Newbie questions

[Miss Ratty]

Hello all,

I am a rat owner and looking after a Syrian hammie over xmas.
My main concern..apart from obvious things like lumps, lethargy, nor eating, limping etc.
Is there anything else specific I should look for to ensure she is fit and well?
I'm fairly new to rats..lots of research done though! But I want to make sure I care for this little darling as well as I can.

Any advice would be appreciated as I have never looked after a hamster before..and I'm only two days in!

She is currently on wood shavings from [email protected] don't know for sure if that is ok or not. For bedding she hs safe bed from P@H.
The owner didn't leave me food so she had cereals last night and rat food..I'm off to P@H later today to get some hammie fooda and I heard cat kibble is good?

Please correct if I am wrong...my interest is for her...I'm not concerned if people tell me the right thing to do on here at all nd will take no offence!

Oh..are they ok to hve yoghurt drops? She likes them..but I want to check.

Thanks in advance!
Jill...total newbie!!!

[I_am_plankton]

Hi Jill

everything you are doing is great :) She will love the occasional yogurt drop and also cat kibble do you mean cat biscuits? They love them! We have cat bowls in our kitchen and my hams always roll over to them in their balls and try poking their tongues through the gaps lol to get the cat food!

Signs of illness include what you mentioned and also not being lively and just general looking unwell but I am sure she is fine :)

Are you tempted to get one for yourself?

[Miss Ratty]

Um...how about tempted not to give this one back! :lol:
My next door neighbour hs a cat and dog. I'm feeding the cat while she is away and the dog is with her son.
I was concerned..cats jump..so I decided to bring little Jessie here for safety!
She 'acquired Jessie s her grandaughter got bitten..blood was drawn nd the little girl..she is only 6 was too scared of Jessie.
If I get a bite it's..well hey! Whatever!

I will check with next door s to whether she wants to keep her..if not..then they can have visits anytime.
She is a little treasure! So soft and so pretty!
Yes..I have fallen big time!
:lol: :oops:

It's good to know I'm doing things right..big softie when it comes to animals! :D

Although...my rats re slightly jealous!

[Jane]

Sounds like everything your doing is fine to me :)

About the yoghurt drops - I never feed pet shop treats. My hammies get stuff like veg, chicken, cat food, etc instead and they love this so I they never get stuff from the pet shop ;) (well, except at christmas and birthdays of course :lol:)

[souffle]

If you can possibly find out the type of food she was on at 'home' it is better to stick with the same brand. I am not a fan of P@H food as it has added sugar. Harry hamster is good and we use this with ours.
The P@H shavings are fine and as long as the bedding is not the fluffy stuff but the paper chipped stuff that is great.
She will enjoy a bit of turkey and a tiny bit of sprout for Christmas I'm sure.
The only other illness I would watch for in female hamsters is pyometria which usually starts with them drinking a lot and getting lethargic, swollen tummy and sometimes discharge from the vent.
I am sure you are looking after her very well and have a great Christmas. :lol:

[annc]

Peanut has Harry Hamster - plus broccoli, carrots, grapes, apple, nectarine etc. plus the occasioanl Rotastak yoggie or chocolate drop.

[Miss Ratty]

I briefly glimpsed a bag of food when I met her but there was none at her house.
Little Jessie has turned her nose up at the hamster food from P@H so I'l give her shunamite again I think and find some better stuff tomorrow.
I think they do Harry Hamster in Waitrose, failing that I hve another pet sho near me.

Thanks for all the advice.

[babyboos]

can you remember anything about the food bag you saw - we know pretty much every brand out there so should hopefully be able to identify - save you a fortune :-)