Is it normal for a mother hamster to eat her newborn babies?

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!

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.

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.

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!

Hello, I'd recommend leaving Nibbles alone for at least one week after she gives birth. However, eating young is very common in hamsters and may not be preventable. I hope this is helpful. Thanks for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach.

Hello. Usually, the reason a mother, any mother, will harm her young is if she feels they are in danger. Try & keep the area where she had the kittens as quiet as possible, limiting visits & unnecessary handling of the kittens. Keep other pets, especially other cats out of the area, too. Keep food, water & a litter box close so she does not have to leave her babies, but make sure everything stays clean & no insects or vermin are attracted to this. Hopefully, she will feel safe for herself & raise a healthy litter. Thanks for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach.

She should be fed extra protein and vitamins (usually found in fresh greens and vegetables). Offer her regular diet and supplement with the other items in a separate bowl. She will eat what she wants when she wants. Rotate through the items so she has a balanced diet. Always keep a commercial hamster diet and fresh water available. She will care for her pups (baby hamsters). They can be fed a commercial hamster diet after weaning at about 3-4 weeks of age.