Page 14 - Assisi Paw Prints issue 95

News from

THE WARREN

Hamsters Seven months on we were left with only 3 hamsters. One
of them being the original mother hamster. We managed
Over the past 7 months we have had a lot of hamsters to get the last 3 of them rehomed all on the same day,
come into our care – 28 in total! All of these were the where they can live out their happy hamster lives with no
result of hamsters being sold without more babies!
correctly identifying the sex. The
first set were sold as a trio of the
same sex but, unfortunately, Guinea Pig Welfare Case
they were actually 2 females
and a male together. The
In October last year, we had a call from animal welfare
inevitable happened and
asking us to take in 11 guinea pigs from a hoarding case
both female hamsters
that they were investigating - all mixed sexes and all
got pregnant. When the
having free range to each other. We sorted out enough
owners found out that 2 of
accommodation for the 11 guinea pigs and arranged a
their hamsters had given
time and date for them to come into the small animal
birth and had received
unit. When they arrived, we checked their sexes so that
no help from the original
we could separate them correctly, but we soon noticed
sellers, they got in contact
that there were a lot more than 11 guinea pigs. In fact,
with us, and we agreed to
there was double the amount, 22 in total!
take the hamsters in asap!
Only 4 of the adults were female, and 2 of the babies
When they arrived, we had to
were female and then all the rest were male guinea pigs.
separate them into different cages - the
Our vet gave them all a thorough
babies going with their respective mothers. They all
health check and thankfully
seemed to be in good shape and, after 3 weeks, we
none had ringworm as
separated the males from the females, as they can start
it is very contagious.
to get sexually active then. We also made them available
However, 3 of the 4
for adoption at that point.
females were heavily
pregnant and ready
Unfortunately, we then got another call from someone
to pop any day. The
who had bought a pair of hamsters from the same pet
other female had
store, believing them to be both male. Of course, one
just given birth to 5
was male and the other female, but they only realised
baby pigs. They were
this after she had given birth and they found the babies!
organised in a very
Hamsters can get pregnant again only a few hours after
large pen, allowing
giving birth, so it was safe to say that she was pregnant
them to have their own
once more. Like last time, the people originally got in
space to take care of
contact with the sellers who again refused to help.
their babies. After a few
weeks, the mothers started
We were pretty tight for space at this point, as there
giving birth. One of the mothers
were hamster accommodations everywhere in the small
gave birth to 6 babies, which is a
animal unit! We kept a close eye on the baby hamsters
massive litter for a guinea pig. Sadly, one of the babies
and they all seemed to be in good shape. Only 2 of them
was still born but the other guinea pigs all gave birth to
passed away when they were a few days old, but that is
2 – 3 babies each and all were healthy.
often the case as hamsters can have very large litters.
The male guinea pigs were split into pairs plus one trio
Weeks went by and the other mum finally gave birth
as they all got along really well. Most were very hormonal
to her second and final litter. The other babies at this
as they were unneutered and in a new environment, so
point were old enough to be separated from mum, to
the small animal unit was pretty stinky with guinea pig
allow her to have the space to create a nest for her new
musk for a while! Over the next few months, we were
babies. Over the next few months, we worked hard to
able to find each pair their lovely new forever homes!
find homes for all the hamsters and it went very well!
14 ISSUE NO. 95 | SPRING / SUMMER 2022