You may notice that your hamster's behavior has started to look different than usual over the last few days. One of the possible reasons behind her change is that she is pregnant. By knowing the signs to watch for and how to handle your hamster, you can identify whether it is pregnant or not and help ensure the safety of your newborn hamster.
Step
Part 1 of 2: Identifying a Pregnant Hamster
Step 1. Identify the sex of the hamster
This may sound commonplace, but just like humans, only female hamsters can get pregnant. Most people will know the sex of their hamster, but just in case you don't, read How to Determine the Gender of a Hamster for more information on how to determine if your hamster is female.
- Pull the hamster's loose skin at the top of the shoulders firmly without pinching it, and gently turn the hamster over to check for gender. Male hamsters will have testes that are clearly visible around the tail to make their buttocks stand out, while female hamsters will not have them and will have several pairs of nipples on their belly.
- If you've always assumed your hamster was female because it had a girly name when you bought it, you might want to check it out.
- Keep in mind that if you think your hamster is pregnant because her belly is growing, she may be in the final stages of pregnancy. During this phase, you shouldn't touch your hamster as this can stress him out.
Step 2. Notice if the hamster has ever been around a male hamster
A hamster's gestation period is 15 to 21 days, so a female hamster must be with a male hamster for at least 3 weeks to get pregnant. If she hasn't seen a male hamster for more than 4 weeks, she is unlikely to be pregnant.
Step 3. Pay attention to the age of the hamster
Hamsters can start breeding from 6-7 weeks of age. The only way to tell if your hamster isn't pregnant because it's not yet an adult is if it's less than 6 weeks old.
This also means that you have to be extra careful about keeping your hamster with his siblings because by the time your hamster is 6 weeks old, it will start breeding again. Including hamsters with their mothers
Step 4. Make sure the hamster is not sick
An enlarged belly doesn't just indicate that your hamster is pregnant. An enlarged belly can be a sign of a disease or other condition that affects your hamster. Diseases that can make a hamster look pregnant include:
- Pyometra, which is an infection of the uterus that makes the hamster's stomach swell with pus.
- Enlargement of internal organs such as the liver or spleen which is most likely caused by cancer.
- Heart disease that can cause fluid accumulation in the stomach.
- Bladder problems make the hamster's stomach look distended due to incomplete digestion of food.
- You can look for other symptoms of the disease with some of the following, including increased thirst (the bottle will run out faster), decreased appetite (note whether you fill the food bowl frequently), and loss of body fat (usually around the ribs).).
Step 5. Watch for her growing belly
This may be an early indication that your hamster is pregnant, but if it isn't, watch if its belly starts to grow. If she is eating, drinking and exercising normally and has the opportunity to mate, an enlarged belly may be a sign that she is pregnant.
- Note that the hamster may not appear pregnant until the last 1/3 of its gestation period (day ten onwards). So it may be less than a week before your baby hamster is born when you notice a lump in his tummy.
- Your hamster's nipples will also enlarge as his stomach begins to swell. However, enlarged nipples in small hamsters can be difficult to see. Don't worry if you can't see it under the hamster's fur. Holding your hamster during the later stages of pregnancy will irritate him. So don't pick up your hamster to see its nipples.
Step 6. Watch as the hamster starts building the nest
Pregnant female hamsters will build a nest in the last days of her pregnancy. So gathering nesting materials and storing them in a closed place in a cage can be a sign of pregnancy.
Step 7. See if the hamster is hoarding food
A pregnant female hamster will begin to eat more than usual, and will hide more food, perhaps in the nest. Of course, this can't confirm a hamster's pregnancy, but it can help you just in case.
Step 8. Look for signs that your hamster is about to give birth
Hamsters may feel more confused in the later stages of their pregnancy. Signs of imminent birth are restlessness and alternating actions such as eating, grooming, and nest building. He will also hiss at you if you extend your hand.
Step 9. Take the hamster to the vet
If other methods fail, the vet will help identify whether the hamster is pregnant or not. However, your veterinarian will also warn you that even if handled by a professional veterinarian, this examination will still cause stress to the mother hamster, which could lead her to neglect or eat her own young.
If your hamster's stomach continues to swell for longer than 7-10 days without any births (or if she doesn't show any other behavioral traits of a pregnant hamster during this time), take her to the vet as this may be a sign of illness, not pregnancy
Part 2 of 2: Ensuring the Safety of Hamster Kids
Step 1. Never touch the mother hamster's belly to try to feel the baby
Pregnant hamsters are very sensitive to disturbance, and if they feel stressed, they are more likely to hurt the baby at birth. The mother hamster will be stressed if her stomach is touched by humans, making her neglect the health of her babies.
Step 2. Feed the mother hamster a nutritious diet during pregnancy
Provide a diet that is truly nutritious to ensure the health of the baby hamsters. Feed your hamster familiar foods, as sudden changes can make his stomach hurt. However, the ideal food for hamsters is pellets for rodents because he should not be picky about tasty foods and ignore healthy foods, even if they don't taste good.
- A little milk and cheese will provide calcium for the hamster's overall development as well as help the mother to breastfeed after giving birth.
- As an additional source of protein, you can feed your hamster hard boiled eggs, beans, barley, and oats in small amounts.
- Even if only slightly (because of the risk of digestive problems), pregnant hamsters can take advantage of additional vitamins and minerals from fruits and vegetables, such as broccoli, cucumbers, cauliflower, apples, grapes, bananas, and strawberries.
Step 3. Leave the mother hamster alone starting on the 13th day after mating
Female hamsters like to be left alone for at least a few days before giving birth. This means that from 13 days after your hamster has mated, you should not interfere in the cage or the bedding. Be careful when placing fresh food in the cage. Otherwise, cannibalism of baby hamsters can occur.
Since you don't know when the mother hamster mates, be aware that she usually begins to "show" her pregnancy around day 10 after mating
Step 4. Separate the other hamsters in separate cages
Apart from the potential for the mother hamster to eat her own young, other hamsters in the same cage can do the same. To ensure the safety of the baby hamsters, start separating other hamsters in separate cages as soon as you are sure the mother hamster is pregnant.
If hamsters living in the same cage start fighting even though they usually get along with each other, it's also a sign that one of them may be pregnant with another sign
Step 5. Do not hold the baby hamster for two weeks
During the first two weeks, the mother hamster will recognize her child by smell. If you touch a baby hamster, even if it's not intentional, it will cause the mother to attack it. It's safer to start handling your hamster after about 2 weeks of age.
This also includes transferring your body odor from touching the cage. So, don't try to clean the cage during this time
Step 6. Reposition the water bottle
Keep in mind that water bottles are usually placed parallel to the adult hamster. Reposition it if necessary so the hamster can reach it.
Step 7. Start feeding your baby solid food when your hamster is 7-10 days old
Even if your hamster isn't fully weaned until about 3 weeks, you can start putting food in the cage after 7-10 days. You can use pellets in your hamster's diet, but soak them in water to soften them.
Step 8. Take the hamster to the vet immediately if you notice that the mother is neglecting her baby
Especially if your hamster is giving birth for the first time, he is more likely to ignore or eat his young due to environmental stressors. If this is the case, separate the mother hamster from the pups as soon as possible and take all hamsters to the vet. Your veterinarian will suggest a nearby animal shelter or animal hospital that can help care for abandoned baby animals.
