Need advice- my hamster took a tumble and I'm worried.

[PipHamster]

I recently got a Syrian hamster for the first time, and I haven't owned a hamster since my childhood, when I owned two hamsters one after the other. (I am now 18.) He is incredibly friendly, and got used to me very quickly. He wakes up at around 7-8pm each day, and we have gotten into the routine of hanging out in my bathtub for a while once he's woken up and gotten a drink and a nibble of food. I get him to the bathroom the same way each time, by holding a coffee mug on its side and letting him crawl in by himself before slowly righting the mug and carrying him in it. He now knows that the coffee mug= outside the cage time. When he's in the mug, he usually pokes his head out the top and looks around, and seems to be content and enjoy it. (I put one hand slightly over the top of the mug around his head anyways, just in case.) Yesterday, I was going to get him out of his tank as usual, and my mother was watching me, as we were going to hang out with him together. (He doesn't seem to be afraid of other people, and will let people pet him. The first time he properly met my bf, he was climbing about on him and getting picked up and enjoying it, so I'm not sure if my mum's presence had anything to do with it.) He climbed into the mug, and I placed my hand over the top as I do, letting his head stick out, and was bringing him down and he suddenly freaked and leapt out of the mug! He's never been that way before and I still don't know why he got so suddenly scared. He fell about 3 feet and landed feet-first on our hard wood floor. (Not good!!) Me and my mother were both shocked and rushed to make sure he was okay. He was just kind of sitting there in shock for a moment, so I swooped him up and placed him back in his cage. He resumed business in his cage as usual the moment I set him down, and began scampering around as he usually does. I noticed that he was limping with his hind left foot and me and my mum both started to freak out. We watched him for a bit and he seemed to be doing everything that he usually does, but just using his foot more gingerly. (I will say that he wasn't holding his paw off the ground, but just using it lightly and limping on it.) I gave him one of the bits of broccoli from his bowl and he ate it as usual. He then insisted on running on his wheel, and he didn't limp much while doing it, but it was still clearly different than his usual pace. I picked him up and held him belly up to look at his foot, which he let me do, and it didn't seem disfigured in any way. I gently felt it up and down and didn't feel anything abnormal. I was still freaked out though, obviously, and started doing some research. As I was looking stuff up, he continued to run on his wheel for about 10 minutes or so. Some of the things that I found suggested that I remove his wheel so that he doesn't strain it further. I took his wheel away and he started wandering about the cage and getting up on his hind legs to ask me to pet him or pick him up. I feel bad taking away the thing that entertains him the most but I don't want to risk it. I made sure that his water was full and that he had plenty of food and veggies, and let him rest. Pretty soon he settled down and burrowed with some food. I kept checking on him for the next couple hours and he seemed fine. When I woke up this morning, I checked on him again and brought him some more fresh food (I usually only give him veggies in the evening but I feel he might need more food to help him heal?) and he wandered out of his burrow a bit, and he was still limping. He is still using the leg though, he sits back on it when he stands up and he uses it while walking, though lightly. Is that a good sign? I let him sleep all day and when I came home this evening (around 7) he was up, wandering around as usual. He is still gingerly using the leg, though. Other than the limp, he seems fine, ears up, doing normal hamster things. It's almost as if he doesn't realize that he is limping at all. His paw looks normal, no discoloration or swelling. I am still massively worried though. I'm having a friend come over tomorrow (who was a vet, and raised hamsters when she was younger) and she is going to look him over. I'd still like some feedback from a "hamster community" though; does anyone have any advice for me? Anything that I can do to help him? Aside from transporting him differently, how can I prevent this from ever happening again? How should I transport him next time? Is there a way that I can tell if the paw is broken or just twisted or strained? How long might it take till he's able to use his paw again? Is there anything that a vet could do if the paw was broken? If anyone could answer any of these questions, I would be eternally grateful. I love this little guy and I feel horrible that I let this happen. Any help at all would be greatly appreciated!!

[Amethyst_ice]

Hello and welcome to HC

It certainly shows you are a concerned new owner and care aboout your hammy very much

I'm sure most the members here can say at one time or another we have had a hammy plop to the floor! They are quite hardy and usually it is nothing to worry about

If it was a break, I'd expect it to be swollen or bruised the next day and he wouldn't let you touch it. Hamsters do hide pain well but something like a break they'd let you know.

I suspect it is a little tissue or muscle damage. A vet wouldn't really do much, perhaps offer some pain meds. Xrays are hard and expensive and unless he was showing other signs they usually wouldn't suggest it.

Obviously we can't give medical help here but from what you have said, I'd continue to watch how he goes. You could get some pain meds.

Taking the wheel out is a good idea. You know yourself if you have a strain it is good to rest it a bit.

In the future I'd use something bigger than a cup if you aren't comfortable lifting him out the cage. A shoebox, clear tub perhaps.

Let us know how things are and try not to beat yourself up too much

[Pebbles82]

Good advice from Amethyst . And yes it has happened to me. A good way to transport them is in a hamster ball. Carrying it basically. You can either lower the ball in the cage for them to hop into and then pop the lid on - or let them walk into a tube (with a treat at the far end, lift the tube out with your hands over the ends then put one end into the hamster ball (keep it ready next to the cage). They walk into the ball from the tube then pop the lid on. It’s a good way to carry them from room to room but then you have to take care not to drop the ball!

If you’re concerned you could have a vet check and that would be the only way to get pain meds really as well. They can probably tell if it’s anything more than a strain. They can do x rays if they suspect a fracture but it’s more likely they will say no treatment other than pain medication.

Sometimes a hamster can have a spinal injury which can affect leg movement and cause a limp but I think that is usually both back legs. But that is one thing that needs fairly urgent vet treatment.

I think personally I would want a vet check if he’s still limping by tomorrow. Even if your friend is a vet she won’t be a hamster specialist. You want an exotic vet (google it there will be one nearby). They know a lot more about hamsters.

The pain med is Metacam which is actually an anti inflammatory so not just general pain relief but helps with any inflammation as well. The hamster equivalent of Nurofen.

[MyHamsterAdventures]

Originally Posted by Serendipity7000

Good advice from Amethyst . And yes it has happened to me. A good way to transport them is in a hamster ball. Carrying it basically. You can either lower the ball in the cage for them to hop into and then pop the lid on - or let them walk into a tube (with a treat at the far end, lift the tube out with your hands over the ends then put one end into the hamster ball (keep it ready next to the cage). They walk into the ball from the tube then pop the lid on. It’s a good way to carry them from room to room but then you have to take care not to drop the ball!

If he is still limping then I would take him to a vet (exotic vet). I think hamsters are tougher than we think but it still doesn't take much for them to have a serious injury. I have had a couple of moments where a hamster took a small tumble and your heart skips a beat as they fall. The relief when you find out they are fine is immense.

Use it as a learning experience and maybe change how your transport him, or use the mug still but hold it much lower. An empty and clean pringle tube is my choice whilst putting the palm of my hand over the open side of the tube. Gives me a good excuse to keep buying them too

Fingers crossed everything is fine with him and try not to beat yourself up too much.

[Pebbles82]

I still find they can push past your hand if they're determined to get out - eg if they suddenly hear a noise and fear kicks in. Something enclosed like a ball is safest. And even if your hand is very firmly over the top of a mug eg, they can feel a bit stressed by that and if they're determined they can nip and make you jump so your hand moves. Hamster ball works well For bathtub taming you then just put the ball down in the bath and take the lid off and they can just walk out of it. I also used to find that when they've had enough they go back in the ball as a sign to say - I want to go back now.

[MyHamsterAdventures]

Originally Posted by Serendipity7000

I still find they can push past your hand if they're determined to get out - .

I wondered why I never feel Buster on my hand covering when I transport him in the pringle tub. I think I automatically angle it slightly down when he turns around so his bum is at the back of the tube and he is facing the top. With a slight angle he cant get any grip to run up the tube. He does love his pringle tubes or Aldi stackers lol.



Any updates PipHamster?

[PipHamster]

Update- Pip is doing better. I had my friend come over and check him out- she handled him a bit and said it was likely a twisted ankle or a strain from landing on his paw the wrong way. (By the way, for people telling me to find a hamster specialist, she is about the closest thing to it in my town- she's almost 70, was a vet/vet tech, and raised and bred many kinds of hamsters for selling to pet stores, people, etc.) When I pick him up and hold him belly up, I can see that he's holding his back left paw a little inwards, but the paw still looks normal and he's not showing any signs of pain. He's using the paw to walk, though still a bit gingerly, but its not very noticeable anymore. She told me to keep him off the wheel for about a week longer, and then slowly introduce it again (like a half hour a night) until he's all better. The only problem I'm having now is that the poor little guy is so bored without his wheel! Every time I put my hands in the cage while he's awake to give him food/change his water/play with him/etc he's so eager to be picked up and interacted with because he's dying of boredom! I feel so bad knowing that he's so bored, but at the same time I know I can't give him back the wheel yet. I've given him as many little things to interact with in his tank, but nothing compares to his beloved wheel. Anyways, thank you all so much for helping me and thank you for the concern. Given some cage rest and some time, little guy is gonna be just fine!

[Pebbles82]

Glad to hear he is doing ok and you had some advice. It could be dislocated if it’s pointing in. I don’t know what treatment would be given for a dislocation but I think personally I would still see an exotic vet. Sorry! An x ray would show if something was dislocated or any treatment needed.