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Old 05-07-2018, 07:05 AM   #1
Sandi
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Question pup deaths and the effects of using silica cat litter

hi!
I am new to this forum so please excuse me if this topic doesnt fit in the right section! I am a hamsterbreeder, maybe you could say an old breeder as I have bredhamsters for the best part of 25 years now, and have always had hamsters in my life more or less! Just to introduce myself I am a 62 year old woman with a crazy streak for the Syrian species of hamster.
I have always been successful up til now in getting big litters , 12-19 per litter,, and have been succesful in raising them to be fine hamster pups and finding good homes for them all. But lately things have been changing, I get smaller litters and when a large litter comes, there are a lot of pups that die. They die either by the mom eating them,but thats natural, but many just are lying dead with no obvious reason of sickness or injuryand I have been racking my brains as to whats going on now amongts my hamsters. They have all the right cages and equipment, they have always been fed the same food, but the only thing I have changed in the past year is the toilet, and there I have beeen using silica crystalled cat litter. And so slowly the hamsters are dying and not making it.
is there anyone that hAS THE SAME EXPERIENCE, BECAUSE THIS IS THE ONE thing i have done differently really, i mean could silica dust crystals get onto baby hamsters and they get the dust inside them from their mothers who have dug in silca dust when usng the toilet?
I have done a bit of research about this, and have come to learn that in cats, there is a tendency to respiratory sickness excaberated by the presence of silca dust., so if this is so in cats, how might it affect our small friends who have such tiny and sensitive respiratory organs? I dont know, I am playing Devils Advocate here, i only just need to find out why my pups are dying and if we indeed can have a real problem here.??







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Old 05-07-2018, 07:45 AM   #2
souffle
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Default Re: pup deaths and the effects of using silica cat litter

Is there any way they might have been eating it. It's not something I've ever used or even considered using but I would think if they did eat it it could cause damage in the bowel. Do you think the pups have a respiratory illness? Are they sneezy or wheezy?
I would stop using this type of litter though I imagine that you have already done this.
I do know there has been quite a problem in the UK breeders lately where many breeders have had to stop for a period of time due to the loss of whole or part litters. There hamsters are developing gut problems though with bad tummy upsets which some are dying from. It is sometimes cleared with antibiotics but vets seem unsure what it is bacterial or viral.
Quite a few are also having trouble getting females to fall pregnant.
I hope things pick up for you once you remove the cat litter and no more illnesses are found in your litters though.
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Old 05-07-2018, 08:47 AM   #3
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Default Re: pup deaths and the effects of using silica cat litter

From a logical perspective, the best way to determine whether this is lijely to be the cause is to switch back to your old bedding and see if things improve.
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Old 05-07-2018, 07:02 PM   #4
Sandi
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Wink Re: pup deaths and the effects of using silica cat litter

well, the silica cat litter has dissapeared from the scene amongst my babies already as at the moment i gave it a thought, i took it away!

and, yes, this is the most logical thing todo and is done, but i have lost the half of my present litter already before the problem posed its ugly head on the scene!! I have had a problem in the past with stomach probs where the pups died of massive distended stomachs but this was diagnosed as something which causes the incomplete formation of the gut which shows itself at around 7 days when the pups begin eating real food on their own. They cannot digest anything and the bowel gets enormous like an inflated balloon and there also appears to be some involvment of the liver as bile is seen to be vsible in the distended stomachs. The only thing to do here is exclusion of parents that have rendered this problem from breeding TOTALLY. as it is a genetic problem.And any pups that are siblings and have survived an attack are kept from breeding totally and the customers who buy these pups are informed the pups must under no circumstances to be bred from at all. This sickness is as far as I can see NOT the same problem as what i am talking about here with the silica cat litter.AND this problem occurred long before the arrival of silica cat litter on the market! which is also beginning to affect more and more breeders all at this present time. If one has litters presentingwith swollen guts and death, then consider exclusion first and foremost and most effective treatment. I do knowits hard not to use a prize hamster in the breeding program, but sometimes one has to be totally hard to do good.
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Old 05-08-2018, 02:18 AM   #5
mlwinters
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Default Re: pup deaths and the effects of using silica cat litter

After a quick google search I found this:
Crystalline silica, a form that includes quartz, can be toxic if inhaled. Crystalline silica is found in rock, brick, and concrete. Grinding, sawing, crushing, or drilling these materials produces a fine powder that causes serious respiratory problems. It is possible for homes to retain this sort of dust after a construction or remodeling project but, most of the time, unless you work on a construction site or quarry, you probably don’t have to worry about crystalline silica powder. If you do work at a place like this, it’s vital that you wear an appropriate dust mask or respirator.

Source: https://www.globalhealingcenter.com/...upport-health/


I will be the first to admit that I'm not an expert in any way with hamster healthcare, however, Silica, in the right conditions, can be dangerous to humans, not alone hamsters. Personally, I would not put silica anywhere near a hamster, I would rather play on the side of caution and use childrens play sand for the litter tray. Just make sure you sanitise the sand by placing a batch on a clean metal tray and putting it in the oven at around 120-130°C for about 1 hour. This will kill any contaminants that hasn't been killed off by the manufacturing process, it also drys out the sand and makes it nice and soft. One could also use chinchilla sand but this can work out very expensive.
I would go back to basics and look at everything in your house that could cause issues such as air fresheners/joss sticks, cigarette smoke, cleaning products ect and remove anything that has the potential to effect your hamster. Also make sure that the bedding/substrate is a safe one, such as Aubiose/Fitch/CareFresh ect.

I hope things get better for you and your ickle friends.
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Old 05-09-2018, 02:20 PM   #6
Sandi
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Default Re: pup deaths and the effects of using silica cat litter

silica has disappeared from my hamstery along with all other potential threats to my hamsters in this Hamstery. I really really hope that i now will see a clear difference in fertility and pup death in the hamster community in my house. I want to thank those who have answered and given feedback on my inquiries and please know that it has helped a great deal to see and hear from other breeders. Thank you all very very much, it has all confirmed the very thoughts that have been going through my head for months on end!
One does not want to cry “fire fire” if there isnt any smoke and flames. I really do hope that others who may use silica crystals in the litter trays will think about changing back to sand again! Your hamstersˋ lifedepends upon it!!!!
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Old 05-09-2018, 04:41 PM   #7
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Default Re: pup deaths and the effects of using silica cat litter

I am so very sorry that this has happened to you and your ham pups. I will be hoping that all of your next litters at your hamstery will thrive. Hugs to you.
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Old 05-10-2018, 11:28 AM   #8
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Default Re: pup deaths and the effects of using silica cat litter

A couple of questions for any experienced breeders.

Could the bloated stomachs of the babies be due to not getting enough moisture? Can you add a water bottle low down so the babies can reach it?

Can the babies have vegetables, like cucumber?
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Old 05-10-2018, 11:37 AM   #9
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Default Re: pup deaths and the effects of using silica cat litter

There have been a few things put forward to explain the bloated tummy syndrome seen in some litters. One is lack of moisture and now most breeders do try and ensure that young hamsters have sufficient moisture containing food and that they have access to a low water bottle too.
It can also be on account of a malformation in the gut and an inability to digest solid food. Some have found it is due to an infection and antibiotics can help in some instances. It's really hard to tell due to the tiny size of pups and inconclusive post mortums.
We always feed tiny chopped cucumber and crumbled veg like broccoli to pups even in the nest. You can see them eating it so yes young pups can have these things.
Even if you don't give them direct the mother will take them in and put them at the end of a food store tunnel and the pups do go and get them in there.
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Old 05-10-2018, 11:45 AM   #10
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Default Re: pup deaths and the effects of using silica cat litter

Thanks Soufflé. I lost some pups that my first hamster had, many years ago (she was pregnant when I got her) They had swollen tummies at the time I asked vets and they didn’t know why they died. Some survived though luckily.
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