Mum to 8 17 day old baby Syrians just Escaped.....Help!

[Jtequida]

Hi, my mother Syrian hamster flew the coop this evening. They have already started eating solid Food but still nursing also. What should I do for the babies until we find the mother? They aren't using the water bottle yet. Should I get the puppy milk replacement? And if so, how do I feed it to them? How do I give them water?
Please help, thank you!

 

[Maz]

Hello. I'm so sorry to hear this. So has the mother escaped? For liquid you'll need to use a dropper if they can't use a water bottle yet. However I think you need expert veterinary help with this and the first thing to do would be contact a vet for advice on hand rearing and the correct type of milk. You could also contact an official breeder association - either an NHC breeder in the UK or the California Hamster Association in the US (depending where you are) as they will have experience in this.

So 17 days old - they are over two weeks so I think they have a good chance of survival. It may be you need to simulate the Mother's grooming to make sure their digestive systems keep working ok - but you really need to ask a vet. Are their eyes open now?

Assume this was an accidental litter?

And also try and get the Mother back asap! Have you set a bucket trap?

 

[Socks' Mum]

It is very important to use boiled cooled water and to clean bowls etc after use. They should be able to eat a formula from a saucer, but I agree with Maz, getting a vet or breeder to tell you which formula to use and how to prepare it is a good plan.

 

[Maz]

Or bottled spring water. You can use a syringe as a dropper. Do let us know how you get on.

 

[Socks' Mum]

The mouse forum suggests lactol, which is puppy or kitten formula. The pups might eat some grown up food at this stage, eg human baby food and cooked sweet potato. Avoid baby food with strong spices and onions. Again, keep everything as clean as possible.

 

[Jtequida]

Thank you all for your advice. Luckily momma showed up the next night! So babies were only on their own for about 24hrs. They seem to be doing fine. They were obviously ecstatic when I put mum back in the cage. Although she did not appear happy and was avoiding them. I was concerned that she was rejecting them. But when I got up the next day she was nursing them all. I think she wants to be done with them all but is doing as she needs thankfully! I am monitoring them closely but I think now they are going to be fine. I'm now mostly concerned that they learn to drink water soon. I did not realize I can give them baby food. That is good to know.
Thanks guys, really appreciate the help

 

[Maz]

That's good news - she maybe just needed a break It's mainly hamster mix, fresh veggies and a bit of protein like chopped hard boiled egg for pups that age. And milk/water. They only have a few more days before they're weaned from the Mother anyway now and should be able to start using a water bottle then Must have been a bit of a scary 24 hours though!

 

[Jtequida]

I think she did! Thank you. I did see one baby using the water bottle. But all the babies look exactly the same so I can't tell if it's the same one or a different one if I see them using it! When I handle them I have to put in a different container so I make sure I pick up each one.

 

[Socks' Mum]

They will be old enough to breed very soon, so finding out how many males you have would probably be a wise precaution. Do you have homes for them? You don't want to risk a run away population however cute they may be.

 

[Maz]

By 4 weeks they can be sexed and separated The girls can stay in with Mum and the boys can still be together in a separate cage. They're probably a bit young to be sexed easily yet

 

[Jtequida]

Thank you. I was wondering exactly that! I have homes for a few right now and am still looking.

 

[Maz]

They're ready to go to new homes at 6 weeks. After that they might all need separating or they can start fighting! If any haven't found a home by 6 weeks you'll need extra cages! But now is a good time to start a waiting list and then hopefully you'll have enough people wanting one. It's tricky as there's also the vetting process to ensure they go to a good home. Sending a checklist of what the hamster needs is a good idea To anyone who has their name down.