teddy bear hamster (giving/afterbirth)

Question
I've had my teddy bear hamster for four days. This morning she gave birth. The baby is very small and mom is not tending to it. Is that normal? Should I have her checked?

Answer
Hi Michelle,

    No, it is not normal for the Mom not to take care of her babies. Without Moms care the baby does not have a chance for life. Do you have an idea about how old your hamster is? Sometimes young Moms (less than 3 months old) will not take care of their babies mainly because they are not ready.
    It really wouldn't do much good to have Mom checked. You could try giving her hard boiled egg and some diced carrots. This will give her the extra protein she needs and maybe help the Mother side of her kick in. It is important that you do not touch the baby or the nest. If she smells your scent on or around the baby, she will reject it even more.
    If you have anymore questions, please write again.

Thank you for writing and best of luck.