What a surprise

[Laura]

Well I am in shock :eek: my son just came running down all freaking out, Mom Nina had babies!!!! and I am thinking who is Nina :blush: it didn't register at first its late and I was wondering what he is still doing up, then it hit me our hamsters the reason I am so shocked as I'm sure has happened to many people before me, we were assured they were both female :rolleyes: my mother and daughter were at a pet store quite a few months ago and they saw the littlest hamsters and they were adorable so they brought two of them home, and I was assured they were both female and everything would be ok, well guess what there not :p I can't get a good look at them and don't even know how many there are, I said to my son how did you know and he said he heard some little squeaks and he looked and he saw something moving around under the bedding, I did catch a quick glimpse of one it looks to be dark, hopefully I will get a better look tomorrow and see just how many there are :blink:

[Bea]

:love: When you do get a better peek make sure you have the camera handy too. Hamsters are so cute, i just can't imagine how adorable the babies must be. :p What will you do with the little bubs (apart from the one you'll obviously be smuggling to me, lol)?

[Laura]

I will definitely get some pic's I am going to try and get a better look tomorrow although I don't want to disturb to much, hamsters get really freaked out if you bug them when they have babies and have been know to kill there own :eek: I really don't know what I am going to do not only will I have to find homes for the babies depending on how many there are but I will have to separate the hamsters or they will just keep having them, as you can tell this was so unplanned and unexpected. Hopefully once I get to process all this I will have a clearer mind :p

[Aderyn]

Try to find a good pet shop who will take the babies once they're weaned. Just have a look at the way they keep their other pets before you agree to sell the babies to them. Hamsters make such good pets that pet shops will always buy babies. Just make sure you handle the babies alot once they grow fur and are running around the cage. If you don't handle them they will grow up wild and tend to bite when they become adults. Hamsters normally have around four to six babies. Watch them closely once they're running around the cage because they will start eating on their own soon after that. Feed the mother on a diet high in calcium and protein. She'll need it with those little ones. Also, add some tissues etc to the cage so she can build a better nest with it. Try to make sure your scent is not too heavy on or around the cage while she's feeding the babies, i.e don't hover etc. Hamsters are good mothers unless they feel threatened. Leave her alone for the first week (aside from feeding her), giving her a chance to be a mom. If a few babies die, (which is sadly likely) she will eat them to keep the nest clean. If she doesn't do so, buy a pair of gloves, and use them only for handling her and the babies, so you can remove the ones that don't survive without causing her to reject the survivors. Be warned, hamster babies are the cutest things out. Don't let your kids hover either. :love: Good luck! :)

[Plukie]

Oh I've been caught like that as well with a guinea pig. I bought one and got three babies free!! What sort of hamsters are they Laura? I didn't think hamsters lived very well with other hamsters, obviously yours are friendly enough!! LOL!!

[Laura]

There dwarf hamsters Plukie, dwarf hamsters can live peacefully together its the Syrians that cannot be housed together.

Aderyn thanks for all the tips, I have had babies before this is not the first time we have had them :o or the first time this has happened to me, so I pretty much know the ins and outs of it, and yes unfortunately I have had babies die before I had one littler years ago that was killed by the mother :( very sad . I have bought single hamsters twice over the years that came to me already pregnant and we didn't know till a week later I look in and see these little pink things squirming around.
They seem to have built a good nest already I always give all my hamsters even the single ones fluff so they can build a nice nest so thats already done and the kids already know not to disturb them, not sure if these two are going to make good parents they are not staying with the babies I went up this morning to get a quick peek and the parents are running around the cage and on the wheel, I might have to take it out, but some of the babies are alive because I can here them so we will see what happens.

[Laura]

Just a little update, still haven't been able to take a peek to see how many they have, there covered up tight they have built the nest even bigger its half the size of the cage :o mom and dad have settled down and look like they are caring for the babies now, I finally figured out who was who :blush: mom is the black one she has been in the nest all day with the babies and dad who is tan is sleeping uncovered just outside the nest, seeing as there nocturnal they should be up soon and maybe I will be able to sneak a look :love: they sure are loud little things but thats good at least I know there alive.

[Bonny]

Its so nice this time of year babys are being born everywere i think i might take the kids to the farm next week seeing as it half term i think they would enjoy feeding the baby animals they have there ive never had a hamster before or any 4 legged animal in fact its feathers all the way for me but i would love to see baby hamsters make sure you post pics im a bit emmbaressed i dont think ive ever seen a hamster before:blush:

[Bea]

Will you keep both parents and just separate them? The babies sound so cute. :love:

[Laura]

Yes I plan on keeping both parents I feel bad separating them as they are so bonded but there not like birds where you can not provide the right conditions and they won't lay eggs they will just keep having babies after babies, I wouldn't be surprised if she is not already pregnant again :o they are fertile again soon as they have there babies, but its best to leave dad in for a bit as he helps the mother out with the babies I will take him out as the babies get a bit older, my mom came by earlier to pick up my daughter and I told her the news she is like NO!!! they promised me they were both female :rolleyes: so I told her I think she should go out and buy the new cage seeing as I have to seperate now and your the one that bought them :p

[xxxSpikexxx]

Hamster babies :love: I love to see all the baby photos people seem to have now :) But Iam still glad that all my pets are boys :p

[Laura]

Still haven't been able to get a good look at them, I did catch a quick glimpse but it was so hard to see in the small hole that was left open but I did manage to make out at least three or at least I think it was three :lol:


*Edit*
I got a better look at them this morning when mom came out for a drink and left the hole open :D I counted at least 5 :o its so hard to get a good look at them as there all bunched together with arms and legs flying all over the place and babies crawling all over each other :love:

[xxxSpikexxx]

They sound so sweet :love: I wonder what they will look like when their fur comes in :p

[Laura]

I think most are going to be a black colour like mom, there skin is mostly dark :D which means a dark hamster, if they were all pink they would be a lighter colour like dad who is a tan.

[Kirby]

Aww I love Dwarfies! :love: I have been SO close to getting a pair numerous times, they are still on my 'future pet list' ;) If only I was able to get some now, I would take some off your hands for ya lol.

ps- Some dwarfies get VERY aggressive, randomly, usually with age. So make sure they cage is quite large (20g long is best for 2 dwarfs), and make sure you have 2 of everything. So 2 wheels, 2 food bowls, at least 2 houses, e.t.c. That way, if they have the need to get away from eachother or be alone, they have the opportunity. It sounds weird but it is the honest truth. I researched them harder than any pet ive ever had, and have visited 3 breeders within the past 8 months - 1 year... so the information is sitll fresh in my head. They may not fight, but most likely quarrels will occur and they *can* be deadly :( Especially with babies in the mix.
If i were you, I would seperate the parents ASAP and sell all the males (including dad) or all females (including mom) and keep 2-3 of the same sex. I forgot which sex is less prone to fighting I think females are? I could check for you though... if you'd like.

Are pictures possible? lol How old do you reckon they are?

Kirby :)

[Laura]

I love dwarfies as well I have had them for many years, my oldest lived till 3 years old which is good considering the average life span is 2 and never had any major fighting yet maybe I just got lucky :D these aren't my first babies, I had a litter a few years ago but I wasn't expecting any from this pair as I was told them were both female and never even bothered to check which of course is my fault I just assumed I was being told the truth but now that I am looking I can see that there male female, the females bum is more rounded the males is obviously not :p
I plan on separating mom and dad just not yet the dad plays a big part in raising the babies, I think I will remove dad when there about 2 weeks old and more independent and as far as separating them so she doesn't get pregnant chances are if she is going to get pregnant she probably already is, there fertile as soon as they give birth and usually mate again right away :o
I am going to try and get pictures as soon as mom will let me I don't want to freak her out, the babies are 4 days old today :)

[xxxSpikexxx]

I was going to ask about how you could tell a boy hamster from a girl hamster, but you explained it already :p

[Kirby]

Females have nipples around this stage (4 days) and males do not. Males also will have a scrotum sack around 5-6 weeks of age mark ;)

I can't wait for pictures :D

Kirby

[Laura]

I wish I could see the nipples at this stage but seeing as you can't pick them up its possible mom will reject them if there is human scent on them and there so well protected by mom, I still don't know how many there are, it would be impossible to see them unless there on there backs, thats the hard thing with hamsters mothers get freaked out very easily and will kill there own out of fear, so its best not to disturb them to much, put I am going to get pics hopefully very soon.