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Old 09-06-2018, 05:31 AM   #1
SecretlyDying
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Default Im back - with a new addition

I've been away from the forum for a little while but I'm back today to introduce & get some tips for my newest addition.

This little cutie is Axia-Ashe:


I just adopted her today from an animal rescue located about an hour and a half away from my house. Basically i was on their website the other night and saw they had a little picture and info about this dwarf hamster who only had two legs - she was born like that apparently. Of course i went and adopted her.

She's missing the front and back legs on her left side, she moves around fine though.

This is her current cage setup:

The bedding is currently just torn up toilet paper - i'll probably order some fitch for her when i can. Is there anything i should change/make better?

Also her cage currently doesn't have a wheel in because I'm unsure whether it would be safe for her to use one? I can easily put one in for her but would like some thoughts/opinions on it. The dude at the rescue did say she'd probably be best with a flying saucer wheel (she had one there though he didnt ever see her use it), so would a flying saucer wheel be best?

Also she's quite tiny so would it be a good idea to maybe offer her some porridge/babyfood etc incase she has issues eating due to her missing legs?
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Last edited by SecretlyDying; 09-06-2018 at 05:34 AM. Reason: forgot to ask something
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Old 09-06-2018, 06:16 AM   #2
souffle
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Default Re: Im back - with a new addition

aww what a lovely hammy Well done for adopting her. I think she may find fitch easier to burrow and tunnel in yes. I would think she wouldn't be able to sit up and hold and shell seeds so I might suggest grinding the mix up for her. Also dwarf mix has smaller bits. I'd get some sunflower hearts as they are oily and will help build her up. Porridge and a little babyfood she could lap at will also be good. Sometimes placing a tube with a plate at the end helps as they can sort of wedge themselves upright in the tube to eat. It is the feet that are missing or the whole limb? They often manage well with the stump to hold things actually.
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Old 09-06-2018, 06:20 AM   #3
mzwiwy
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Default Re: Im back - with a new addition

How precious! Congrats to your ham on getting such a great human!
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Old 09-06-2018, 08:55 AM   #4
cypher
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Default Re: Im back - with a new addition

She is lovely, well done for giving her a forever home

I think she will do better with fitch too, not at all sure about any kind of wheel really, you could just give her one maybe during out of cage time to begin with & see if she can use it or not.
As well as sunflower seeds & porridge tiny pieces of chopped nut should help build her up & some hemp seeds would be good too.
I've no experience with hams who have lost legs but I have heard that they can have problems emptying pouches sometimes so that may be something to watch for but maybe if she was born like that she's adapted & won't pouch food or maybe just on one side.
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Old 09-06-2018, 07:55 PM   #5
Sasha04
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Default Re: Im back - with a new addition

Hi and welcome back! I’ve been wondering were you have been!
Congrats on Axia-Ashe! I’m so glad you rescued her! She must be a very special girl having two legs. I’m glad she can move well on her legs though! I have no experience with hams that have lost limbs but everyone has given you great advice! I’m so so exited to hear more about her and her adventures on two legs!
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Old 09-07-2018, 02:39 AM   #6
SecretlyDying
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Default Re: Im back - with a new addition

Thanks everyone for the kind, helpful replies.

Souffle i believe its her whole limb that is missing - i cant see any stumps when she moves around etc but havent held her properly to check.

I bought a jar of baby food last night which she has been enjoying and i'll be going out soon to buy some dwarf food and more baby food/porridge and some unshelled sunflower seeds and such.

She's doing well, though didn't venture out of her little house much last night. I gave her some babyfood before and offerered her my hand to see what she'd do and she climbed right on - the rescue did say she was friendly so im sure once she's more settled she'll come out of her shell.
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Old 09-07-2018, 02:44 AM   #7
souffle
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Default Re: Im back - with a new addition

I don't think I'd offer a wheel as it can cause issues with the points where the bone is nearest to surface rubbing and causing wounds. I think she might enjoy things like millet sprays to nibble and submerged tunnels so scoot through. Hide food around so she can forage. Just use a little wet food as they can fill up on this and they really do need to keep up the high fibre in their diet of seed mix. Ours like the burgess dwarf mix
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Old 09-07-2018, 03:02 AM   #8
SecretlyDying
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Default Re: Im back - with a new addition

Thanks for the reply, I won't offer her a wheel then if it could cause problems - her cage is twice the size as the one she was in at the rescue so im sure she's enjoying all the extra space and i have a large-ish playpen she can go in when she's more settled so she gets some exercise without a wheel. I'll definetly pick up some millet sprays today and i'll find some tunnels i can add to her cage. I was planning on getting the burgess dwarf mix anyway since i've used it before and had sucess with it.
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Old 09-07-2018, 03:22 AM   #9
mangoandmimi
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Default Re: Im back - with a new addition

She looks lovely I’d also skip the wheel, a lot of times hams with missing limbs can’t use them so can’t imagine what it would be like with 2 missing limbs!
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Old 09-10-2018, 04:15 PM   #10
SecretlyDying
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Default Re: Im back - with a new addition

I thought i'd post an update on little Axia,

She's actually doing really well - i swapped her green high side food bowl for for one which she can just walk in/on. I haven't got a dwarf specific food just yet so i am currently smashing up the harry hamster food and adding some bird seed, pumpkin seeds and mealworms. I weighed her today as well - she's 30g

I also ordered some Kaytee clean and cozy from pets@home which came today - i do want Fitch but need to find a place to store it first so bought this for the meantime as she wasn't too active and i wanted to give her the opportunity to burrow asap.

This is her current cage setup:

There's 3 toilet roll tubes buried (with the entrance showing) as well as a half buried pringles tube so she can go through them and dig around.

I also have 2 videos of her:

This is her before her new substrate change and shows her moving around:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zAvUWaWtfgc

This is her exploring her new cage/substrate and digging:
https://youtu.be/E8dfJ_PFC7c
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