Beaten Up Dwarf Hamster @ College

GreySyrian · 01-10-2017, 10:46 AM

Hi everyone,

I'm currently taking a course in animal management. They have hamsters on site and today I carried out cleans and have been left rather upset over the situation of dwarf winter whites.

The enclosure is fairly large, probably around the same size as a hamster heaven. There are 5 individuals and they are constantly scrapping, even in the short amount of time I was with them at least 6 scraps broke out. Most individuals seemed okay and healthy, although one was bleeding from its genitalia most likely from a bite. But my biggest worry was an individual who was clearly the main bully victim, his ear was bleeding, his face was scratched, his tail was bleeding/partially missing and pretty much all of his backend was scabbed over. Every time I tried to pick him up he'd squeak and run away; of course, at first I thought he was just nervous but soon discovered that his back must have been causing considerable pain.

I did point it out to one of the tutors as to if I should separate him and was told to ensure there was lots of bedding in the carrier case, but put them all together.

What I'm really looking advice for is what to do. I'm not sure I'd be able to confront an authoritative figure, after all they are the ones supposed to teaching students how to care for animals, and I'd be concerned my worries would just be dismissed. I'm not sure what the best action to take but it's clearly not in the hamsters best interests to be in the group.

Lilac_Dreams · 01-10-2017, 11:03 AM

Confront them. He seems to be thinking the Carrier method will work for Hamsters which it won't like it will with Rats.

Call the RSPCA if they refuse as if they refuse to separate it's an animal welfare issue.

GreySyrian · 01-10-2017, 11:50 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Lilac_Dreams

Confront them. He seems to be thinking the Carrier method will work for Hamsters which it won't like it will with Rats.

Call the RSPCA if they refuse as if they refuse to separate it's an animal welfare issue.

I was considering sending an email, thank you for the advice! Would the RSPCA respond to a situation like this?

Drago · 01-10-2017, 12:13 PM

They should respond, considering the whole point of their organization is to prevent cruelty and neglect to animals. However, groups that say they're "for the humane treatment of animals" tend to overlook small animals like hamsters because apparently only dogs, cats, and horses are animals. Hopefully they do respond, it's worth a shot either way

Pebbles82 · 01-10-2017, 02:16 PM

Good grief! A tutor in animal management should at least know something about the species. I can see you're in a tricky position, because how ever carefully you convey the information about the need to separate, it will come across as criticism of their position.

I was in a similar position working in a hospital once as a student (a member of staff who clearly was neglecting patients' needs). We were all concerned about it but everyone was too scared to say anything in case they got a bad report. I only had a few months left to go and had plenty of good reports behind me so decided to "go to the top" and spoke to the Senior Nursing Officer/tutor about my concerns. She asked me to a meeting with the ward sister. And the pair of them bullied me into backing down! I got shouted at. The Nursing Officer said I was causing problems for this member of staff who had her problems and she had been trying to support her. I said I was sorry she had problems but maybe she shouldn't be left in charge right now. Anyway I was so disgusted I went to the school of nursing to resign! My nursing tutor talked me out of it as I was only a few months off qualifying and said that once qualified I'd have more power to change things. Which maybe could have been the case in the future but didn't solve the current situation which I felt strongly about.

So sticking your neck out doesn't always work anyway. Calling the RSPCA could be a good move but it could well be known that it was you! Is this a long term or short term course (ie are a full-time student there or is this a short course where it doesn't matter if you pass or not?).

I think what I would be tempted to do is approach it from another angle with the tutor. Rather than say they need separating, go and see the tutor and say you are very concerned that you have noticed one of the hamsters seems to be injured. That you would like to separate him from the others so his injuries can heal. In that way it doesn't suggest the tutor has done something wrong, but suggests you have been very observant and the tutor might say - well spotted, yes move the hamster out into another cage. You could then venture to say that you have some experience with keeping dwarf hamsters and know that once they start fighting they are likely to all get injured and need separating. If this is dismissed then call the RSPCA.

Pebbles82 · 01-10-2017, 02:23 PM

And if that fails I'd be tempted to think what the heck and make a point in the middle of the class and say "Look at those hamsters! They are fighting and injured and they need separating and we must do it now and ensure they don't get injured. I know we are learning about animal management but I think we have a duty of care to protect the animals and make sure they are housed according to their needs. Fighting dwarf hamsters need separating."

I am actually wondering if the college has some kind of dispensation (like a lab) where the animals are classed as "for research purposes" or something. In which case there may not be much you can do. But I think I would argue that it is not an experiment and of no value to furthering medical knowledge, but purely to teach students animal management and you would like to see them cared for according to their current needs and are quite happy to take the injured one home or something and assist in setting up cages for them. Financially they probably don't want to provide more cages.

Must be upsetting for you.

GreySyrian · 01-11-2017, 11:20 AM

I'd hope so Droggo, but I had the same fear that there in their eyes hamsters aren't worth their time :/

Thank you for response Serendipity! It's a 2 year course, so still 3/4 still to do :/ As far as I know the animals just to show how to handle and clean rodents, and the lab is more of a science classroom. I don't think medical research is something they teach luckily!
Your situation is exactly what I'm afraid of. I have sent my tutor an email expressing my concern and enquiring as to if they will be separated at some point, worded as softly as I could!

GreySyrian · 01-11-2017, 11:20 AM

I just don't think I'd be able to as clearly express concern in person as my emotions over it will probably get ahead of my words!

Thin Lizzy · 01-12-2017, 04:01 AM

Write it down, there's nothing wrong with letting emotions get in the way for something you clearly care about.
I would need to say something, the sooner the better. This tutor needs to get up to date on the different species of hamsters.

Pebbles82 · 01-12-2017, 05:04 AM

An email sounds like a good idea

Some people you can't get through to though and some tutors can be up their own backsides! Power and authority and all that. If the email doesn't achieve an amicable response and a solution, is there a personal tutor or head of department you could talk to? We were all allocated a personal tutor as well as subject tutors - someone you could go to talk to about any concerns and who could act as an intermediary with any issues, taking the pressure off you to deal with it.