The terrible word cannibalism, or eating your own kind, is inherent in some kinds of animals. With this phenomenon, sometimes you have to meet lovers of seemingly nice rodents, like hamsters . There are several reasons that lead to the fact that hamsters eat their young.
Causes of death of newborn hamsters
We do not know why hamsters eat their cubs. But, who has ever seen a male hamster eat his children, he knows that this spectacle is not a pleasant one. But nature tells the male that newly born babies can become his rivals. And, if in time not to otsadit him from the female, the consequences can be deplorable. In addition, the pregnant and lactating female is quite aggressive towards male representatives, which naturally annoys the male.
Most often, the mothers themselves become the culprit of the death of the younger generation. If the female feels that the milk is not enough to feed the children, she will deprive the lives of those who seem superfluous to her. Therefore, it is important that there is enough water and wet food in the cage, on which lactation depends. It is useful to introduce in the diet products such as meat, cheese, boiled eggs. And there must be an influx of fresh air.
Young hamsters, who have not yet developed a maternal instinct, are eating their children. Female, which is not four months, as a rule, are bad moms.
There are few chances for life in babies who were born from a relationship or from a woman who gave birth often while staying together. Such cubs are born weakened. And if you saw that a hamster ate his children, it is just a phenomenon of natural selection.
In no case should you take newborn hamsters in your arms or disturb the nest. Feeling of fear and anxiety at the mother can lead to the fact that the kids die. Feel free to do this when the offspring will be ten days old.
It happens that grown-up cubs of Dzhungar hamsters eat their smaller brothers and sisters, if they are born, when the first ones are still with their parents. Aggression in this species is caused by cohabiting in one cage.
Knowing the reasons that can lead to the death of the long-awaited offspring from your pet, you can avoid such an unpleasant phenomenon as cannibalism. And then the question of why hamsters eat their young, you will not be tortured.