Page:The Golden Hamster Manual.djvu/49

 warmth for the naked newly born. Young do not fur to any notable extent before the 6th day. During this 40-hour resting period, she should not be shown to guests; neither should she be unduly coaxed to come to the pen door for any attention. Unless handling is absolutely necessary, she should not be touched in any manner after she begins to show size. When bred, she loses no time bringing her 4 to 16, rarely 18, babies into the world. They arrive In less than 16 days (average 15 days, 21½ hrs.), and do not open their eyes until 15 days old, and she weans them 5 to 12 days later. Neither she nor the young should be handled during the first two days after their birth, lest in her fear she instinctively and defensively take some or all of them into her cheek pouches during her annoyance, much as she might attempt to do in wild state to carry them from the presence of a snake or another female hamster whom she felt unequal to fighting off. Since she cannot escape the pen with them, if you handle the tiny young in her presence and remain with her she in desperation may take some or all of them into her cheek pouches and hold them there until they smother. In which case, she may eat the dead and thereafter the living, becoming a discard or cannibal to probably destroy succeeding litters.

During the first 40 hours after birth of litter the baby hamsters emit a peculiar suckling cry. It is very faint, but continues for a few moments after the mother leaves them suddenly to greet the caretaker at the door, and it may be heard while they are engaged in suckling, especially until they have learned how to quickly grasp the mother’s mammae as soon as she hovers over them for nursing. If some record of the mating has not been made to determine the date of birth, when the caretaker notes the earliest suckling cries from a nest he should thumb tack a record card or slip of paper to the door and enter thereon his best estimate of the time of birth of that litter. This record, however made or determined, is the guide as to when the nest may be inspected for culling, etc. See Chap. 30 on culling.

Undisturbed, hamster females usually make wonderfully little mothers; and by the time the eyes of the young are opened she permits free handling of her babies. If one will let her mind her own children until they are able to see, she will do her part faithfully with her loyal maternal instinct. This is no handicap in raising hamsters, for practically none become cannibals under normal care. Do not handle the newly born young in her presence. By the 8th day, the young independently eat any food the mother stores within their reach. Pen widths of 9 inches or less place the maximum amount of stored food within easy reach of the pre-sight young. For some time previous to the 8th day, to supplement her milk supply as well as to teach them to eat, the mother has been chewing and feeding to them small bits of food. By the 10th day, the young are making brief excursions from the nest and doing some exploring of the pen, returning to the nest by instinct or by the mother’s carrying them cat-kitten fashion by the neck or back. By the 12th day, they eat heartily and nest behavior resembles small kittens. Excreta notably increases from about the 15th day. If desired, for extra cleanliness, when it may be observed that the eyes of the young are open, pens may be cleaned and fresh nesting material placed in rear of pens. While satisfactory weanings may regularly —47—