Hamster's nose and behaviour changes

Happyhamster8 · 09-01-2020, 01:47 AM

Yesterday I saw my WW Hybrid Pufi acting strange. She has a 2 story house and she was on the top level just looking weak/sleepy. I noticed there was something red around her nose (not sure if it's discharge, blood or something else). She was curled up and I noticed her body moving and it looked like she took really big breaths. I offered her some of her favourite food and she went out her house to get it and seemed pretty content. Soon after she went back inside and began scratching herself (most of the time before scratching she would lick her paw, so maybe she was just washing herself because I did see her cleaning herself as well). After, she streched and yawned a few times. During the rest of the night she seemed fine. We did have a lot of weather changes and yesterday you could feel the air pressure. Other familly members and I could feel it, as well as our dog. Could it be my hamster also felt it? About the scraching I could only think of parasites or just washing/having an itch. I've had her for a month so I didn't change the bedding, only did the spot cleaning. Last week I started to transition her to a different food, but I also put it in the freezer for 3 days to prevent any parasites. She seems fine now, only has the red on her nose. I'm just worried because I haven't had her that long. What do you think?

cypher · 09-01-2020, 06:13 AM

Do you have a photo you could post to show what’s going on with her nose? That would help.
From the way you found her initially my first thought was she may have had a fall or hurt herself somehow but if she was high up on a second level that isn’t likely, not sure what else might have caused it.
There can be lots of reasons why they groom a lot unless you’ve introduced some natural material, plant material or wood for example that may have had bugs in it & nothing else hs changed that’s very unlikely to be a problem.

Ria P · 09-01-2020, 06:13 AM

Could you post a photo of your hamster and her cage?

You say that she has a two storey house and i wonder if she could have had a fall and hurt her nose.

Ria P · 09-01-2020, 06:15 AM

I posted the same time as cypher hence similar thoughts.

Happyhamster8 · 09-01-2020, 07:37 AM

Thank you so much!
Here are the pictures (she's not fully tamed so the picture is not that good)

cypher · 09-01-2020, 10:37 AM

It’s hard to tell really, in the second photo it looks a bit red but nothing too serious I wouldn’t think.
There do seem to be some quite high drops in the cage from houses, if you can i would put a lot more substrate in just in case she does fall from anything, she’ll enjoy burrowing in it too.
Those wooden houses with the bark do have tacks in them usually so I would check them over to make sure there’s nothing exposed & also check for any sharp edges she could catch herself on & possible get a scratch or cut.

Happyhamster8 · 09-01-2020, 10:45 AM

I'll check the houses and everything. Her nose looks better than yeserday so it's probably nothing serious. Thanks for your help!