How to Tell If Your Hamster Is Pregnant
📝 Summary
A female housed with a male is very likely pregnant and may deliver a dozen pups. Spotting pregnancy early helps you care for her better. Here is how to tell and what to do.
1 How to Tell
A female housed with a male will attack him and refuse contact once pregnant; she screams or runs when he nears. Separate them at once to avoid fights.
Mid-pregnancy her belly swells and feels lumpy, sometimes moving. Touch very gently to avoid miscarriage or harm to the fetuses.
Her body takes a pear shape — a round belly but not fat-round — and this usually means birth is near; isolate the male immediately.
2 Care During Pregnancy
Because staying with the male stresses her and can cause miscarriage or even cannibalism of the pups, separate him early. If not separated, she may become pregnant again right after birth; back-to-back pregnancies badly harm her and the pups often die.
Before and after birth she needs extra nutrition: mealworms, boiled egg white and other protein-rich foods for the strength to deliver.
After birth she needs rest; don’t disturb her to peek at the pups, and care for the litter. Consult an online vet if you have other questions.
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