You may have noticed a mothering hamster picking her newborns up and placing the offspring inside of her mouth. This is certainly a lot less disturbing than witnessing her cannibalizing her young. This behavior comes about for a few different reasons. The first reason this occurs is related to warmth for the babies. This is also a sign that the cage is likely too cold, and you may need to cover it or keep it in a room that is set at room temperature. A mother may also engage in this behavior as a mechanism to protect her young. If she perceives a threat, she will stuff the newborns into her cheeks until the threat passes.