How to Take Care of Pregnant Hamsters

A pregnant hamster should be treated with care.

Hamster pregnancies typically last from 17 days (for Syrian hamsters) to 18 to 22 days (in the case of dwarf hamsters). It is not always easy to detect pregnancy in a hamster, but changes in behavior and appearance can give clues as to the hamster's state. If a female hamster begins gathering bedding into a "nest," eating and drinking more or if she gains weight, she is probably pregnant. It is essential to give a female hamster plenty of space during this time period, to prevent her from cannibalizing her young.

Things You'll Need

• Separate hamster enclosure
• Fresh bedding
• High protein foods (peanut butter, oats, cooked chicken)

Instructions

1. Remove all other hamsters from the cage with the pregnant mother, and place them in a separate enclosure.

2. Move the pregnant hamster's cage to a quiet, low-traffic room.

3. Replace the bedding in your hamster's cage early in the pregnancy.

4. Begin feeding your hamster high protein foods such as oats, cheese, cooked chicken or peanut butter. Watch the amount that the hamster is eating in order to avoid overfeeding. Only put in as much as the hamster will readily eat.

5. Leave the female hamster alone, except to feed and water. It is important not to stress her during her pregnancy.

6. Remove any dead young you notice after the mother has given birth. Be careful to avoid touching any living hamster pups in the process.

Tips & Warnings

• It can be difficult to determine how far along a hamster is into her pregnancy, as many of the signs may go unnoticed for several days.

• If you know when your hamster is due to give birth, you can replace the bedding once more two days before the babies are to be born.

• To avoid cannibalism, do not interact with the new mother, her cage or her infants for two weeks after the birth.

• You should never attempt to handle a pregnant hamster or her newborn pups.

References

• National University of Singapore: Pregnancy in the Hamster
• Russian Dwarf Hamster: Mom to Be