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Old 10-30-2017, 09:18 AM   #1
SunsetPets
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Join Date: Mar 2015
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Default How can I calm down hamster before vet visit

I have to take my hybrid dwarf hamster to the vet to get her nails trimmed (we want to learn it before doing it ourselves), but she gets really easily stressed when outside her cage. She doesn't even like playtime, and she hates her travel cage.
So my question is, how can I calm her down, and make this vet visit as comfortable as possible?
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Old 10-30-2017, 10:16 AM   #2
Pebbles82
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Default Re: How can I calm down hamster before vet visit

What time of day is your vet appointment? In the past I have put our hammy in his pet carrier in the morning and let him sleep in it then taken him to the vets. You can make it nice and cosy with lots of substrate, lots of torn up white toilet paper (they tend to make another nest while in there), and a little house she can hide in. I also hide quite a few treats in the substrate and scatter some hamster food as well, plus add a piece of cucumber.

They forget to be stressed if they have some foraging to do and can bury themselves in toilet paper and hide in a house.

I also have a blanket I put over the pet carrier when it's on my knee in the car (assuming someone else is driving), so it's dark and flashing lights and noises don't bother them so much.

Our hammy just used to go to sleep in it, if cosy enough.

The pet carrier needs to be big enough to make it cosy with a little house and plenty of substrate. Not sure which one you've got but most hamster ones are far too small. I have a guinea pig sized one (the Aladino). You can just use a tissue box or something for a house. I use one of the little plastic pod houses from the Hamster Heaven, or a coconut house.

It's this one. Has a nice deep base for lots of bedding.

https://www.amazon.co.uk/Ferplast-Al...rplast+aladino

Zooplus also do a good inexpensive one but it takes time to arrive and there's extra postage to pay.

The Savic Spelos can also make a good pet carrier although doesn't have any handles - it's a mini cage. It costs a bit more, but I found it was an excellent hospital cage for an old sick hamster, in case you ever need one.

https://www.amazon.co.uk/Savic-Spelo...s=savic+spelos
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Old 10-30-2017, 11:02 AM   #3
SunsetPets
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Default Re: How can I calm down hamster before vet visit

The appointment is at 3pm Should I put her in the travel cage in the morning when its so late? I leave for school at 10am, so that would be 5 hours.
I have this travel cage in medium size;
https://www.amazon.com/Exo-Terra-PT2.../dp/B00025YVUI
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Old 10-30-2017, 11:55 AM   #4
cypher
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Default Re: How can I calm down hamster before vet visit

I wouldn't leave her that long, if she doesn't like being in there or out of her cage she could get quite stressed by it, I usually don't put mine in the carrier any sooner than I need to just leave enough time to get her settled & comfortable, I often find once you leave home they tend to settle down a bit more anyway.
As Serendipity said put plenty of substrate & some shredded tissue in so she can burrow down a bit.
I usually put my carrier in a large bag which helps to keep it darker (& warmer if it's cold) & a bit less stressful, make sure there's still plenty of airflow though.
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Old 10-31-2017, 03:25 AM   #5
Pebbles82
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Default Re: How can I calm down hamster before vet visit

Yes if it's 3pm it's a long time, especially if you're not there to keep an eye on things. Afternoon isn't such a bad time to wake them. The reason I used to pop our Syrian in in the morning was so I didn't have to wake him a couple of hours after he'd gone to sleep for the day. Maybe just pop her in 20 minutes of so before you set off - if you scatter some food and have the house and substrate and tissue paper. She may settle better if she can forage first and have somewhere to hide/sleep. Then it isn't a double whammy - ie being taken out of the cage and then being carried somewhere.
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Old 10-31-2017, 06:52 AM   #6
SunsetPets
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Default Re: How can I calm down hamster before vet visit

Thanks for answers! She is in her carrier right now, with a lot of bedding from her cage, and she is busy foraging and cleaning herself, which is really good! We will be leaving soon, and it is only a 4-5 minute drive so she won't be in there for too long at least.
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