Worried about hamster runts. How can I help my small pups survive?

You'll need to set up a baby safe cage. A basic cage (preferably one without fancy tubes and tunnels), paper towels, Pet-safe bedding (NOT sawdust), Hamster muesli, Fresh vegetables (carrot or cucumber being better choices for babies), and a water bottle. Keep this all warm with a hot water bottle wrapped in two thicknesses of towel or a heating pad underneath only half the cage, that way if it gets too hot they can move away from it. From 1-14 days old hourly feeds with kitten formula are required. Pups get dehydrated in a matter of hours so not feeding them hourly could kill them. It is a very time-consuming task hand feeding pups.You have to take it slow. Any hurry or forceful feeding can lead to milk being inhaled into the lungs and causing death within the minute. Gently hold the pup in your hand being careful not to squeeze them tightly. Using a pipette or eyedropper full of milk, place it near the pups mouth. They are not used to being fed this way so resistance is natural. Try not to squeeze vast quantities into their mouth, they’ll choke! Little and often is the way to go. Allow the pup to lick/bite the end of the pipette on their own to take in milk. If they don't show an interest, a small drop of milk on the bottom lip can be licked up. Wait for the pup to stop ‘chewing’ the milk (its how they swallow and is normal) then repeat About 2 or 3 drops in one sitting is plenty for a little hamster. Anymore and you may be doing more harm than good. When the pups are eating soft/solid foods (approximately between 10-16 days) the milk weaning can begin reducing feeds to every 3 hours. When the pups are comfortably feeding themselves, milk feeds can be stopped altogether.

Runts frequently have underlying issues, some congenital, in addition to being small. He may catch up or he may fail to thrive. Without a physical exam, it is difficult to say definitively. Consider keeping him separated to prevent bullying or aggression. Make sure he continues to eat and drink. Weigh him frequently to confirm gains.

You can try supplemental feeding with dog milk replacer and keep him warm and next to the mother and others if possible. Sometimes there is an underlying medical problem with the runt and in spite of your best efforts they do not survive. Dogs and other animals have litters with several pups because there is often one or two that don’t live. Thanks for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach to help you care for Lucky.

Other hamsters in the environment can harm and bite babies, so it is best to make sure mom and babies have an entire cage to themselves. If mom isn't caring for the babies even after a reduction in stress and removal of cagemates, there could be something wrong with her or the babies, and a vet visit may help check for illness. You may also need to begin to supplement feed the babies with a KMR formula if they aren't getting enough from mom. Hamster babies mature very quickly, so lots of care is needed to help them pull through. Looking up "hand rearing hamsters" may point you to some useful links about how much to feed, how often, and the right environment for care.

Thank you for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach! It is important that you do not disturb Snow, as even a small amount of stress can cause her to neglect or even canibalize her pups. If this is her first litter, she may be a little confused and not necessarily know what to do. I recommend moistening her food a little bit with water and placing it closer to the nest, without disturbing it. This will provide her with some extra hydration. This moist food should be changed daily to avoid mold from growing in the cage. The pups should start eating food on their own by the time they are about 3 weeks old, and can be removed from the cage at this time. I hope this helps!

Hello there! I'm sorry to hear about your runty puppy. If the mother won't feed him and you can't get him to nurse, it's unlikely that he's going to survive for very long. Sometimes, small or runty puppies have internal abnormalities that prevent them from being able to nurse properly, and these pups generally don't make it without aggressive care. I highly recommend that you bring this pup in to the vet first thing in the morning for evaluation and treatment - even if that treatment may mean humane euthanasia. Keep him warm and try to feed him warmed milk replacer at least every few hours. If he appears to be very lethargic or is having breathing difficulty, you may need to bring him to an emergency vet tonight. There is a 24-hour hospital near you - here is their information: Animal Emergency

Thanks for reaching out about Nibbles. We can't determine whether the babies are alive or not. You might have to gently disturb the nest and observe the babies for breathing or moving. Do not touch them unless determined dead, to remove, as humane scent on the babies might cause mother to further neglect. I still not sure, the whole cage can be quietly moved and taken to a veterinary clinic for assessment. Good luck.