When is the first day you can hold a baby hamster?

Answer 1

TAKEN FROM: http://www.myhammie.com/baby-hamsters.php

One can't just take his eyes off hamster pups, as these tiny cute little creatures will sure have your attention. Baby hamster are born without any fur and are closely attached to their mother. Though you may have the desire to hold them, bare in mind that there is nothing you can do within two weeks period after delivery.

REMEMBER NOT TO TOUCH THE BABIES!! Your action might harm the babies and change its scent thus confuses the mother. She will think that they are not hers, abandon them and worst she might even eat the babies (it did happened to my hamsters). Not to cause any stress to the mother, avoid cleaning up the cage within this period. It is advisable to place the babies at the bottom of the cage as none of them had opened their eyes yet.

After this two weeks 'vital' period, you can hold them but only for a brief period as not to disturb or stress the mom or babies. You can also clean up the cage and place fresh beddings in most of it. Remove just the soiled parts in the nest area and put a good portion of the old bedding in it. Put the babies back in the nest after it is cleaned up followed by the mother.

Once the babies eyes are opened (which should occur on the 11-12 days, but some take less/more), they should figure out how the bottle works. In order for them to reach it easily, put it lower and in an area where they frequently go. If they haven't figured out how to use the bottle and you are worried about them not drinking enough, you can give them pieces of cucumbers to prevent dehydration. Do not put water in a bowl to prevent them from falling in and drown or catch a cold.

At three weeks, you can separate the babies if you observe any fighting among them but if they seem immature, less developed and not quite independent enough to leave mom just yet, let them stay together until they are four weeks old. When they reach five weeks old, independent and have a healthy development, they can be placed in new homes and play in new surroundings and environment.
Whenever they are used to you and trust you enough to let you handle them. Let them smell your hand before touching them so they recognise who you are then after a couple of days or a week begin gently picking them up but don't hold them for too long. When they have enough confidence and trust you, then you can hold them like an ordinary grown hamster.

Answer 2

Until they have hair, if there young. but if there just new hamsters that already have hair, i would recommend waiting at least 48 hours because hamsters will need time to adjust to a brand new environment. if you do hold it before that it shouldn't do much but your hamster will be very skittish and scared. i once held a hamster to early, and it became so traumatized it didn't make it. ): but don't worry about that happening to yours because that only happens to younger ones that aren't used to the home at all. I'm pretty sure if yours is full grown and in full health and you hold it before that, it will be okay, just a tad scared

Answer 3

Yes you can, but make sure you have no food on your hands. Make sure to wash your hands before and after, you take him or her out. Hope this helps!

Answer 4

You should wait about a 4-5 days to hold it after you bring it home. If you do they are usually more comfortable and end up more tame. I did that with mine and she even licks fingers!

Answer 5

Not until it can eat on its own.

Answer 6

Yu

Answer 7

J