Winter White hamster had one baby. Why did it die? When can she breed?

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.

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.

Poor Peanut! There is no way for me know what has happened, but hamsters don't always have live births. She may have been too young to be pregnant, or have some kind of health problem. She is most likely finished with the birthing process at this point. If you don't want other litters, you will have to keep the male and female separate.

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.

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, 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.