When Can You Touch Baby Hamsters? Let's Find Out -

When you keep a hamster and notice little baby hamsters in the cage one day, you will surely immediately want to touch and pet them.

But should you get your hands on them right away, or should you wait a certain time, let’s find out.

When can you touch baby hamsters?

You can touch baby hamsters after they are three weeks old. Otherwise, you can only create a problem and the mother hamster may eat the small babies, so you should not rush.

In today’s article, you will learn when you can safely touch baby hamsters, and similar questions related to the topic.

Table of Contents show

When can you touch baby hamsters?

You should wait 20 days before you start touching the baby hamsters. You must not try to touch them before because you will transfer your scent to the little baby hamster and then the mother hamster can eat the babies.

During the 20-day period, you must continue to clean the cage with the hamsters and give them food and water, but be careful not to touch the little babies.

The mother hamster in 20 days from the birth of the babies will get them used to eating solid food.

After 20 days you can separate the baby hamsters from their mother and then start touching them.

What to do with baby hamsters after 20 days of their birth?

It is best to provide a separate cage for each hamster so that fights do not occur between them, this is especially important for Syrian hamsters who in no way want to share the territory with other hamsters.

After three weeks of their birth, you will be able to think about what you will do with the little hamsters, whether you will keep them, whether you will breed them, or try to sell them in a pet store.

You will probably have a harder time selling them at a pet store, so try selling them online.

If you do nothing after 20 days and let the baby hamsters continue to be with the mother then they will become mature enough and can start breeding with each other.

What will happen if you touch a baby hamster?

If you try to touch a baby hamster before 20 days have passed since it was born, there is a good chance that the mother hamster will eat the little baby hamster.

Any touching of the baby hamster can cause the scent from you to be transferred to the baby hamster and then the mother will eat it to protect herself and the other babies.

The mother hamster thinks the baby hamster’s new smell is because of predators that have found her home.

Therefore, under no circumstances should you touch small baby hamsters that are less than 20 days old.

Why do hamsters eat their babies?

Unfortunately, that also happens when the mother hamster eats her babies, but why does she do that?

The most common reasons are the following:

stress – from the new smell of the baby from your arms
to having more space – because after giving birth she needs it with a bunch of babies around her.

due to illness of babies – as prevention and protection of themselves and other healthy baby hamsters.
because of hunger – if there is not enough food in the cage, the mother hamster will do anything to feed herself.
due to exhaustion and confusion – since the birth of a baby, especially the first time, she get used to it more and more.

All of these factors can affect the mother hamster’s thinking and cause the babies to eat, so try to reduce them as much as you can.

How do you stop a mother hamster from eating her babies?

It is best if there is no reason at all for the mother hamster to eat her babies, so do the following steps:

Enough food – so that there is no situation where their mother is hungry and forced to eat the small babies.

Be distant – especially in the first three weeks do not get too close to the cage except when you need to put food and water.
Use gloves – so you don’t transfer the smell from your hands when putting something in the cage.
Add toys – after 2 weeks, the mother hamster can gradually start to tear herself away from her little babies, which will make it easier for them to get used to fending for themselves.

After three weeks have passed, you are free to take the little baby hamsters and start taking care of them and petting them, but in a separate cage.

How to care for baby hamsters without touching them?

In order to safely care for baby hamsters without touching them you will need to wear gloves.

When the baby hamsters are 15 days old they will start to make more and more messes and leave waste and droppings behind them, so you will have to clean the cage.

You will have to separate the mother hamster and the babies in separate cages so that you can clean the cage.

After you clean the cage, change the bedding and put new food and clean and fresh water, put both the mother and her babies back in the same cage.

You need the gloves so that you don’t transfer the smell to the babies, because otherwise, the mother hamster can eat the little babies because of the smell.

When it has passed another week, meaning three weeks, then it is the moment to separate the little baby hamsters from their mother and start keeping them in a separate cage and taking care of them, and of course, holding them in your hands and petting them.

How do you bond with a baby hamster?

To bond with the baby hamster you need to be patient, play with it, and regularly give it food and drinking water.

You need to talk gently to the little baby hamster and when you approach it it should be slowly without disturbing it.

In this way, the baby hamster will learn that it is you by your voice and behavior, and they will begin to trust you and not be afraid of you, in fact, they will begin to feel comfortable in your presence.

FAQs

When do baby hamsters open their eyes?

Little baby hamsters start to open their eyes somewhere between 15-17 days, but at that moment they still can’t see well. Hamsters have very poor eyesight when they are adults, unfortunately, that is their weak point.

What do baby hamsters eat?

In the first two weeks, the hamsters are fed with the milk of their mother, and then the mother hamster starts to get used babies to solid food. After 20 days, the little hamsters should already be used to eating pellets and other food like adult hamsters.

How to take care of a baby hamster without a mother?

Feed the small baby hamsters with Lactol or milk formula as a substitute for the mother’s milk. You should give them milk every hour for a period of 10 days with an eye dropper.

Should I remove the dead baby hamster?

If you notice a dead baby hamster, you should immediately remove it from the cage. But you have to be careful not to touch the other baby hamsters because you can give them a smell and the mother will eat them, so always use gloves.

Conclusion

After three weeks from the birth of the baby hamsters, you can start touching and petting them, of course, after moving them to a separate cage.

During the first three weeks, baby hamsters should be with their mother, who will feed them and take care of them.

In the first three weeks, just maintain the hygiene in the cage, give them food and water, and wear gloves.

If you don’t wear gloves you can give them an odor that could put them in danger of being eaten by their mother.

After three weeks, freely separate the baby hamsters who will no longer be so small and will be able to live independently without their mother.