Hi,
Just like to share my experience with fellow hamster lovers and to
debunk some of the myths. I reared winterwhites 7 yrs ago. Bought 2
- a male and female and they were such a joy. I played with them
and let them out of the cage for daily walks. I think they started
to trust people a lot though I was the only one who touched them
coz my mother was afraid of them much as she cared for them a
lot.
When the female one became pregnant, I still allowed her to take
her daily walk in the house since she enjoyed it. But one day, when
i was out at work, my mum let her out of her cage. Shockingly, she
ran to my bedroom and gave birth to 7 babies, at the corner of the
floor, under my bed! 
My mother witnessed the whole birth process!! My
mother became worried for the babies as the floor was cold, so she
quickly took a piece of cloth to put it near the hamster mummy. In
my mum's panic, she picked up the babies with her bare hands (her
scent must have been left on the babies) and placed them on the
cloth before putting them back to the cage. The hamster mummy
followed suit and returned to her cage. And guess what??? Every
little hamster baby survived!!
So I guess it could be the implicit trust they had in us, esp since
my mother had never touched the hamster mummy !! We only separated
the father from the brood. So I guess there are exceptions to the
belief that we must never touch the babies with bare hands. But
perhaps it is generally true.
Anyway, after that experience, I saw how the female suffered after
giving birth, having lost a lot of weight and stress from the
babies suckling her wherever she went, I decided NEVER to breed
hamsters again. So painful for the mother. 
WHen I saw your hammies I was really tempted to keep them again. So
cute, they reminded me of my own brood. But I know I now have very
little time at home and is perpetually tired. So I dont think i am
ready to shower them with the love and attention I used to give
them. Perhaps, I might keep them again in future when I have more
time. 
