Knew Syrian Very Stinky

LunaKitty · 08-31-2014, 08:35 PM

I went over to my local petsmart today looking for another female mouse for a companion to my other two. While browsing I saw the prettiest Syrian hamster ever! He (according to the store) is a long haired dove (I think) colored hamster and was being bullied by another male. I have never had a Syrian but I just had to check this little guy out.
I was allowed to pet him (which he had no problem with) and told the clerk I had to have him. Once I had him in his carrier cage and had placed him close to my face I smelled the most pungent smell coming off him!
Whats wrong with my knew baby (hubby named him Mr.Crowley)? How can I get rid of this smell safely?
Please any advice will be appreciated and I will have some picture of him up very soon. Promise.

**DrKMcK** · 08-31-2014, 08:48 PM

Oh dear. Stinky, huh? Are you sure it's he? Female hams go in heat every 4 days and, boy, oh boy, they can be ripe! My Nutmeg us just awful when she is in heat. If you can get a photo of him??? in a glass dish from underneath, we can try to help you sex the hammy. You would be surprised how often we see a hammie who was mis-sexed when bought. DOVE!!! LH!!!? OMG! I must see this. Doves are gorgeous short-haired, but LH? OH.
If hammy really is a boy, it may be the cage was dirty. He will clean this himself. Let him settle in for a few days.

NiceCrocs · 08-31-2014, 09:39 PM

Ha, I was gonna answer, but DrK pretty much said it all xD he's either a girl, or was in a very poorly maintained cage.

starshme · 09-01-2014, 02:33 AM

My female, TeeTee, smells like a mini skunk when she's in heat as well.
(I'm typing this under a blanket so she doesn't find out I'm oversharing again.)

rachierelish · 09-01-2014, 03:14 AM

My wee man was pretty smelly, or at least made his cage smelly, for the first few days after bringing him home. He was just going crazy with the scent marking whilst everything was new. It's cleared up now and he's now nice and unsmelly. Just give it time

Either that, or it's what everyone else suggested and he's a she/dirty cage

LunaKitty · 09-01-2014, 06:31 AM

Thank you all so much! I am going to give him (or her) a couple days before taking him (or her) out of the cage so I can invade his (or her) private area for a sexing photo. Right now though as promised here is some pictures of him (or her):

P.s. I will do the next photo's in natural light these just don't do his (her) color justice. Hope you like and check back in a few days to a week for sexing and better quality photo's.

SinNyx · 09-01-2014, 06:42 AM

Lovely pictures - but it does look like a girl, it's usually easy to tell with Syrians

The long hair makes it easier to tell as well, long-haired females tend to be a bit 'fluffy' with sometimes random tufts, as your hamster has, but males tend to have longer fur all over, or 'skirts'.

Shana · 09-01-2014, 06:53 AM

She looks like a girl to me too. A beautiful one!

Did you say he or she was housed with a male at the store? In the last photo she (or he) looks a bit pair shaped. If she is actually female she could be pregnant. You might want to prepare for that just in case...

**DrKMcK** · 09-01-2014, 11:25 AM

LOL. That is a girl hammy. And I would like to see a photo of her tummy too. She does appear to have that pear shape. If she was with a male you should go on as if she is pregnant for 16-18 days from the day you got her. :-/. Don't panic though. It isn't definite. And we can help you with info as you go along.

LunaKitty · 09-01-2014, 11:32 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by SinNyx

Lovely pictures - but it does look like a girl, it's usually easy to tell with Syrians

The long hair makes it easier to tell as well, long-haired females tend to be a bit 'fluffy' with sometimes random tufts, as your hamster has, but males tend to have longer fur all over, or 'skirts'.

Defiantly gonna have to change her name then