Drinking a lot

[Libby01]

My robo dwarf has been drinking a lot over the past week or so. He has been drinking more than twice what he usually does and the bottle is not leaking. I don't know why this is but I have a few ideas that could be factors:

1.) I have been very unwell this week with a horrific cold that's had me in bed for days and throwing up, etc. I learnt at college that rodents can catch colds from their owners & was wondering maybe he's caught this virus and so he's been drinking more (I know I have been!).

2.) Because I have been unwell I have been feeling very cold all the time and so I have had the heater on a lot in my room and I know that hamsters are quite heat sensitive and maybe the heat is causing him to drink more? However, I have seen him sleeping in the tube that's closest to the heater as if he wants to keep warm, which brings me right back to maybe he's caught a cold?

3.) I am a bit worried about diabetes because he is a dwarf hamster and he is a bit on the chubby side (he's not too bad though!) however I have been told that robos are at no more risk of diabetes than Syrians are.

Could anyone help please? Thank you.

[BrainGirl]

Can you tell if he's peeing more? If you can get him confined in a smaller container with no bedding so you can get a pee sample I know there are testing strips to dip in it that will tell you if there's glucose present.

How old is he? Another cause of this is kidney dysfunction.

Chances are though that he's just thirstier with the heat. Hope he's ok!

[Libby01]

He's still young for a robo. I only got him in April and he wasn't full grown when I got him.

[BrainGirl]

Have you noticed any change in his other behaviours or how much he eats?

[cypher]

Robos aren't particularly prone to diabetes so that wouldn't be my first thought, if he had a cold he's probably be sneezing or have some kind of nasal/chest symptoms.
It could be the heat, my hams do drink a bit more if it warms up but not usually a huge amount.
Is everything else normal? Eating, pooing, behaviour...
It's possible he could have a kidney infection or something, they can even get constipated which makes them drink more so might be worth a vet check to be sure.

[Thin Lizzy]

Sorry to hear you've not been well Libby.
I would try and do the pee test on the testing strips to see.
I've never given it much thought about the heating making you more thirsty until BrainGirl mentioned it.
I've noticed my 2 syrians drink a bit more than usual and even I've been drinking more than usual because my living room heaters are on 24/7.
I hope it's nothing serious!

[Libby01]

I think it must be the heating because even the bunnies (who also live in my room) seem to be drinking a lot. I'm recovering now and haven't had the heaters on full blast and he does seem to have stopped being so thirsty. I will keep an eye out and if it continues I will test him.

[cypher]

Good to hear it's probably no cause for concern then, glad you're feeling better too!