out and played with her and when I put her back in her cage I heard a lot of squeaking and didnt think anything of it. Tonight, the same thing happened but when I put her back I realized she had 2 babies. I must have bought her, pregnany. I have no idea how old, but my guess is 2 days. When I put her back I didnt touch the babies, but when she came out of her little nest she created they were uncovered, and when I put her back in, I noticed she is staying away from them now. Is she going to neglect them now? What can I do to help ensure that they live, and she doesnt kill or neglect them? And is there anyway I can tell how old they are. I just know they are completely naked and barely have eyes. They seem big for the size of their mom, though.

Answer
Hi Kelcie,

congratulations on your new babies!

It looks like she has been in the same cage as her brothers for too long and got pregnant by one of them.

She is probably still very young so she will still be very small and that is probably why the babies look quite big  it is lucky that she survived the birth being so young!

Please do not blame yourself it is nothing you have done wrong, but she may end up neglecting them because she is far too young to cope with the responsibility of looking after babies - she probably doesnt even know what she has to do with them!

The only thing you can do is to leave her and the cage alone and in a quiet place for the next two weeks without bothering them at all.  Only open the cage if it absolutely neccessary like if they are running low on food or water.

Try to put them in a room with a constant temperature and where not many people will go in.

The sound very young - like you said probably only two or three days old.

There is nothing else really you can do but please let me know how you get on and Good Luck.

Kind Regards,

Tammy