Hates us?

Nyxietrixx · 09-13-2015, 08:37 AM

Elsa is worrying me again, surprise surprise! She won't come out when we are around and when we walk into the room she'll run away into her house. I barely see her out anymore but when she is she is either in the wheel, in her favorite corner or digging in her sand bath. We have been using the tissue trick but it doesn't seem to be working.

We are also still treating her for her eye. It seemed to get better on Friday, and since we were only suggested to do it for a week twice a day we stopped. Then it started again yesterday so we have started doing it once a day now.

I have never had problems with a hamster before. What is going on!?

cypher · 09-13-2015, 08:42 AM

Sorry to hear the eye hasn't cleared up yet, sometimes these things do take longer than expected so hopefully the treatment will still work for her.

Some hams are a lot less sociable than others so I don't think it's so much something going wrong, it may just be the way she is & she may need more encouragement than some other hams would, if her eye's still bothering her that may well make her less keen to interact too so maybe once that's cleared up you'll make more progress.
I would just keep trying to encourage her, take her out for really short periods so she doesn't get stressed, especially if she's not feeling 100%, but hopefully she'll gradually get more comfortable being around you.

Nyxietrixx · 09-13-2015, 10:49 AM

I prob shouldn't check websites for symptoms because they are making me paranoid. My vet diagnosed her with conjunctivitis but one site is telling me closed eyes is a sign of a very ill hamster. But she is up, drinking, eating and, when we're not around, we hear her on the wheel. I send a request in for an appointment this Tuesday. I'm a bit terrified

**GoldenBears** · 09-13-2015, 11:04 AM

It sucks that Elsa's problem is ongoing. Try to remain in good spirits despite how hard it may seem because you will get there eventually. What species of hamster is she again? A Syrian? If so, I've found that female Syrians are more skittish, flighty and slightly more difficult than males which possibly could be part of the reason why she is behaving like this.

Nyxietrixx · 09-13-2015, 11:08 AM

She's a girl yeah. She just made like a growling noise at me for talking and then continued to growl / cry in her bed. I gave her a blue berry and she took it and ran back into her house. The eye is now fully closed while the other is wide.

Pebbles82 · 09-13-2015, 03:19 PM

Closed eyes is one thing, but only one closed eye is something else. I should just follow the vet recommendations. It's interesting what you say about her running away and hiding like that because our Syrian started doing that recently. He wasn't happy with the change of set up in his cage I reckon and didn't feel like he had a secure place to sleep with enough room. So when I cleaned him out I put a big house/nest box back in, instead of the smaller one (which he declined to use) and the difference is amazing - he is relaxed, contented and his ears are back up. So just asking - what kind of cage/house set up does she have at the moment? They do seem to like a big dark house with places to nest and make hoards. Labyrinth houses are very popular with hams too as they are so dark inside.

Nyxietrixx · 09-16-2015, 07:31 PM

She has a massive cage - alaska. We removed the original house this evening and she has her old house, a grey one she had from we brought her home. She has began sneezing a lot, shaking as if cold and her eye has only been getting worse, not better. My cousin died on Monday other wise she would have been at the vet by now, but I had to go home and attend to things there.

I could be wrong but she doesn't appear to be eating or drinking. It is also currently 3am where I am and she is curled up in her bed. She was out briefly earlier for a run around and chewing on bits and pieces. She hasn't used her wheel in days. I am terrified she is going to die and I haven't done everything I could have.

cypher · 09-16-2015, 10:41 PM

It sounds like it's quite a difficult time for you all round, sorry to hear that.
If you can get her to the vet again I think she probably needs a good check over, it really doesn't seem as though she's feeling too good generally.
I'm sure you are doing your best for her, sometimes life just throws things at us & we can't be everywhere or doing everything at once so don't feel bad.

Thin Lizzy · 09-17-2015, 04:29 AM

If she isn't eating or drinking then you need to make another appointment with the vet.
Some hamsters take longer to recover and for the medication to take effect straight away.
She doesn't hate you, she's poorly. You're doing all you can for her and it's obvious how much you love her, sometimes as an owner we feel we should be doing more and worry about what others may think.

Nyxietrixx · 09-17-2015, 09:33 AM

She isn't dehydrated and there is evidence of her having eaten. I checked her skin this morning and found shells of corn, as well as bits of her treat stick. She won't go near her mineral stick and hasn't since day one. She is also drinking. She is also producing poops as well, although mostly in her bed.

I have an appontiment tomorrow morning with the vet. She is still making like hiccup movements. I am at my wits end.