Why are my hamster's babies different colors in the same litter?

Hi, thanks for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach! Coat color genetics is complicated and isn’t straight forward. The fact you got 2 black puppies when mating 2 white Pomeranians means somewhere in the lines of either one or both parents had black coated relatives. What you see isn’t always what you get with genes. That’s why 2 brown eyed people sometimes have a blue eyed baby. I hope this helps!

This is good quality hamster food. He may be shedding from baby hair to adult hair, but he could also have a mixed quality of hair, especially if he is a cross between a teddy bear hamster and a shorthaired hamster.

Thank you for using Pet Coach to address your questions about Shine and your male hamster. That is unusual behavior. Hamsters can produce prolifically. So only producing two litters makes me concerned that something in one of the hamster's body is not normal. Likely one of them has abnormalities in the reproductive tract making it difficult to conceive. I would agree with the other vet that something was likely wrong in the milk which is why the pups didn't make it. Additionally, hamsters generally live 2-3 years. At their ages, fertility is going to be significantly decreased. At Shine's age, I would also be hesitant to breed her again. Pregnancy in older animals carries higher risks. I'm not sure there is anything you can do to increase fertility short of seeing a specialist for hormone supplements. If you are looking to breed hamsters again, I would advise to get a young adult female OR get a new pair of a male and female. Younger hamsters have much better fertility rates. I hope I have answered your questions. Thank you for using Pet Coach.

Hello and thank you for reaching out to PetCoach. These are very good questions and it is thoughtful of you to ask these prior to obtaining a hamster. I've attached a link that is very helpful in explaining certain hamsters that live well together and special care instructions. I hope this is helpful! https://www.omlet.co.uk/guide/hamsters/getting_a_hamster/keeping_more_than_one

Hi, I assume you're asking if we think Pippy and Piper are indeed Syrian variety of Hamster- yes they are!! I had a hamster just like the darker colored one and he lived for 2 years which is the normal lifespan. They are cute and I'm glad they get along well!

Hello. I would guess that Smidge is indeed pregnant. Hamsters reach breeding age at 6-10 weeks & are pregnant an average of 13-22 days. Since she is new to you & her environment, it is important to not disturb her too much once she has her brood. Hamsters will often kill their litter if they feel threatened, so observe her carefully before reaching in to grab her. Good luck & thanks for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach.

Thanks for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach! Hamsters can get aggressive, especially around their young. I recommend handling the young as little as possible to prevent Khaleesi from being aggressive towards you or from taking it out on her pups. While it is less likely at this age, hamsters can even canibalize their young when they are stressed. Hamsters can typically be weaned (start eating dry food, no longer needed milk from the mother) at about 3 weeks. I recommend separating them into different cages or homes to prevent the hamsters from reproducing. You should also separate Khaleesi from the male hamster if you wish to prevent further breeding. Once the pups are gone, Khaleesi should resume her normal behavior towards you. I hope this helps!