unexpected baby hamster

Question
QUESTION: my hamster just gave birth to some baby today unexpectedly ...... i do not know that she had gave birth as this is my first hamster. i'm going on to check them out as usually and i flip over the bedding because they usually hide under the bedding and i found a few babies there and i get shocked. i immediately close it backup. i can see that the mum is quiet nervous and she started to bite the babies and move them to other places .... will she eat her babies? i'm so scared now.
ANSWER: Hi Eline,

    Since she moved them, she may not eat them. It will be best to just leave her alone for awhile (just make sure she has food and water). Do not touch the babies nor the nest. Also make sure to give her some hard boiled egg and carrots. This will give her the extra protein she needs to help raise her babies.
     When the babies are 2 weeks old, it is safe to hold them for short periods of time and the cage can also be cleaned.
    At 3 weeks of age, the babies will need to be separated from their Mum 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!



---------- FOLLOW-UP ----------

QUESTION: the mum move her babies on the running wheel and then spin them on it >.< she keep repeating this act a few times... when the baby is not near the wheel anymore i removed the wheel...now the mum seems to be a bit wild. whenever she is awake she runs around the cage wildly and climbs on the bars like monkey. is it possible that they were boring without the wheel? should i put the wheel back for them to play?

by the way i saw one baby dead and its not moving but i can't remove it because the dead baby is near to the nest where the other baby lives. will the dead body get rotton? should i try to remove it with a spoon or just leave it there for 2 more weeks?

the mum is moving her babies to the bath sand recently, will this be dangerous? i found 1 baby dead at the bath sand yesterday but i'm not sure whether is that the dead baby that i saw at the nesting previously. the mum burried all the baby below the bedding, i really can't tell that how many baby are still surviving out there. i feel that the mum always move the baby here and there and leave them. i wonder why. what should i do now.

sorry for the long question. this is my first pet and i do not have experience handling it. and my hamster suddenly have a big change after giving birth. i'm kind of worried the babies won't survive.

Answer
Hello again Eline,

    Mums will run around the cage, climb and act a little wild. This is normal behavior after having babies. No, the wheel should not be put back in the cage until the babies are separated from Mum.
    The dead baby should be removed by using a spoon. This is the safest way to do that.
    If the bath sand can be removed, then remove it, just to be safe.
    Mum will bury the babies with bedding, this is normal and it helps to keep them warm.
    I think she keeps moving them here and there because she is being bothered too much. You really need to let her be, just make sure she has food and water. If you bother her too much, she may just reject the babies. At about a week to 10 days, the babies will start to wonder around the cage, then you will know how many you have or if any survived.
    If you have anymore questions, please write again.

Thanks again for writing!