I think my hamster is dying. Tips/Advice/Literally Anything??

[kayred2000]

Alright, so here's the story. I got Nubbins in I believe January 2015. Maybe a little earlier or later than that, but that's the time frame. He's a long haired Syrian, and he's probably already three years old or close to it.

So of course, since he's so old, I understood that it was probably his time. But today I went to go check on him, and he was literally just laying in the corner of his cage. I've never seen him do that, so I freaked out. He was alive, luckily, but he has some issues as follows:

-One eye crusted shut(Happens often, usually goes away within the hour)

-Dandruff (He's old, he's had it a while)

-Shaky when trying to move. Like, aggressively shaky.

-Barely moved for the long time I had him out of the cage. Didn't even squirm. Just laid on me.

-He's been very inactive for a long time. (Again, old.)

-I tried to feed him the loop foods and some corn, but he wouldn't(maybe couldn't?) keep them in his mouth. I fed him yogurt and small treats instead.

-His back legs seem strangely weak? Like he wasn't using them a lot. He needs to stand on them a little to get to his water, which is probably an issue. (I put a water bowl in his cage.)

Anyways, with all of this stuff, I'm really worried. Sure, he's been slow for awhile, but not like this. So I'm pretty sure his time is coming, and I'm considering taking him to a vet tomorrow for a check up, and maybe to get put down.

So. Do any of you have advice or wisdom? Like if you've had a hamster pass, were they doing any of this? Does this sound like a disease? IS HE SUFFERING?

And if he does pass, is there a depth I need to bury him at? (in the last thirty minutes I've decided that I'd like to bury him under some sunflowers in my garden, 'cause he always liked the seeds.)

Thank you if you've actually read all of this, and thank you if you have any advice.

[CMB]

He and you have done well to reach three years old. He is probably dying. Try to keep him comfortable.

Having water nearby is good. If he hasn't used a bowl for water, try to move the water bottle near to him. You could also hold it next to him so he doesn't have to move.

A vet visit may be needed to have him put to sleep. Sometimes hamsters have a slow death and having them put to sleep is the best thing.

[AmityvilleHams]

If he's struggling to get water and just now getting a bowl,it's very likely that you're seeing severe dehydration(especially as quite a few symptoms are related to dehydration,however the crusty eye may be unrelated as well as the dandruff which could be related to dry or irritated skin as well as allergies that are finally showing up as allergies often aren't immediately seen but can come with continuous exposure).

Luckily if it is dehydration,that is entirely possible to get through and doesn't automatically mean a hamster will die.Just make sure to keep him very well hydrated,even if it means going to a pharmacy and getting some medicine syringes(like the type for babies)and making him drink water.

[cypher]

So sorry to hear that Nubbins appears to be reaching the end of his time, his is a great age so I think most of his symptoms are simply age related, the problem with his legs could be arthritis or he may have had a small stroke that has caused him to have trouble using them, all you can really do is keep him quiet & comfortable, a small water bowl within easy reach & food where he can reach it if he wants to eat, have you tried feeding safe baby foods, porridge or mashed up veg, even soaked mix may be easier for him right now.
If he really is struggling to do the basic things like eat & drink then taking him to the vet & helping him on his way may be the kindest thing now.

[GlennUU]

My hamster is getting up there in years, she is a dwarf. When she started to lose weight drastically I changed her diet. She is now eating baby food, a lot of it actually. I use water bottle caps as dishes and I fill 2 of them during the day, and 1 or 2 more at night. So she sometimes will eat 4 caps of baby food. It has been about 4 or 5 months now she has been on baby food. Shes still going, but I recently discovered a tumor, but shes still going so. Baby food doesnt require chewing.

[SabreRose]

It sounds to me like your hamster is reaching the end. I'm so sorry. I lost my hamster the week before last and it hurt so much. My hamster did a lot of what you've described (shaking, inactivity, barely moving, eye crust etc)

Ultimately it's up to you which road to take, whether you think he is ok to live out however long he has, or if he needs to be put to sleep. There's no wrong decision here, you're just doing your best for him.

If you choose to see how things go, you can make things as easy for him as possible. Moving his food and water close to his nest is a good idea. And if he uses anything else still, like a chew or toy, moving that near him.
As well as that, if he's having trouble eating, switching him to baby food will make it easier to eat. Baby food really helped with my girl in her last week or so.

My thoughts are with you. It's heartbreaking to watch them when they're like this.
I hope you make the right choice for you and your hamster and I'm so sorry you're going through this.

[Hekomi]

Keep him warm and comfortable. If you can, make sure he stays hydrated and spoil him with all the treats he'd like.

Hugs to your dapper gentleham and to you. x

[Thin Lizzy]

I'm with Hekomi, if he's eating and drinking fine then ensure he's lavished with extra comfort and warmth and tasty nibbles.

[dreamtree1234]

I'm so sorry to hear that you and your little one are going through this. I agree with what the others have said. So long as your cutiepie is eating and drinking fine, I would just take this time to give him a lot of extra pampering. My heart goes out to you and your precious hammy. Hugs to you and your little one.

[Josie]

So sorry to hear that Nubbins is nearing the end, keep him warm and well hydrated, some tasty nibbles for him and loads of cuddles, hugs to you and Nubbins xxxx

"Live the journey, for every destination is but a doorway to another"