I think she has just injured her leg??? Advice please.

Clare UK · 12-22-2017, 10:06 AM

I think my 15 month old dwarf hamster may have just hurt one of her legs.

One second she was happily playing jumping off a little log and the next she's on her back. I didn't actually see the fall but I was right next to her and she didn't squeak or anything.

Initially she seemed fine walking around on all four legs but then she tried to stand up on her hind legs, tipped to one side and ended up flat on her back again this seems to be happening everytime she tries to stand up.

She is otherwise happy sat in a corner stuffing her face now. The leg looks ok to me and she didn't seem too worried about me touching it.

What can i do to help her?

dreamtree1234 · 12-22-2017, 12:42 PM

If she can't seem to stand on her injured leg, I would definitely take her to the vet to be sure that she hasn't broken it or have any internal bleeding due to the fall. Hamsters are excellent at hiding their injuries since they are prey animals so I always feel that it is definitely better to be safe and err on the side of caution. I would also also remove the log if she tends to jump off it so this will not happen again in the future. I hope that your little one is alright. Thankfully, she is eating well after the fall. Good luck and please keep us updated if you can. Hugs to you, Clare.

Pebbles82 · 12-22-2017, 03:02 PM

I agree. I know it's close to Christmas but most vets will see you on a Saturday (ie tomorrow) as an urgent appointment. It is best to get her checked out in case there is any spinal damage - she may need medication or an injection or something.

Little dwarf hammies can hurt themselves if they fall - depending on how far they fall and what they land on. Maybe adjust your set up slightly if there is anything she can fall from higher than 20 to 25cm. I tend to put all hard toys under a shelf and have plenty of deep substrate so any falls are onto something soft that cushions the fall. Even a bendy bridge can be hard to land on - You can hang somehting over that so it can't be landed on maybe.

Low cages work best with dwarf hammies. Tall ones need a full level putting in.