Mama hamster had 9 babies, we came home one day and she had eaten 4. No, they were not touched and they were still nursing at the time. So, we seperated them. I put the babies together and the mom in her original cage. I get home last night and 3 more of the babies are dead, half eaten, and spread out all over the cage. One was completely intact, but its brains were eaten and there was only a skull carcus left attached to the body. What the "you know what" is going on. Down to 2 now...and we separated them last night. I've heard of mama eating the babies, but babies eating each other! Anyone have any insight?
2006-11-06 22:48:29 · 8 answers · asked by Katrina Girl 1 in Pets ➔ Other - Pets
To all who are asking why I am breeding hamsters...I'm NOT. I bought the thing for my daughter and it was pregnant. I guess I was supposed to know that when I bought it. I paid 6.00 for one hamster and got 10. We did everything we could, watched for them to eat on their own. They were still nursing when the moma some....so I removed the others...soaked their food, made sure they were drinking water regularly. I asked the question because I DONT KNOW WHAT TO DO. Some stupid people are going to make this a forum for PETA...please GET A LIFE! I didn't post this to get criticized, I posted it to get constructive help. The babies ate each other while we were sleeping. I guess I should stay up 24 hours a day and watch my baby hamsters. What a joke this is.
For those of you who offered help, thank you. For those of you who chose to criticize, you really need to ask yourself what kind of person you really are....and whether you really do have a life or not
2006-11-07 22:06:16 · update #1
I'm assuming you're talking Syrian hamsters here?
The mothers cannibalize their pups for several reasons. If a pup dies from some cause or is close to death, the mother will eat it to get rid of the body. If she is disturbed in any way (and for a new mother, this can be something as simple as you just looking in the top of the cage) she may stress out and cannibalize her litter. Also, in the years I was breeding Siberian dwarf hamsters and mice (neither, admittedly, very closely related) I noticed that I had a lot fewer problems if I gave the mothers supplemental protein -- a bit of cat kibble -- from a few days before they were due to give birth until the pups were almost weaned. I've heard people argue against that, saying that this will give the hamsters a taste for meat, but I've never known a hamster that wasn't born with a taste for meat, specifically for hamster.
The fact that your pups were eating each other is the odd part. I'm wondering if those three pups died of some other cause, such as cold or hunger after being separated from their mother, and the others scavenged them, rather than actually killing them. You didn't mention the age of the pups, but if they were still nursing, and you hadn't observed them eating solid food, separating them was a very bad idea. What did you feed them after separating them? I used to soak lab chow in water until it turned to mush, then feed orphaned pups that mush. They could eat that even when their jaws weren't strong enough to chew really solid food.
Personally, I suspect you're going to lose them all. If it's her first litter, chalk it up to experience -- yours and hers. In my experience, the supplemental protein that I mentioned increased first litter survival rates tremendously, but I still wouldn't bet the farm on a first litter surviving.
Here's a question, though: Do you have a good reason for breeding this hamster? There isn't much of a market for baby hamsters. Pet stores get theirs from commercial breeders (I used to be one on a small scale). In general, a hamster which has had pups tends to be snappier and more skittish when handled than one which has not; it's like something of the "defend the nest" reaction stays with them. Unless you already have a good market for hamsters -- and remember, a Syrian hamster can turn out a dozen young a month -- you're better off not breeding her at all.
2006-11-07 03:38:11 · answer #1 · answered by Newton K 3 · 1⤊ 0⤋
Sometimes animals eat their young if theyre sickly. They'll do this as a way to keep predators at bay. Sick or weak babies=easy prey. Babies that eat other babies may be natures way of thinning em out? Only the strongest survive.
Lotsa times wild "mommas" (herbivores) will simply abandone their young if theyre sick. Carnivores will do like yer momma hamster has done and eat em.
2006-11-07 06:57:20 · answer #2 · answered by Lunchmeat 2 · 2⤊ 0⤋
That is horrible!!! When I was a kid kinda the same thing happened with my gerbils so rather than having them be eaten my mom drowned them. Talk about post partum depression.
2006-11-07 07:11:50 · answer #3 · answered by Maggie 5 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Wow, this is the first time I have ever heard of such cannibalistic behavior among hamsters.
2006-11-07 06:51:09 · answer #4 · answered by WC 7 · 0⤊ 1⤋
I never heard of that wow.I would say take them to the vet or call a vet and tell them what they are doing.They should know.
2006-11-07 07:01:00 · answer #5 · answered by babaygirl 2 · 1⤊ 0⤋
You may aswell have killed them yourself!?
You know NOTHING about hamsters, your stupid for breeding them.
Those poor poor animals, Do you know the PAiN they would have been suffering? Keep the freaking alive ones away from their mother and WATCH THEM. Don't just keep them in one room and check on them once a day you irresponsible person.
If i had your number and address i would be ringing the RSPCA to take them away from you.
2006-11-08 05:42:36 · answer #6 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 4⤋
maybe its their way off fighting to be the fittest in the litter.
2006-11-07 06:53:47 · answer #7 · answered by the one 2 · 0⤊ 1⤋
wow. do they have enough food?
2006-11-07 06:52:16 · answer #8 · answered by Skittles 4 · 1⤊ 1⤋