[Pebbles82]

Such a pain if there are difficult vet choices. I'm on my third vet practice now. I stayed with them because the exotic vet is very knowledgeable (despite no bedside manner!). I find a lot of vets do tend to handle the hamsters like a parcel and the hamsters don't like it. To the vet it's a quick handle and look with no preamble. With our robo (very nervy) I took him in a pet carrier with a fleece snooze cube inside (which he liked) so it was easy to lift him out - I just lifted the snooze cube out.

And I also took a small storage box about 50cm by 40cm and shallow. Used to be his taming box. Plus a piece of hemp mat, his saucer and a couple of toys to put in it and some food.

So when we went into the vets and she wanted to see him I was very clear that I would take him out of the pet carrier and put him in the set up box and she could observe him walking in there (he had walking difficulty due to a lump).

After that she did need to pick him up and weigh him before prescribing, but at least he had had a few moments of normality first - enjoyed being in the box and finding the food and wheel and chilled a bit before she picked him up.

However he was then put in a glass jar held up high to look underneath him and then the glass jar plonked on the weighing scales and then tipped out of the glass jar back into the box! He was not happy at all and quite stressed. But settled when back in the box again.

The other reason I took the box, was so he didn't run off the table!

Is there no other exotic vet in your area, even if it means travelling a bit further? I have an hour and a quarter to travel to our current vet each time, but it's worth it.

Last time I had a consultation and metacam prescribed, the total was about £50.

As Ria said - they can advise and diagnose, but the decision is up to you. I wouldn't leave him there though after what happened last time! (Running up bills with tests!).