We just bought my 11 year old daughter a female dwarf hamster this past Saturday. To our surprise, we found out she is giving birth this evening. My daughter's friend is over spending the night and thought she heard a noise in the igloo. She picked the igloo up and moved some of the bedding and saw something pink. My daughter looked and realized it was two babies. My daughter's friend said that her finger brushed one of the babies when she was moving the bedding. Is this going to pose a problem for mom? We have left the cage in my daughter's room and closed the door to give mom peace and quiet. I'm just hoping I'm not going to have to explain why moms sometimes eat their young to my four year old. Thanks for any advice you can give.
2007-03-15 15:52:06 · 5 answers · asked by Manette 1 in Pets ➔ Other - Pets
The reason she would eat them is because she is stupid (or a young mother), not because of human scent. I don't want to get into all of the facts behind it, but to put it short- parents invested a lot genetically and nutritionally into the young- they will not abandon them (or eat them) because of a little human scent. Wild animals would never abandon young for human scent- that is a myth from deer and rabbits- both only tend to their babies a couple minutes or so a day. Because people see a baby with no mother, they assume that it was abandoned.
If you think about it from a non-genetic point- the mother smells like humans, the cage smells like humans- the babies are going to smell like humans- it is not a strange scent to her.
2007-03-15 16:43:53 · answer #1 · answered by D 7 · 0⤊ 0⤋
It's difficult to say. Sadly, many new rodent moms will eat the babies regardless of outside influences. She may decide to abandon the baby or kill it. She also might just move it to a safer place in the cage and be fine. I would advise you have as little contact with her or the cage for the next few weeks. Feed her, water her, clean the cage out in small sections to avoid stressing her, and do NOT pick up her or the babies. When the babies are furred and walking around on their own, it should be safe to resume normal cleaning and handling.
2007-03-15 16:02:27 · answer #2 · answered by Dreamer 7 · 0⤊ 0⤋
It is not uncommon for hamster mom's to eat some of the pups. Disgusting, and very sad, yes, but that's the way of nature. Mother hamsters will 'reduce' her litter if she feels that she cannot take care of them all, by getting rid of the weakest first. also, if there is any threat or danger, she will defend her litter the only way she knows how, by killing and eating them. likewise if she feels that there is not enough food; a merciful death rather than a prolonged one of dehydration and starvation. I've listed a source for you to check out for more information.
2007-03-15 18:38:03 · answer #3 · answered by barnangel56 1 · 0⤊ 0⤋
confident they're able to devour the bigger chunks (they're going to probablly cover it interior the nest and nibble on it on and rancid). confident its ok t share and walk on the food maximum hamster might additionally take a seat interior the bowl and devour.
2016-10-18 12:13:03 · answer #4 · answered by arleta 4 · 0⤊ 0⤋
She might attack it or eat it but if not she will abandon them
2007-03-15 15:59:25 · answer #5 · answered by anynonumus 2 · 0⤊ 1⤋