My hamster gave birth

Question
QUESTION: Hi,my syrian gave birth to many babies! What should i do? My hamster has no experience in this. I would like to ask another question. This morning i saw only 4 babies alive and sucking milk, where are the others ? Please help me
ANSWER: Hi Tan,

    When a hamster has many babies, and she feels she cannot take care of them all, she will eat some of them. This is normal.
    The only thing you need to do is make sure she has food and water. Also give her some hard boiled egg and carrots. This will give her the extra protein she needs to help raise her babies.
    it is important that the babies nor the nest are touched until the babies are 2 weeks old. This is when it is safe to handle them for a short period of time and the cage can also be cleaned.
    At 3 weeks of age, the babies will need to be separated form their Mom and each other (boys in one cage, girls in another).
    At 5-6 weeks of age, the babies will be ready to go to their new homes.
    If you have anymore questions, please write again.

Thank you for writing!



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QUESTION: Thx for your answer.Now my hamsters are growing but they are only 3 days old...haix... I would like to ask you how do i feed momma boiled egg? Just feed the whole thing or squash it? The egg white or yolk? Teach me pls.Thx
ANSWER: Hi Tan,

    It is best to cut up the hard boiled egg (the white and the yolk) into pieces, then just place it in her food dish.
    If you have anymore questions, please write again.

Thanks again for writing!

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QUESTION: Hi again, may i ask you when will my hamster starts to grow fur and walk? thx.
ANSWER: Hello again Tan,

    At 5-7 days hair begins to emerge and the ears open and by 9-10 days the babies are covered in short fur and the eyelids are developing. At this time the babies may also start wandering around the cage, even though still blind.
    At 14-16 days of age the eyes open and the babies are covered in fur.
    If you have anymore questions, please write again.

Thanks again for writing!

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QUESTION: Hi, thx for the information you gave me. Noew my babies are alomost a week old and still left 4. But, i would like to ask something. By rights we should not be cleaning the cage now but i find it very smelly and there were a couple of fleas flying around the cage. What should i do?
ANSWER: Hello again Tan,

    It is normal for the cage to get smelly after a female has given birth. The part that bugs me is the fleas around the cage. If they are in the cage, it would be best to go ahead and clean the cage, but you will have to be very careful not to touch the babies. You will have to use a spoon to move them. Given that they are almost a week old, a tablespoon may work better. The cage should be clean as quick as possible and when the Mother is awake and out of the nest (when putting in the new bedding, make a little hole to put the babies in and put it in the same spot where the Mother had it). I would suggest removing the Mother first (maybe put her in a hamster ball, if you have one).
    If the fleas are around the outside of the cage, I would suggest waiting at least a couple more days, then change the bedding, But still use a spoon when moving the babies.
    If you have anymore questions, please write again.

Thanks again for writing!

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QUESTION: Hi,may i know when can we get to touch and carry the hamster baby ?

Answer
Hello again Tan,

     It is safe to handle the babies for a short period of time when they are 2 weeks old.
     At 3 weeks old you will need to separate them from their Mom and each other, boys in one cage, girls in another.
     If you have anymore questions, please write again.

Thanks again for writing!