Your hamsters can surprise you in many ways, some good, others much less so. For example, it can be disconcerting, we agree, that mother hamsters may eat their babies. Why is this behavior? Is it possible to prevent it?
The animal world and cannibalism
In nature, cannibalism is not a taboo or unusual subject as it is for us humans. For some newborn hamsters, this process can be a natural order of events when a large litter is born. So why do hamsters eat their babies?
A mother hamster may eat her young out of anxiety or fear that motherhood is too overwhelming or dangerous in a chaotic environment. The mother’s natural instincts, along with feelings of intense hunger or strange odors on a baby hamster, can lead to cannibalism.
Are mother hamsters cannibals?
Hamsters are adorable pets that spend their days running around in their cages and nibbling on a wide variety of treats. However, like all animals, they can display certain evolutionary traits that go beyond the stereotypes we have for some pets.
Nature is not always the benevolent and comforting phenomenon we imagine. Life, even for animals, can be an incredibly stressful and highly competitive experience.
A mother hamster may thus eat her babies, even if she has enough food. It is not a matter of being strange or cannibalizing her young for no reason. There are many reasons why this occurs.
How to prevent a mother hamster from eating her babies?
It is mostly about ensuring that the mother hamster has a spacious and stress-free cage. It is recommended to separate her from male hamsters to maintain a calm environment while she cares for her litter. This can also prevent males from eating the babies.
Make sure her cage always has plenty of fresh water, and that she is regularly fed with treats nearby. If she is well-fed and her stress levels are low, you will probably not have to worry about her eating her young.
What are the causes of this behavior in female hamsters?
Let’s look at some of the main reasons for this phenomenon, though this is not an exhaustive list.
Stress and Anxiety
Hamsters are naturally prone to stress and anxiety. They may eat their babies for a variety of reasons. Similar to postpartum depression in humans, a mother hamster may begin to feel overwhelmed by her new role and may eat her own babies to reduce the stress she feels regarding the litter.
Lack of Food
Although less common, a lack of adequate food could be a reason why mother hamsters eat their babies. Always ensure that the mother hamster is fed a balanced diet during her pregnancy and consistently after giving birth.
Strange Odors
Another reason why hamsters eat their babies is related to odors on the babies that cause confusion for the mother. To prevent this behavior, try to avoid touching the babies or letting other animals touch or lick them.
Sense of Danger
If a mother hamster perceives a danger near her babies, an instinct may kick in and prompt her to think that eating her babies is preferable to allowing them to be killed or eaten by other predators.
Lack of Adequate Care
Although it may seem cruel to us, a nursing mother hamster may feel that she cannot adequately care for so many babies. If the litter is large, she may choose to reduce the number of babies to provide more food for those she believes she can take care of.
Rest assured, it’s not that common!
Hamsters eat their babies for various reasons, all natural, and in accordance with a mother’s instinct, aiming to protect the majority of her young by sacrificing a few.
You can help stop this behavior by always ensuring that the mother has plenty of food and water, by not touching the babies, and by making sure the cage is safe and left undisturbed.