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Pebbles82 · 03-18-2017, 02:45 AM

Ok - sorry - sounds like you are doing all the right things with bedding and the bin cage

I would get the 11" wheel now though and not wait. The medium Silent spinner is only 6.5" I think and is too small - she won't be able to run with a straight back.

I wouldn't give the Living World pellets. Maybe try sticking to one good basic mix - although if it's not one you're using already, the new one will need to be introduced gradually. Any change in diet can upset their stomachs (so that might possibly be a cause for the bloating as well if the diet has changed recently).

I'm not sure what you can get in Canada, but Harry Hamster or Hazel Hamster have all the required nutrients in one mix and are sugar-free. You can supplement with bits of fresh food - the occasional piece of plain cooked chicken or beef (no sauces or gravy though), cheese, half a brazil nut, half a walnut. All maybe once or twice a week. Only very small pieces of veg - about 1cm cubed size (any shape - that's just to give an idea of size). Broccoli, carrot, cucumber and cauliflower are safe ones. There are other veg that are safe, but lettuce and cabbage are best avoided really.

I would suggest leaving the treat stick in the cage - it'll stress her out if you take it in and out possibly, and it doesn't really matter if she eats it all - it means she'll be constantly chewing at the wood inside which is good to help keep their teeth in trim. They hoard most of it anyway

So rather than a variety of veg once a week, maybe try giving a very small piece every 3 days at first. Then if she is ok, every couple of days, and when she is a bit older, in a few weeks time, every day.

So she gets the same regular diet each day. If you're mixing two you won't know exactly what nutrition she is getting possibly (although apologies if you've already worked this out).

I seem to remember it is very hard to get hold of Hamster wheels and food in Canada! But I think it was Nancy that uses the F M Brown carnival mix which is available on Amazon in Canada. I checked the ingredients somewhere else. It does have some fruit in but that should be ok for a Syrian and it's free of artifical preservatives apparently.

https://www.amazon.ca/F-M-Brown-Trop...s=Hamster+food

I think it's 17% protein which is a little low but not too bad, so supplementing the protein would be a good idea - either with fresh food as above, mealworms are also protein, or some people in the US and canada use Mazuri rat and mouse block to supplement protein.

Wheels are tricky! I think there is a US supplier that sends wodent wheels to Canada without extortionate postage. An 11" wodent wheel is a good size, although if she's large a 12" wheel could be better. The 12" Silent Runner (not Spinner) is a great wheel - silent, spins really well and very safe and sturdy.

It's the best wheel I've ever had. And you never have to worry about it not being big enough! For a 12" wheel it's not that big and bulky - it's only 9cm deep (unlike the Wobust wheel and 12" Silent "Spinner" which are 13cm deep and the wobust wheel looks like a large cake box lol.

It's made by Exotic Nutrition and they ship to Canada by air mail - takes about 7 days - not sure what the postage is. It costs a bit more than the Wodent wheel (which they also sell) but I think it's a good investment.

Silent Runner 12 inch - Silent Runner Wheel 12 inch (REGULAR)

Only comes in orange, but what the heck. I am sure she will love that wheel. Because it spins so well even smaller hamsters can run in it easily. I would be wary of getting a 12" Silent "Spinner" (ie the bigger version of the one you have now) because they had a manufacturing change over the last year or so and reports are they can be quite stiff and not spin well. Also they're not silent! Possibly quiet sometimes but others can be quite noisy. If you did get one, make sure you can check it out first and see if it spins ok. But I would go for a 12" Silent Runner - ours showed no signs of wearing out after a year's use.

Has her bloating gone down at all? It could be a dietary thing, but as Souffle says, if you are concerned it might be an idea to see a vet. She looks like she is active and well otherwise. Is she pooping and peeing ok?

03-18-2017, 02:45 AM
Pebbles82 Hamster Antics Join Date: Sep 2014 Posts: 23,533	Re: Bloated syrian Ok - sorry - sounds like you are doing all the right things with bedding and the bin cage I would get the 11" wheel now though and not wait. The medium Silent spinner is only 6.5" I think and is too small - she won't be able to run with a straight back. I wouldn't give the Living World pellets. Maybe try sticking to one good basic mix - although if it's not one you're using already, the new one will need to be introduced gradually. Any change in diet can upset their stomachs (so that might possibly be a cause for the bloating as well if the diet has changed recently). I'm not sure what you can get in Canada, but Harry Hamster or Hazel Hamster have all the required nutrients in one mix and are sugar-free. You can supplement with bits of fresh food - the occasional piece of plain cooked chicken or beef (no sauces or gravy though), cheese, half a brazil nut, half a walnut. All maybe once or twice a week. Only very small pieces of veg - about 1cm cubed size (any shape - that's just to give an idea of size). Broccoli, carrot, cucumber and cauliflower are safe ones. There are other veg that are safe, but lettuce and cabbage are best avoided really. I would suggest leaving the treat stick in the cage - it'll stress her out if you take it in and out possibly, and it doesn't really matter if she eats it all - it means she'll be constantly chewing at the wood inside which is good to help keep their teeth in trim. They hoard most of it anyway So rather than a variety of veg once a week, maybe try giving a very small piece every 3 days at first. Then if she is ok, every couple of days, and when she is a bit older, in a few weeks time, every day. So she gets the same regular diet each day. If you're mixing two you won't know exactly what nutrition she is getting possibly (although apologies if you've already worked this out). I seem to remember it is very hard to get hold of Hamster wheels and food in Canada! But I think it was Nancy that uses the F M Brown carnival mix which is available on Amazon in Canada. I checked the ingredients somewhere else. It does have some fruit in but that should be ok for a Syrian and it's free of artifical preservatives apparently. https://www.amazon.ca/F-M-Brown-Trop...s=Hamster+food I think it's 17% protein which is a little low but not too bad, so supplementing the protein would be a good idea - either with fresh food as above, mealworms are also protein, or some people in the US and canada use Mazuri rat and mouse block to supplement protein. Wheels are tricky! I think there is a US supplier that sends wodent wheels to Canada without extortionate postage. An 11" wodent wheel is a good size, although if she's large a 12" wheel could be better. The 12" Silent Runner (not Spinner) is a great wheel - silent, spins really well and very safe and sturdy. It's the best wheel I've ever had. And you never have to worry about it not being big enough! For a 12" wheel it's not that big and bulky - it's only 9cm deep (unlike the Wobust wheel and 12" Silent "Spinner" which are 13cm deep and the wobust wheel looks like a large cake box lol. It's made by Exotic Nutrition and they ship to Canada by air mail - takes about 7 days - not sure what the postage is. It costs a bit more than the Wodent wheel (which they also sell) but I think it's a good investment. Silent Runner 12 inch - Silent Runner Wheel 12 inch (REGULAR) Only comes in orange, but what the heck. I am sure she will love that wheel. Because it spins so well even smaller hamsters can run in it easily. I would be wary of getting a 12" Silent "Spinner" (ie the bigger version of the one you have now) because they had a manufacturing change over the last year or so and reports are they can be quite stiff and not spin well. Also they're not silent! Possibly quiet sometimes but others can be quite noisy. If you did get one, make sure you can check it out first and see if it spins ok. But I would go for a 12" Silent Runner - ours showed no signs of wearing out after a year's use. Has her bloating gone down at all? It could be a dietary thing, but as Souffle says, if you are concerned it might be an idea to see a vet. She looks like she is active and well otherwise. Is she pooping and peeing ok?