URGENT, nursing mama to 5 may be dead??

[criscollrj]

We have a pet problem, and I'm not sure what to do. We bought our hamster Patch a week ago Wednesday, and unbeknownst to us it was a pregnant female (we thought she was a he) so of course got handled too much, moved too much,tried to train her, etc., before to our shock on Friday she gave birth to 6 babies.

It's 11:35 p.m. here so no vet or pet store open. Patch appears to be dead, but we also know of hibernation existing. We have not seen her move much today but I think I remember her drinking this morning. Last night she was up on her wheel running a bit, and had a little bite to eat, but I had looked for her babies (just visually, I didn't put my hand in the cage or anything) and didn't see anything, but there's at least 4-5 inches of wood chips on the left side of the cage.


Should I move her now and look for the babies? Or should I just leave her alone and wait until morning and take the whole cage to the pet store? If she is dead but there are live babies under her, is it better to leave her there or to move her -- could she still have breast milk in her that they're drinking and I'd kill them by moving her, or would they suffocate?


It may already be too late... but I don't know.


Colleen (my daughter, 10) is going to be devastated in the morning.... I feel like crying.


Off to shower and see if anyone has a response!

[criscollrj]

Thank you - I did what you said and found out all had died. At least I know now and can prepare what to do next.

I wish I knew why they died though. I also found there had been 7 pups, not six.

[Misty1964]

Thank you - I did what you said and found out all had died. At least I know now and can prepare what to do next.

I wish I knew why they died though. I also found there had been 7 pups, not six.

Im sorry to hear that :( do you know how old she was when u got her??

[Zouave]

She could not have been too old as she was still pregnant.

Very odd.

[criscollrj]

I asked the pet store 2 days after we got her (before we knew she was a girl!) how old she was - the girl at the store didn't know. Today I'm going to find out a lot more about whatever new one we get including insisting on finding out if it's a boy or girl for sure.

[Terry909]

Id get a guy, you don't got to worry about problems as much!

[Danielle7577]

She possibly could have had more pups to deliver....and they couldn't be passed. Sounds like complications during birth. The pups were probably suffocated by mom or died due to dehydration. I am sorry for your loss. Try finding a shelter or rescue that may have hamsters. There are so many unwanted pets out there.

[criscollrj]

I have a new question which I'm going to address separately...

dori

[TMCsoccer]

Hi Dori...sorry to hear about your lost. I had a hamster that had babies (6) and all lived but 1. Did the mother die to?

[animalstephedgy]

Hi whats up. see i have had tuns of litters kind like this all i did was looked where i thought the babys were and then when i foud them even if you have to pick mama up find the babys and if they are still alive call a vet unlesh mama turns out ok. Also try to give here alfalfa lettace carrots meat something even if it just a bowl of milk that will give her the energy and the nutrients to feed her babys and you might see almost a full improvment in just a couple days
good luck
wright back

[swEet pEa]

Aww I'm so sorry to hear that, that's heartbreaking! :cry:

[TiaMaria]

It's always sad when something like that happens, im really sorry for your loss!