I just adopted

[Lizwig]

As the title says, I just adopted a 10 month old Syrian female today who I am naming Ellie. Her fur is a bit thin, worn around the snout I'm guessing from chronic bar biting and seems to have a wet bum from pee. I noticed also that the food they were giving her isn't the best nutrition wise and the state of her cage when I went to pick her up today wasn't great.

Is there anything I can do to introduce some better hygiene for her? The smell alone after I picked up a hamster house I gave her to hide away in stunk so bad I wanted to throw up.

This is my first female Syrian hamster and my second ever hamster but I was wondering if the smell she's giving off is normal. It smells somewhat acidic.

Lastly is it okay to have her cage near my other hamster Donny's (Male Syrian.)? I do not intend to breed them so I will be keeping them apart but i just wanted to know if the smell would cause any problems.

She hasn't sat still long enough for a good photo but I have taken a brief video. https://www.flickr.com/photos/149862.../shares/7CEf3C

[EJoy123]

Congratulations! Ellie is a lovely name. I've personally owned 3 hamsters, adopting 2. Willow was a female Syrian who was about 6 weeks old. She also had thin fur but it eventually filled out. I'll see if I can send a photo later. (If you're able to tell me how that would be great).
It would be worth getting her checked over at a vets though.
As far as the smell is concerned, females have a cycle that lasts about four days. Some of them will smell more strongly every few days, and I've noticed each ham has their own distinct smell! However if it really is nasty, it could be a sign of underlying problems, so definitely get her checked out.
Syrians are recommended a minimum floor space of 80x50cm I think (although many people keep them in much smaller). If you can get ahold of a large cage, that would hopefully solve the bar chewing. Although that can also be to do with other stresses-loud noises, bright lights, interrupted sleep etc.
I'd try spot cleaning every day to try and control the smell a bit. Have you tried washing the plastic toys? Obviously in normal situations it's better not to use chemicals to clean the cage (although that's what I've done with past hamsters��), but I'd recommend a pet safe spay to give the cage a good clean out.

I recently read a thread which suggested that wether or not you keep the hams near each other may depend on personalities, some will be less bothered than others. If you're unsure you could keep a large book or something between them so they can't see each other?
I hope this helps �� I'm hoping to adopt myself after the summer. I hope all goes well with Ellie X

[Lizwig]

@Ejoy123

They can't see each other but Donny I think can smell her as her cage is lower down than his so the smell is rising upwards. He started biting at the bars to her side of his cage, to which I've stuck cardboard against to stop him from doing that. (Back when I first got him he used to bite the bars in the same place but this method eventually weaned him off from doing it. Only started doing it again today.)

As for Ellie, I can't get her in to see a vet for at least a week (unless I can bribe a parent to take her for me whilst I'm away. (I'm house/cat sitting for my sister.)) And I've attempted to give her a litter tray which I hope will encourage her to clean herself more, and I will be raining her to use it just like I did Donny.

I am also thinking all the excitement today and smells for both hamsters will eventually wear off, or at least I hope so and when all becomes familiar any disruptive behaviour will calm down.

[Thin Lizzy]

Congratulations Lizwig on adopting your first syrian Ellie.
It sounds like the people who had her before let her pee and not do much cleaning.
Do daily spot checks on her loo area and remove any soiled substrate and put in some fresh.
Donny will be able to smell her and probably more so when she's in heat every 4 days.