You should also remove wheels and toys to prevent injury to the babies. Place toilet paper somewhere in the cage so the mother can build a nest. Give the mother slightly extra food than usual.
As the babies age, you will see they begin to explore the cage and hunt for food themselves.
Be quiet when checking the cage. While it’s important to keep the hamsters well fed, you want to make sure you don’t disturb the mother. Peace and quiet is important for the first few weeks.
Usually, it’s safe to touch the babies after 10 to 14 days. At this point, they have plenty of fur, their eyes are open, and they’re eating solid food.
Provide pellets for the hamsters, adding bowls for each baby. Make sure to check the cage frequently during this time to make sure the babies have enough food.
You should separate the male and female hamsters to prevent inbreeding. In general, hamsters of the same gender should be able to share a cage. However, if fighting occurs frequently, you may have to separate the hamsters.
Carefully pick up the babies and look just under their tails. Hamsters have two distinct openings in this area. Males have openings that are slightly apart. Females have openings with no space in between.
