Why do hamsters eat their babies?

Hamster mothers eat their babies when they are disturbed or when they believe that there is not enough water and food to go around. Rarely does a hamster father eat its babies.

Hamster mothers may also eat their babies if the litter of babies is bigger than usual. A big litter can worry a hamster mother and make her feel that eating the babies is best due to a potential lack of resources. If the babies are born with deformities or are born stillborn, then the hamster mother may also want to eat the babies. This is a simple principle of Darwinism and can be seen in many other species, such as snakes, rats, sea lions, seals, polar bears and even chimpanzees.