handling babies

Question
My son's dwarf hamster had babies 14 days ago.  We are wanting to clean out the cage, but I am concerned that if we touch the babies, the mom might eat them!  Any suggestions?


Answer
hey!
 Good news for you, you can now start handling the babies for short periods of time,especially if their eyes are open.its vital that now on you handle the regularly so they will be friendly later in life.
  if their eyes havent opened its still ok,generally she'll only eat them when they are tiny, and after 5 days they grow fur, and nobody wants fur in their mouth! but to be safe i say wait at least 2 weeks or when their eyes open.
 to clean them out, put the mother somewhere else-not with the babies, and put the babies in a box or container and have someone watch them in case they escape.clean out the cage, put the nesting material in with a little bit of old nestng material as well.
 when returning them, out the babies in first, wait a coulple of minutes for them to ajust to the new smell and spread theirs..and then replace mum!
  happy cleaning :D
  Suzi x