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Old 11-18-2009, 03:58 PM   #1
frizzyjen
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Default Smelly baby hamsters with yellow soft droppings - HELP!

Hi All,

This is my first trip to the sight and was really impressed and surprised at the number of people on here! I have always had Syrian hamsters from being about 5 years old and now at 27 I'm still going! I recently bought 2 new baby Russian dwarf hamsters, a breed I have always admired and thought after the recent death of Sooty, my latest Syrian I thought I'd give it a try.

I bought 2 (Pinky and Porky AKA Pretty and Fatty!) hamsters, though the assistant in the shop (Pets at Home) couldn't tell me the sex but did guarantee that they were the same sex and of the same litter delivery so they should be OK to live together. To be honest I'm not 100% convinced that they're the same variety of hamster - Porky looks like a typical Campbell's but Pinky is about 2/3 the size of him and is a lighter tanny colour with not as defined a line down the back.

Anyways, after a week I noticed that Porky was drinking a lot, eating the whole time he was awake and not sleeping as much as Pinky. There was a massive amount of urine in the cage, even the food was sodden in their bowl and it stank after about 5 days. After cleaning I removed the food bowl and now put the food directly into a pile on the sawdust and they don't now seem to urinate in this spot. I did wonder in Porky was diabetic and if the smell was part of this problem so I have now excluded everything from their diet except their dried food (Pets at Home Hamster Muesli which they were eating when I bought them). Having had them in their balls I have realised that Pinky is the main source of the smell and it seems to be droppings rather than urine. Porky's smell a bit but nothing like as bad! The droppings are very light in colour, almost yellow sometimes and like really warm squishy putty - Porky's are darker and firmer. After a timein the ball there are also like greasy marks on the plastic and it REEKS to sniff in there after they're away.

I'm now having to clean their cage about every 3/4 days to stop my house smelling. Is strong smelling droppings a common feature of this breed or does anyone have any ideas as to what could be causing it? They both eat and drink the same! Also, there aren't many droppings in the cage really and there is definitely no full, liquidy diarrhoea.... HELP because I don't know if I can carry on with this and not sure even if I should go back to the shop given I've only had them 2 weeks.

Thanks in advance for all replies... Jenni
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Old 11-19-2009, 04:06 AM   #2
souffle
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Default Re: Smelly baby hamsters with yellow soft droppings - HELP!

Hi and welcome.
Your hamsters, if they came from Pets@Home will be hybrids somewhere along the line as the hamster mill they come from does not have pure lines. Some of the health issues such as diabetes can be attributed to this hybrid breeding. Hybrids come in a mish mash of colours and patterns so that will be why they do not look alike. They cannot guarantee these were litter mates as they will all have come in a big batch from the supplier.
They still make lovely pets though.
Now down to your problem. No it is not normal for them to smell badly like that or have soft poo. They sound like one at least has a bowel infection and I think you need to take them both to a vet to have them checked out and they will likely prescribe Baytril. I also think you need to have them tested for diabetes as the amount of urine you describe is not normal.
You could try going to P@H and buying some ProC powder which is a probiotic and this may help to improve the good gut bacteria in the bowel. You need to change the water every day with this. I would take them off the P@H food as it contains too much added sugar for dwarf hamsters. Try Harry Hamster (from Wilkos) and add supplements such as linseed, lentils, bulgar wheat, flaked soya, millet spray, budgie seed.
If the vet does give meds then make sure you give by syringe into the mouth not in the water as they dont get enough done that way.
Dwarfs do have a terrible habit of peeing in their wheel then running in a piddle shower so this may be contributing to the smell. Wash the wheels (you should have two for a pair) daily. Give a sand bath with charlie chinchilla sand in it to help keep them fresh too.
There is an article 'is my dwarf diabetic?' on the WIKI so check that out.
Hope that helps
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Old 11-19-2009, 04:57 AM   #3
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Default Re: Smelly baby hamsters with yellow soft droppings - HELP!

The food is very important - definitely switch them away from P@H stuff to something without added sugar. I would suggest Harry Hamster too, a lot of independant pet shops stock it as well as Wilkinsons and some Sainsburys. Strong smelling/loose poos are not normal, it does sound like Pinky needs to see a vet too.

The only bit of Souffle's advice I would disagree with is washing the wheels daily, as with dwarfs keeping a constant scent is very important to stop them falling out. With the amount of urine it sounds like one/both of your fellows is producing the twice weekly cage cleans sound like a necessity, and putting soiled bedding back is less practical if it is sopping wet so personally i'd go for washing the toys less often.

I would definitely go to P@H and complain, I imagine they will just offer to refund/replace the animals, but they should pay the vets bills.
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Old 11-19-2009, 06:12 AM   #4
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Default Re: Smelly baby hamsters with yellow soft droppings - HELP!

Thanks for those replies. Funnily enough I had Harry Hamster food for my old hamster so have been trying mixing some of that with the P@H stuff this week - will swap it ou completely the next few days and see if it makes a difference. Good idea!

I thought about going back to P@H but wondered if they might be a bit dismissive since I've now had them nearly 3 weeks. Also, would feel bad giving them back as I do think they're lovely little fellers - especially Porky who has been amazing to handle from day 1 which I was shocked at. Am hoping Pinky will be more friendly when she's less smelly/better if she is in fact ill - which I think is probably the case from your comments...

As for the toys and wheel, I'm only cleaning them out as I do the cage so twice a week really but am washing the stinking balls after each use! Might give the probiotic bit a go as well. Will let you know how I get on!
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Old 11-19-2009, 12:44 PM   #5
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Default Re: Smelly baby hamsters with yellow soft droppings - HELP!

i'm pretty sure that the policy of P@H with sick hams is to buy them back and use their own vets to treat them. Basically, you'd have to give up your pets and buy them again IF they got better and the shop can refuse to re-sell them to you. That's what I THINK the policy is anyway.

I also agree with Internet_noboby about the wheel washing thing. Washing them just makes the hams pee in them more anyway. It looks nasty but i just leave my wheels and wash them with the clean-out.

For the smell, you can try a bedding other than sawdust. I find that megazorb and carefresh keep the smell under control. Even better, try a corner potty with chinchilla sand. You might have a job training them to use it (it's much easier with syrians), but all my dwarfs eventually used them. Then you can empty that without having to clean the cage all the time.
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Old 11-20-2009, 03:03 PM   #6
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Default Re: Smelly baby hamsters with yellow soft droppings - HELP!

Right.. the plot thickens! It is now getting to every 2-3 days that they are stinking out my flat. I can't put my hand in the cage near Pinky - she either tries to ravage me or else shoots off into a tube!

I put her in her ball tonight and then grabbed her back after a few minute. I removed 2 of the poos on a piece of tissue (2 days of Hammy Hamster food and no additional treats). They just disappeared into a liquid on the tissue and are still yellowy coloured and smell worse. She smells when I put her in the ball before she's even done any business. I pulled out one bigger bit and it did have something worm like in it, it was white but still... is this likely? What do worms look like in hamsters? Are they contagious as the other one seems OK?

Thinking it might be best for me to definitely take them back to P@H and maybe even just leave the one that is ill???
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Old 11-21-2009, 03:20 PM   #7
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Default Re: Smelly baby hamsters with yellow soft droppings - HELP!

Been to the vets today.. it's a gut infection but not wet tail! Pinky has it bad and Porky a bit too. Both had antibiotic injections and got a course for in their water for the next 10 days.

Contacted P@H and they're refunding the £38 vet fee!!! Here's hoping... fingers crossed
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Old 11-21-2009, 03:23 PM   #8
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Default Re: Smelly baby hamsters with yellow soft droppings - HELP!

Hamsters can get worms but it is not common especially in the UK. What sort of bedding do they have? It's not the fluffy stuff is it? You need to see a vet and if the P@H has one where you got them they need to be seen. Worms can be treated but if she has eaten fluffly bedding it can be very serious. Tak ethem in for examnation by a vet as soon as you can.
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Old 11-21-2009, 03:28 PM   #9
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Default Re: Smelly baby hamsters with yellow soft droppings - HELP!

Just read your new post. Glad they have been seen and hopefully the treatment will be effective. If you can give the meds by mouth it is much better as they never get enough in the water and sometimes don't drink it at all as it tastes bad. Give 0.1ml once a day by syringe into the side of the mouth. Wrap the ham in a small towel ot hanky with only the head poking out then pop the syringe in the mouth a push the meds in !
Hope they are better soon.
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