Snow White

[chamaya]

My Daughter's Hamster name is Snow White
She is almost one year old very adorable and smart
lately she is loosing weight and doesn't look well, she is sleeping a lot and not active as before
I tried everything, even trying to feed her by hand and giving her emergency care milk, but she still loosing weight, she is now less than 100 G
anything I can do for her ?

[Pebbles82]

That does sound like she is very unwell. And a year isn't that old. Have you seen a vet? Also have you seen her teeth recently? Their teeth keep growing unless they have hard chews and hard food to wear them down on. Sometimes bottom teeth can get so long that they can't eat and basically starve then. I would take her to the vets - the vet can check her teeth and also clip them if they're too long and if that is the issue she should soon recover and eat properly and gain wait again.

Otherwise - some hamsters from pet shops have been interbred a lot and can have hidden genetic conditions that can shorted their lives, or heart or digestive issues. But I think you need to take her to a vet really. Do you have a suitable pet carrier? I put some torn up white toilet paper (a big pile) and a little house or cardboard box in the carrier and hide some treats and food in there plus a piece of cucumber for liquid and that keeps them comfortable while in the pet carrier.

If you google for an exotic vet in your area, they know more about hamsters than most vets. I've found fees are quite reasonable for basic things like a checkover and/or tooth trim.

Also check her water bottle is working ok or she could be dehydrated.

[chamaya]

Thanks a lot for your reply
I don't think that there is something wrong with her teeth because I opened her mouth and checked it for overgrown teeth.
I have been told that some hamsters hibernate in the winter so they tend to lose weight and sleep for long hours a day.
Do you think that's possible ?

[SKB_Hamsters]

Hello and Welcome to Hamster Central - I am sorry to hear that Snow White is unwell.

In captivity hamsters do not hibernate like they would do in the wild - they would only go into hibernation if they get too cold and unlike in the wild they often don't survive if they go into hibernation. Make sure the room her cage in is kept warm and provide extra bedding.

If you can it might be a good idea to get her seen my a vet if she is still not usual self.

[cypher]

As SKB said hamsters don't hibernate, if they get too cold or food is scarce then they can go into a state called torpor which is very dangerous, if they don't come out of it & warm up again after a very short time they rarely survive. It is important to keep the room your hamster is in warm at all times, day & night & also to provide extra shredded toilet tissue for a nice cosy nest along with plenty of deep substrate.
If your hams has lost a considerable amount of weight & showing behavioural changes like this it does suggest she is unwell & would need to see a vet.

[dreamtree1234]

Hi and welcome to HC. I'm so sorry to hear that Snow White isn't doing well, acting differently, and loosing weight. As the other members have said, I would be sure to keep the room warm enough, add extra bedding, and bring her to the vet as soon as possible. I'll be hoping that she recovers soon. Please give us updates whenever you have a chance.

[chamaya]

Thank everyone for your reply
I think she is little bit better I bought her an emergency milk package, usually it's for a newborn hams and I almost forced her to take it, and I also put a vitamins in her water
We started to wake her up to feed her every 4 hours even if she doesn't want too
I checked some Vets in my area and they really charge a lot. something I can't afford and instead I prefer to buy her a goof food with nutrition, beside I don't see any symptoms of sickness, she lives on our living room means no low temperature and we are very careful to make her place very comfortable with lots of bedding and food and toys
We all love her and give her lots of attention, love and care but I think she is stressed I am not sure from what, her ears are all the time down to her body even nothing around her changed
I hope she can pass those difficult days soon

[cypher]

Vets can be expensive & I know it's hard if you're a bit short of money but if you can possibly find a way take her to a vet, having her ears down, losing weight & being less active are all signs of illness, I know you're trying to do your very best for her but not knowing what's wrong you may be giving her things that aren't appropriate, waking her up & trying to feed her when she doesn't want to eat will be stressful for her & she may possibly need some kind of medication depending on what the problem is.

[dreamtree1234]

I'm glad Snow White is looking a bit better. I"m sure you love her very, VERY much. It is quite evident in your post. I hope that she recovers from whatever is ailing her soon. Sadly, vet visits can be quite costly, but if you can manage it somehow I think it may help to increase her chances. You may want to consider asking your vet if he/she will be willing to setup a monthly payment plan with you so you can pay the bill in increments that you are able to afford over time instead of all at once in a lump sum. Some vets kindly will do so since money is tight for you right now. Whatever you decide to do, I know that you are trying your very best. I will definitely be keeping you all in my thoughts and prayers and hoping all is well soon. Hugs to you and your family and cuddles to your darling Snow White, too.

[chamaya]

Hello everyone

I am sorry I couldn't give you any update long time, but I was really in a very bad mood because of Snow White situation.
I'll try to explain what happened
After one day from my post here I thought I will feel so guilty if I don't try everything I can to save her life, so I decided to cut some important family needs and take her to the Vet, and as I expected he couldn't find anything wrong after long exam, so I asked him to prescribe antibiotic just in case she has something we can see.
He agreed and said if it didn't help her it won't harm her, and also he gave me some special food called critical care to feed her so she can get the important nutrition also very expensive and told me to feed her every few hours even by forcing her.
First 2 days she was doing so bad, me and my little one were rotating all day to feed her both water and food, she was refusing everything and just getting worst.
The third day at the morning I heard My daughter screaming I jumped from my bed to see Snow White in a very bad situation she was making a very sad sounds and was crawling like a ball, abusively she was in a bad pain, and my daughter was crying and begging me to do something, she told me Mama you always fix anything please do something to her, I was just speeches .. how I can tell her that I can't fix lives!
I took her from my daughter's hand and tried to pad her tummy, I couldn't control my tears, I tried to comfort her as much as I can, and I thought if she will go let her feel how much we love her, I just put her beside my heart and started to sing a calm songs which I used to sing for my kids when they are sick, and I was praying in my heart for her trying to pass the good energy to her, she started to calm and felt asleep, when I checked her after 2 hours I saw that she started to have a diarrhea and that was the last thing I wanted her to have, because she is too sick to handle it, but I had no choice we have to fight it, I started to give her the wet tail drops and forcing her to drink water, but deep down I felt we are losing her and started to prepare my daughter for that, but she wasn't ready to accept it.
I told her you know what we are not going to lose her and we will fight it together, I feel she will survive those difficult days, lets keep doing what we were doing and force her to eat and drink it's not her choice to leave us.
At night she woke up totally different, she was all alert she just wanted to play and cuddling, she was very weak and sick but cheerful, she started to clean her self which she didn't do long time, she was the snow white we used to know, SHE SURVIVED!!

Today she is much better she is drinking water by her self, and stuffing her chicks like before, playing and jumping, she still need lots of attention until she gain weight again and become stronger, but the most important we didn't give up on her and she didn't let us down.