\holding baby hamsters?

Question

My 12 baby hamsters will be 2 weeks old tomorrow! Yay! can i hold them? or wait longer. could i already hold them today? how long should it be before i pick them up?

Answer 1

Congragulations on the baby hamsters! Do post photos for all of us to see them.

It is better to hold baby hamsters when they are 3 weeks old. The reason being, at 2 weeks, they are still vulnerable and dependent on the mother for milk. You would note that the pups are slowly eating solid food but are still dependent on mother's milk for 50% of their nutrition. Now if you touch them now, there is a chance that the mother might smell their foreign scent and reject feeding them milk.

This has happened in a very few cases only but it is better to be safe than sorry. I know it is very tempting to hold those cute small bundles of beauty but it would be better if you could hold on for just another one week to be doubly sure that what you are doing is completely in their interest only.

Have a great time with your new bundles of joy!

Answer 2

wait untill about a month old

Answer 3

I'd wait until they're older.

The mother may still panic and eat/kill them up until them being four weeks.

Well done for keeping twelve alive for this long, but it would be such a shame to loose them now because you can't wait.

Answer 4

normally one should wait 3 - 3and a half weeks for the baby hamster's health, don't take any note of the videos you see on youtube, one should never hold a hamster which is younger than 3 weeks.

Kindest Regards

Nadia Vella

http://hamster-club.com

[e-mail]

Answer 5

You have to wait at least a month, sorry. But I know how you feel. The newborns are just soo cute you cant wait to play with them! =)

But what you should look for before holding this is that they have a full body of fur and their eyes are nice and wide open.

These are signs that they are maturing nicely and are ready to be held or adopted.

Have fun!=)

Answer 6

Wait about another week. I know they are so cute so you want to hold them, but they are to young. Hope you have fun with the  new arrivals!  :]-

Answer 7

This depends on how well the mother hamster responds to you.

For instance. My friend breeds rabbits, most of her rabbits know are scent and respond very well to us. We have found that we are able to pick them up about a day after they are born.

If you aren't entirely sure, wait until the hamsters begin to grow some hair, this is the safest time to pick them up.