My breeding hamster died from mites. What to do with the litter?

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.

I'm sorry to hear that! I don't see Theo's age. Typically hamsters live about 2 years. So depending on how long you've had him, he may have been reaching the end of his natural life span. These little guys can take a turn for the worse very quickly, so its not unusual for them to seemingly die suddenly. There is no way to know the cause of death without doing an autopsy and having a little more information on how he was acting and doing in the hours and day or 2 before he died. If you just found him dead in the last 12 hours, you can all a veterinarian local to you and ask if they'd be willing to do an autopsy. I would recommend that you clean the cage and change the bedding for the other hamster, just in case it was something potentially contagious. I'm so sorry for you loss. Thank you for trusting Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach with your question.

I am very sorry to hear about your loss. Unfortunately it s very difficult to establish exactly the day of the death, even though a post-mortem examination can give you a quite rough indication of it. Please take him as soon as possible to your local veterinarian. Hope this answer was helpful, but please do not hesitate to contact us again on the forum or by requesting a consultation if you have any more questions or to discuss it any further. If this answer was helpful please let us know, this will be used to improve our service!

Thanks for reaching out about Holly. It should be safe to breed her again, as long as she appears healthy. A veterinary examination would help with a health condition assessment. Although, there are plenty of hamsters in the world looking for home, do you have enough friends to dole them out to? Good luck.

I am so sorry you lost your hamster. 1) Don't buy your new hamster in the same place you bought the one that died. 2) make sure you disinfect the cage, and all cage furniture. You will need new bedding, throw out the food you offered Cookie. 3) Disinfect the water bottle, and also wipe the cage wires with a disinfectant. 4) Make sure your new hamster is lively, has a shiny fur and no diarrhea (the fur must be dry everywhere) 5) Do not buy a hamster out of a colony where any of the others appear ill or slow or strange. 6) Give your new hamster time to adjust to the new surroundings. Do not handle him the first day. Try not to stress him. That is about all you can do. I hope you get a healthy hamster this time.

Sorry about your hamsters. Heat stroke would be a possibility as hamsters with heavy coats are unable to cope with excessive heat, especially if over 80 F. A veterinary visit could perform a necropsy in an attempt to determine cause of death. Sorry again.

I am sorry for the loss of little Dolores. Unfortunately, without a post mortem exam, the cause of her passing is difficult to determine. She may have been ill at purchase or suffered a trauma or toxicity in the time between purchase and her passing. I would suggest you contact PetSmart and inquire about their health guarantee and what to do next.