Help!!Please : (

Question
I just got a hamster from a pet storea bout two weeks ago and the owner did not mention what breed she is.My brother alos got on and we put them together just to see if they were mean towards other hamsters and we turned our heads for just one second to look at the Tv and i looked back and he was on top of her.As the days passed she got fatter and sleept ALOT more and started making nests and storing lots of food in her cage.Well i just noticed something that was not there yesterday on her.She has two DARK circles around both of her eyes and i love her so much and i am so scared and i can not take her to the vet cause im only 12 and my parent dont have the money because my mom has not benn working for too weeks cause my dad is on vacation with us and he will be going to iraq after that so please tell me what is wrong cause i am crying my eyes out :(

Answer
Hi Katie,

It sounds like your hamster may be pregnant (because she has gotten larger and she has made a nest and is storing food in it).  Syrian hamsters (also called Golden, Fancy, Teddy Bear, or Black Bear hamsters) are pregnant for 16 days, so if your hamster is indeed pregnant, she will give birth very soon.  Since you don't know what breed your hamster is, here's a link to a picture of a Syrian hamster:

http://www.petwebsite.com/hamsters/syrian_hamsters_colors.htm

And, here's a link to a picture of a Dwarf hamster:

http://www.petwebsite.com/hamsters/dwarf_campbells_russian_hamsters_colors.htm

First, you'll need to clean out her cage.  After you've cleaned it well, fill it with plenty of Aspen or Carefresh bedding.  (Don't use Pine or Cedar beddings, which are dangerous to hamsters.)  Then, remove the wheel from the cage, as the wheel can be dangerous to baby hamsters.

The most important thing is that you *do not touch* the babies at all until they are 2 weeks old (14 days old).  If you touch the babies, the mother will stop feeding them.  Also, don't disturb the mother, either, since she'll need to take care of her babies.

And, lower the water bottle so the babies will be able to reach it.  When the babies are about 1 week old, scatter some dry hamster food around the cage, in case they want to experiment with it.

When the babies are 2 weeks old, then you can begin handling them for short periods of time.  You can also clean the cage when the babies are 2 weeks old.

When the babies are 3 weeks old, they are fully weaned from their mother.  They should be placed in a different cage, away from their mother, when they are 3 weeks old.  Let them stay in this cage for another 3 weeks.  

Then, when the babies are 6 weeks old, you can give them away.  If you have Syrian hamsters (the larger, more common type of hamster), you should give them away one at a time, because Syrian hamsters can't live more than one to a cage.  If two adult Syrians are in one cage, they will fight violently.  If you have Dwarf hamsters, then you should give them away in same-sex pairs.  Here's a website which will further help you:

http://www.petwebsite.com/hamsters/rearing_syrian_babies.htm

Good luck with your new arrivals!  Also, I wish your dad luck, and pray for his safe return :)

If you have any other questions, please feel free to ask :)

Kelly