Help - Baby hamster seems sick

ae5843 · 11-07-2017, 07:25 AM

Hello! I am a new member to this group and this is my first post.

I have always been a hamster mom for as long as I can remember. I just got my newest baby on Friday 11/4. Her name is Mochi and she is a winter white dwarf. I went to Petsmart and was looking at their WW hamsters and asked if they had any for adoption. The girl helping me said no, but they did have more in the back room. She said they were kept in the back because the cages up front were all full right now (I thought nothing of it). So she brought out a cage with 3 WW hamsters, one was larger and was squeaking excessively. The 2 others were smaller. Mochi was the smallest. As I was holding her, she was so sweet and delicate, I fell in love with her and decided to take her home. Now I am wondering if maybe I brought her home too soon? Let me explain...

So far she has been very still... She sits in the corner of the cage huddled up into a ball. When she comes out, she hops right up onto my hand, which is so cute. She seems more active when she is out of her cage, then when I put her back in, she attempts her wheel (she isn't very fast on it) and will walk around her cage (seems to be looking for a way back out). But always with a hunch in her back... I was worried I took her away from her mom (maybe the squeaker was an angry mommy) because she hasn't been eating. (She has been drinking though) But doing research, I've read that hamsters can eat solids rather early on, so she should be able to eat.... but just isn't. I've tried wetting some food to soften it up for her, she kind of just picked at it, but not actually ate it heavily like my other hamster normally do. She also seems to be walking kind of hunched over, like a hunch back. I've never seen this type of walk before. Lastly, her eyes seem kind of squinty, not big and bright like most hamsters. So I bought thyme, just to see if she has an URI. I made thyme tea and fed her some with a syringe, she took some at first but then refused anymore. I put the thyme leaves all around the corners of her cage and she's been sitting on top of it. She's still ALWAYS huddled up in a corner and just sits completely still. So I put some of the thyme tea into her water bottle, hoping she'd drink it over night.

I've been trying to see if she'll eat yogurt off a spoon, she seemed to take a TINY bite and nothing more. I put some hamster food in my nutri-bullet and crushed it into a powder and put it in a bowl in her cage, next to a bowl of solid foods. She didn't seem to eat any of that. I checked her teeth (to make sure she had teeth!) and they are there....very small, but they're there. She's so tiny, it's ungodly hard to scruff her. Plus, I don't want to stress her out anymore than she already is....poor baby. She doesn't really feel cold to the touch, but I do have a blanket draped over half of the top of her cage to make sure she is kept warm. She doesn't bury herself in the corner, she just huddles up with her face facing the corner. She lets me pick her up very easily without any type of struggle. The only time she actually walks around and seems active is when I take her out and she walks in my hands. I feel like she's really weak (obviously since she's not eating anything that I've seen) The only time I've seen her even ATTEMPT to eat is when she picked up a sunflower seed and kind of licked it... That's why I was afraid she didn't have teeth! She gets into her wheel after I put her back in her cage after being handled for a minute, but doesn't run fast at all. She just kind of jogs with a hunchback... then she goes right back into her corner.

I'm so worried about her not eating, she doesn't seem to even want anything when I try. How long can hamsters (super tiny ones) survive without food? I've had her since Friday night. Do you think I should call the vet today or do you have any other tricks or remedies I could try? I just really hate the thought of stressing the poor thing out even more.

I am really not sure if I am overreacting or if there is something wrong with her. I know it takes time for them to get used to their new surroundings, but I don't want to ignore any symptoms she might have. I also don't know if I should freak out and take her to the vet and traumatize her if nothing is actually wrong.... I'm just looking for another opinion.

I'm not sure of her age, though I am basing off of pictures I've found online of little hamsters. maybe 5 weeks? I'm honestly not sure... Please let me know what you think and any advice.

cypher · 11-07-2017, 08:31 AM

It's not easy to tell from photos but she doesn't look like a baby, certainly looks old enough to be eating properly, it does sound to me as though she's unwell & needs to see a vet, I don't think this is just settling in behaviour.
Don't put anything other than water in the bottle, it's important that they have fresh water with nothing added available at all times.
Good luck with her, I hope she'll be ok.

souffle · 11-07-2017, 10:04 AM

I'd agree that there is something not right with the little one. It could be stress settling in however there may be something like tooth problems causing her not to eat. They don't eat an awful lot daily mind you and she may be nibbling away in her nest when you are asleep.
I would not use the thyme tea all the time either. The smell could put her off drinking and make her kidneys strained. The smell is much stronger to a hammy than you and may be overwhelming her. Is she pooping and peeing OK? Try offering a little babyfood in a low dish and see if it vanishes. Just a teaspoon and leave it with her overnight to get her eating. Make sure she can work the bottle and is not dehydrated too.

ae5843 · 11-07-2017, 10:31 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by souffle

I'd agree that there is something not right with the little one. It could be stress settling in however there may be something like tooth problems causing her not to eat. They don't eat an awful lot daily mind you and she may be nibbling away in her nest when you are asleep.
I would not use the thyme tea all the time either. The smell could put her off drinking and make her kidneys strained. The smell is much stronger to a hammy than you and may be overwhelming her. Is she pooping and peeing OK? Try offering a little babyfood in a low dish and see if it vanishes. Just a teaspoon and leave it with her overnight to get her eating. Make sure she can work the bottle and is not dehydrated too.

I just tried giving her some yogurt on a spoon and she took the smallest most tiniest bite and sort of licked at it for a little while. She wouldn’t take anymore after that though. I know she is feeling extremely weak today. She is the most lethargic I have seen her, so I made an appointment for her to visit the vet this afternoon. I am so incredibly nervous that she is not going to make it. She’s so tiny and weak, I really don’t have high hopes and I keep coming to tears. It hurts so much seeing an animal fight for their little lives like this....

Pebbles82 · 11-07-2017, 10:34 AM

She doesn’t look well to me on the photos. I see what you mean about the hunched look and squinty eyes. She is very sweet but doesn’t look too healthy. A vet check would be a good idea. I agree to only put water in her bottle. You might also need to put a saucer of water out too in case she avoids the bottle now or I case she can’t use it. Sometimes they can avoid drinking if it is not plain water. I’m a great fan of herbs but thyme is a bit strong and it would probably be better to tempt her with tasty bits of food and have a vet check. A small piece of cucumber might tempt her and will help with dehydration. And some baby food as soufflé suggested.
Good luck at the vets and hopefully they will diagnose the issue. They can also give build up supplements.

ae5843 · 11-07-2017, 10:45 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Serendipity7000

Posted at the same time. Good luck at the vets and hopefully they will diagnose the issue. They can also give build up supplements.

I changed her water bottle (swapped with a new one so no thyme was left in it) and gave her fresh water. I also wrapped a heated bag around the corner of her cage she’s sitting in, just to keep her as warm as possible. I’ll try a water dish too, but she’s really not moving at all. I really hope the vet can help... I feel just awful. The poor thing is brand new and this is how she’s spending her life, suffering.

CMB · 11-07-2017, 11:52 AM

Hope the vet visit goes well. Check the list of safe baby foods. Your hamster may find it easier to eat and you can add medicine to it if you need to.

ae5843 · 11-07-2017, 12:00 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by CMB

Hope the vet visit goes well. Check the list of safe baby foods. Your hamster may find it easier to eat and you can add medicine to it if you need to.

Thank you, I will definitely have to get some safe baby foods if all goes well.

CMB · 11-07-2017, 12:05 PM

Millet, flax, pumpkin and linseed are some of my dwarf hamsters favourite foods/treats. They also have Burgess dwarf hamster food as their main food.

ae5843 · 11-07-2017, 12:15 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by CMB

Millet, flax, pumpkin and linseed are some of my dwarf hamsters favourite foods/treats. They also have Burgess dwarf hamster food as their main food.

Are those all baby foods? She won't eat solids, so if I am able to give baby foods a try, I will surely do that.