[LokiWolf]

First off, let me apologize that I haven't really been on and active in the last 3 and a half months since Matrim died. His death took a toll on me emotionally and I haven't needed any questions answered hamster wise for awhile, so I just kinda stopped coming on the forum. Don't worry, I continued to care for my remaining 5 Robos like I normally do.

Now to the reason I am here. Most of you remember my eldest Robo, a head spot named Charlotte, started really feeling the effects of old age about 3 1/2 months ago. Well it's just gotten worse recently. And after pondering this for nearly two weeks, I've come here to ask for help. Should I remove the wheels? There's two in there, a Silent Spinner and a Flying Saucer as she still lives with the younger Scarlett. However, Scarlett is still active and uses the wheels, mainly the SS, and I don't want her getting frustrated from the wheels getting taken away and taking it out on Charlotte.

So here's what's going on with dear Charlotte: she is still having problems with her fur, it is most definitely plucking as most grows back before being plucked again. However there are some parts like her tail, back legs, and back/stomach closest to the rear that refuses to regrow fur. She'll sometimes fall over a few times when she's out and about, not being tripped by anything. She's gotten pretty skinny. I am sure she is mostly blind, I know for certain Charlotte is at least partly as I had to move the wheel about this morning as it was clanking against the bottom of the glass tank and she came over to find out what was going on and kept grazing her teeth against my hand to find out what my hand was. She is also at least partly deaf too as she doesn't hear things like she used to. What is newer developments in the last few months, she is pickier with what she eats and refuses to eat all the bites in Hazel Hamster like she used to and will eat only certain treats now. She sleeps a lot more or just stays in the nest more lately. In the last two or so weeks, I've also noticed she is stiff and can't run or move about as easily as she was able to.

This last part is what worries me as she can't use the wheels properly and can't keep up when Scarlett jumps on the wheel to run with her. I'm worried she'll get hurt one day from being on the wheel when Scarlett is running. The good thing is that Scarlett is not, and never was, a very fast runner, but she still loves the wheels. I still don't want to separate them as Scarlett still takes care of Charlotte and Charlotte may stress/freak out if separated like she has done in the past when I've tried to when Charlotte was sick over a year ago (turned out to be a UTI).

Could I maybe just take out the Silent Spinner as that I think that might really hurt Charlotte more while the Flying Saucer will just make her spin around. If she does fall/fly (though no flying as ever happened with them yet) off, there's soft Kaytee Clean & Cozy to land on.

Oh, and Charlotte just turned 2 years old in March by my estimations. Though she seems to be aging at a faster rate than is normal, another thing that I worry about. Scarlett is about 1 year and 5 months and is still really healthy.

So, what should I do? Remove both wheels or just the Silent Spinner?