Smelly pouches!

[AprilPearl]

This evening, I gave Quigley a few pieces of mix. When I put him into his playpen, he unpouched them. As he did so, I smelt something bad. Picking up the pieces of food, I could tell it was coming from them. They were only in his pouch for a few minutes, so can’t have gone rotten in that time. I have never noticed a bad smell from him before and he doesn’t have any lumps on his face which might suggest impaction. Is it usual for unpouched food to smell a bit? I am freaking out a little.

[SKB_Hamsters]

I used to notice that a few of previous girls food used to smell slightly after they unpouched it. I haven't noticed this with Pumpkin - as she doesn't often pouch her food.

When Sherbet had a cheek pouch abscess after her accident. Her breath smelt awful (it very difficult to describe the smell)- although I could smell her bad breath when I was just holding her. I also could feel something unusual in her pouch (didn't feel like food) which was soon followed by a scab that formed beneath her ear.

[Hamsterita]

I think it's completely normal. Unpouched food from Blacky's pouches also stinks. However he never smelt bad to me, so I suppose that everything is fine.

[AprilPearl]

SKB an abscess sounds awful! I really hope that's not it. I haven't noticed bad breath, lumps or scabs but will keep an eye on it. Hopefully, I am just being paranoid.

Hamsterita ah glad Quigley isn't the only one! Thank you I suppose it would make sense for pouches to smell a bit.

[Hamsterita]

Actually If you think it carefully, it's like human's saliva. Even if someone doesn't have halitosis, saliva by itself usually doesn't smell good, and licked things either. At least they don't smell good to me

[AprilPearl]

That makes a lot of sense Hamsterita! Especially as hamsters eat their poo