My syrian male had pink urine just now

Lunarstar · 06-05-2018, 05:42 PM

I need some help, this is really strange. Tonight when I took my hamster Gus out I stuck him on some tissues like I usually do. After a few seconds he peed but when he did, it was pink. Not watery or reddish pink, it was thick. I'm not sure but I don't think it's blood. Because yesterday I gave him his strawberry yogurt treat(which he gets every week after I clean his cage), and his urine was the exact same color as those things. It really looked like someone took one of those and melted it. So that's why I'm thinking it could be that. Also, he's eating and drinking fine, he's acting normal, and he didn't look like he was in any pain while urinating either. Yesterday and tonight he's eaten a bunch of fresh peas too, and right now he's acting like his normal self chewing on my shirt and climbing in my pockets. Is it possible that the food coloring from those yogurt things came out in his urine? Because also yesterday his pee was a normal yellow. Plus he has no diarrhea

atsui · 06-05-2018, 06:12 PM

Check the ingredients in the yogurt drops! i know that beet is a popular pink dye used to dye wooden chew toys and stuff and that, which can cause pink urine in some hamsters. I just want to ask, what do you mean by 'thick?' the consistency was not that of regular urine? that might be a cause for concern if hes been eating the yogurt drops for a while now and this is the first time its happened. its good that his urine is not 'reddish' though. most uterine issues with hamsters will yield a reddish pink.

Lunarstar · 06-05-2018, 06:27 PM

Actually the consistency was the same as it normally is, the color of his normal urine is usually not that runny, always a bright color. The only difference was the pink. I don't have the package for the yogurt treats, I've kept them in a tupperware container since I bought them. I'll have to look at them in the store when I go, probably tomorrow. Maybe the treats went bad?

atsui · 06-05-2018, 07:18 PM

If the pee is truly PINK and not reddish-pink, and the colouration disappeared, I wouldnt be too worried about it. Keep a close eye on him for lethargy and appetite, as you can never be too safe! I dont know if the treats going bad wouldve yielded a pink color... were there any other changes/fresh foods added to his diet that day? Maybe it was the dye coupled with the water content from the peas or something? Im glad to hear the consistency was normal though, seems like your hammy is OK if he is acting his usual self

Lunarstar · 06-05-2018, 07:31 PM

Nothing else was different, yesterday was the first day in a while he's had peas as his fresh vegetable though. I've thrown the strawberry treats away anyway just to be safe, I can always buy him new ones tomorrow but I probably won't get strawberry ones again. He seems alright otherwise so I'm just gonna keep an eye on him the next few days.