how long can a hamster be left alone? please answer asap! - Page 2

Pebbles82 · 02-13-2019, 01:39 PM

I didn't realise she was on medication. As Souffle says she is best not moved then. Maybe ask around friends or relatives nearby or look for a pet hostel as souffle suggested. The pet place near me will actually come to the house.

peridotgreen · 02-13-2019, 01:49 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Serendipity7000

I didn't realise she was on medication. As Souffle says she is best not moved then. Maybe ask around friends or relatives nearby or look for a pet hostel as souffle suggested. The pet place near me will actually come to the house.

My sister has agreed to have her for a few days (so I may just have to come back earlier, depeding what she says), i'm travelling on sunday and my Dad said he would take the cage round Monday.

I'm hoping he just changes his mind about looking after her, but I don't think neither of them will give her her meds.

I know 5 days isnt a MASSIVE amount to miss, but still. This is basically her 4th lot of antibiotics and I have seen patches of blood still and she still isn't herself. I'm thinking that her body is just starting to get used to the antibiotics at this point

EmmaAndChester · 02-13-2019, 02:25 PM

Unpopular opinion coming through; I went away last July for 5 days, and left my hamsters alone. I fed and watered everyone the day I was leaving. They did perfectly fine; they had plenty of water, food, and whimzees that kept them occupied and I honestly don’t even think they noticed I was gone. I left them two water bowls each, and they was still more than enough left when I came back. It’s not that I wasn’t bothered and couldn’t find anyone to look after them, I couldn’t trust people not to mess with them or close their enclosures properly. If it was any longer, I probably would have just bit the bullet and asked our pet sitter to mind them too… but 4-5 days, to me wasn’t a big deal.

There are certain animals that I wouldn’t leave alone for even just 24 hours; I have 4 buns & a hedgehog, who I *always* have someone check on and tend to if for whatever reason I have to be away for even just a day (because of specific requirements that they couldn’t go more than 24 hours without). Hamsters, honestly, tend to do perfectly fine. I would have trust issues with bottles; they can be temperamental and block up completely or leak everywhere, and would offer bowls instead. Heavy ceramic dishes on a solid platform, and you should be good to go.

A week is a lot, and it’s longer than what I’ve personally done and Just to be clear; I certainly wouldn’t advocate for regularly leaving a hamster completely unattended for 5 days, or a week or whatever it may be. *But* I do think that there are measures you can put in place to ensure that all their needs are met should it ever be required to do so. Is it the ideal situation? Certainly not, and if you could find a pet sitter that would obviously be the preferred option. Although I haven’t gone as long as a week, and perhaps it may depend on your hamsters personality, but I’ve left my guys for 5 days and none of them fretted for a second. Even if you could get someone to watch her for just 1-3 days even, and leave her alone for the remaining 3... providing she's left with enough food and water, i wouldn't fret - personally anyways.

Pebbles82 · 02-13-2019, 02:43 PM

I think the other issue is that the hamster is unwell and on medication. I'm not sure how important this week away is but I don't think I would want to leave a hamster if it was unwell or on medication - unless I left them with a vet or animal hospital. And they will probably charge. But it might be an option to ask the vet to keep the hammy in for observation and treatment.

Sorry not to be of more help but a sick hammy needs observation and attention and not just to be fed and watered.

peridotgreen · 02-13-2019, 03:15 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Serendipity7000

I think the other issue is that the hamster is unwell and on medication. I'm not sure how important this week away is but I don't think I would want to leave a hamster if it was unwell or on medication - unless I left them with a vet or animal hospital. And they will probably charge. But it might be an option to ask the vet to keep the hammy in for observation and treatment.

Sorry not to be of more help but a sick hammy needs observation and attention and not just to be fed and watered.

I completely understand where you are coming from.

and this week is quite important yes, it's basically trying to save a 8 year relationship

If the hamster is at my sisters, my sister has a little one so she will interact with little hammy etc.

Pebbles82 · 02-13-2019, 04:39 PM

If your hamster can go to your Sister's and you can show your sister how to give the meds that sounds ok xxx Sounds like a difficult time.

peridotgreen · 02-14-2019, 01:19 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Serendipity7000

If your hamster can go to your Sister's and you can show your sister how to give the meds that sounds ok xxx Sounds like a difficult time.

I spoke to my dad and he said "it will be sorted" and said if my sister says no, then he will stay home & do it, so after all that? he's SO stubborn i swear

regarding giving her the meds, its just measuring on the syringes which I think they are both capable of, and the little hammy is quite easy to give her it if you do it whilst she's sleepy and even if shes not aslong as you hold her kinda firmly she's a good girl, doesn't bite or anything

Pebbles82 · 02-14-2019, 04:29 AM

Glad your Dad has come around

How old is she? She sounds to be having quite a few problems.

peridotgreen · 02-14-2019, 09:06 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Serendipity7000

Glad your Dad has come around

How old is she? She sounds to be having quite a few problems.

I know she is bless her

She is less than a year old i believe, 52 weeks to be exact (IF what the pet shop said was correct when I bought her) they also told me that SHE was a HE