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maxhanckel · 02-02-2020, 04:38 PM

hello!
I just adopted a special needs hamster. I’m in love already!

I need to know a bit more about care for hydrocephalic hamsters, as I’m not actually finding many links online. things like bedding, diet, life expectancy, etc. if you have time, start from the beginning... I want to learn as much as possible!

my current setup:
I currently have aspen bedding topped with Oxbow paper bedding, plus a small amount of sand for a sand bath. I was reading some people just use fleece out of concern for their hydro ham having an increased risk of respiratory and eye issues. should I eliminate these substrates or is this okay?

for food, I put her pellets in a blender. she seems like she can chew a little bit, maybe. I saw her with a seed in her mouth but I couldn’t tell if she ate it, pouched it, or just dropped it back in the bowl. the rescue said to feed moistened lab blocks with baby food or scrambled egg at night, and leave the dry crushed pellets available at all times. I don’t mind feeding wet and replacing twice a day if that’s better.
she will also need her teeth trimmed every couple months because of the way they grow (and the abnormal shape of her head affects the teeth) so I can’t and don’t need to count on her chewing to keep teeth trimmed. at this point, I don’t know if chewing is painful or uncomfortable or not.

and how long can I expect her to live if she is hydrocephalic?

she also tends to squeak and snore when she sleeps, sometimes when she’s just sniffing around. only on the exhale - not wheezing. my last normal hamsters have done that too, but I understand I should be extra careful and listen for wheezing.

what else should I know?

I’m also waiting to be accepted into Facebook group for hydrocephalic hamsters.

thank you!

02-02-2020, 04:38 PM
maxhanckel Newborn Pup Join Date: Feb 2018 Location: Washington, US Posts: 13	Hydrocephalic Hamster hello! I just adopted a special needs hamster. I’m in love already! I need to know a bit more about care for hydrocephalic hamsters, as I’m not actually finding many links online. things like bedding, diet, life expectancy, etc. if you have time, start from the beginning... I want to learn as much as possible! my current setup: I currently have aspen bedding topped with Oxbow paper bedding, plus a small amount of sand for a sand bath. I was reading some people just use fleece out of concern for their hydro ham having an increased risk of respiratory and eye issues. should I eliminate these substrates or is this okay? for food, I put her pellets in a blender. she seems like she can chew a little bit, maybe. I saw her with a seed in her mouth but I couldn’t tell if she ate it, pouched it, or just dropped it back in the bowl. the rescue said to feed moistened lab blocks with baby food or scrambled egg at night, and leave the dry crushed pellets available at all times. I don’t mind feeding wet and replacing twice a day if that’s better. she will also need her teeth trimmed every couple months because of the way they grow (and the abnormal shape of her head affects the teeth) so I can’t and don’t need to count on her chewing to keep teeth trimmed. at this point, I don’t know if chewing is painful or uncomfortable or not. and how long can I expect her to live if she is hydrocephalic? she also tends to squeak and snore when she sleeps, sometimes when she’s just sniffing around. only on the exhale - not wheezing. my last normal hamsters have done that too, but I understand I should be extra careful and listen for wheezing. what else should I know? I’m also waiting to be accepted into Facebook group for hydrocephalic hamsters. thank you!