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catherinet94 · 10-15-2019, 05:19 PM

So I got a new hamster recently. I'm a first time hamster owner so was a little nervous but did a lot of research. Made a bin cage, bought a large wheel, got lots of safe nesting material and have pretty much stalked these forums for advice. So I've had my hamster for about a week now and have been working on taming him and it had been going really really well. He seems to love running up to me for sunflower seeds and standing in my hand. I've never picked him up before but decided today I'd do 'bathtub bonding' which I've read is a good way to get your hamster used to you. So I tried it out for the first time today. I put a blanket in the tub, put my hamster in a box and transported him to the tub and let him run free. He was doing well and running over me and it was all fine until I got out of the tub to get his box and put him away. He started trying to bury under the blanket which I didn't think much of until I realised he'd pushed the blanket away to get to the plug hole.

I freaked out, because I was already super nervous about the whole bathtub thing, worried I was going to drop him or squish him so reached forward to try and grab him and pull him away (in my head he was going to go down the plug hole or something) instead he got his teeth stuck in it (I think?) He was scrabbling and couldn't get away and had his face stuck in the hole and I presume he had got his teeth stuck. he was making the most awful sound and I was grabbing at him trying to pull him back and he was weeing and pooing and clearly so distressed. It lasted about 20-30 seconds (maybe shorter, it's so hard to tell but I don't think was over 30 secs) before he got himself loose and I quickly put him back in his cage. I wasn't squeezing him for the whole time, I grabbed him and tried to pull him away but couldn't and jumped away to let my boyfriend take over who was much more calm (I was crying and freaking out a lot) and tried also to pull him away before he got himself loose.

He seems absolutely fine now. As soon as I put him back in his cage he calmed down. He was scurrying around and didn't seem injured. I looked at his face best I could and there was no blood and just now when he's in his bed I saw him sniffing out and got a view of his teeth and they seemed fine. The thing I'm really worried about is me grabbing him. I'm so scared I've hurt him somehow, I'm not sure how hard I squeezed I was so freaked out. I'm worried I might've squeezed too hard and given him internal injuries or something. It was so awful when I think back it's difficult to remember how hard I squeezed - I don't think it was super hard but it's difficult to remember and I'm in a bit of a panic.

The good thing is he still doesn't seem scared of me, he still took sunflower seeds from my hand and a bit of broccoli but had gone to bed now.

So although I can't see anything wrong I'm absolute terrified that I've hurt him. I feel so awful. I really wanted to make him happy and give him a good home and I feel like I've hurt him and done something really bad. I'm not sure if I should be worried about him or if he'll be ok? I just need advice on what to do next? Do I need to take him to a vet asap? Should I call an emergency vet? I'm not sure if I'm over reacting or if he's going to be really hurt.

Sorry this is so long, or doesn't make sense. I'm still in a bit of a panic to be honest and don't know what I need to do.

10-15-2019, 05:19 PM
catherinet94 Newborn Pup Join Date: Oct 2019 Posts: 1	Worried I hurt my hammy! So I got a new hamster recently. I'm a first time hamster owner so was a little nervous but did a lot of research. Made a bin cage, bought a large wheel, got lots of safe nesting material and have pretty much stalked these forums for advice. So I've had my hamster for about a week now and have been working on taming him and it had been going really really well. He seems to love running up to me for sunflower seeds and standing in my hand. I've never picked him up before but decided today I'd do 'bathtub bonding' which I've read is a good way to get your hamster used to you. So I tried it out for the first time today. I put a blanket in the tub, put my hamster in a box and transported him to the tub and let him run free. He was doing well and running over me and it was all fine until I got out of the tub to get his box and put him away. He started trying to bury under the blanket which I didn't think much of until I realised he'd pushed the blanket away to get to the plug hole. I freaked out, because I was already super nervous about the whole bathtub thing, worried I was going to drop him or squish him so reached forward to try and grab him and pull him away (in my head he was going to go down the plug hole or something) instead he got his teeth stuck in it (I think?) He was scrabbling and couldn't get away and had his face stuck in the hole and I presume he had got his teeth stuck. he was making the most awful sound and I was grabbing at him trying to pull him back and he was weeing and pooing and clearly so distressed. It lasted about 20-30 seconds (maybe shorter, it's so hard to tell but I don't think was over 30 secs) before he got himself loose and I quickly put him back in his cage. I wasn't squeezing him for the whole time, I grabbed him and tried to pull him away but couldn't and jumped away to let my boyfriend take over who was much more calm (I was crying and freaking out a lot) and tried also to pull him away before he got himself loose. He seems absolutely fine now. As soon as I put him back in his cage he calmed down. He was scurrying around and didn't seem injured. I looked at his face best I could and there was no blood and just now when he's in his bed I saw him sniffing out and got a view of his teeth and they seemed fine. The thing I'm really worried about is me grabbing him. I'm so scared I've hurt him somehow, I'm not sure how hard I squeezed I was so freaked out. I'm worried I might've squeezed too hard and given him internal injuries or something. It was so awful when I think back it's difficult to remember how hard I squeezed - I don't think it was super hard but it's difficult to remember and I'm in a bit of a panic. The good thing is he still doesn't seem scared of me, he still took sunflower seeds from my hand and a bit of broccoli but had gone to bed now. So although I can't see anything wrong I'm absolute terrified that I've hurt him. I feel so awful. I really wanted to make him happy and give him a good home and I feel like I've hurt him and done something really bad. I'm not sure if I should be worried about him or if he'll be ok? I just need advice on what to do next? Do I need to take him to a vet asap? Should I call an emergency vet? I'm not sure if I'm over reacting or if he's going to be really hurt. Sorry this is so long, or doesn't make sense. I'm still in a bit of a panic to be honest and don't know what I need to do.