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ulluma · 02-22-2020, 05:45 PM

Hi, I'm new on this forum (but longtime lurker).

I got my Syrian (male) hamster in December and he has since been losing weight and I can't figure out why.

He started on 148g in late December - start January, and is now 96g as of yesterday (February 22nd) and I'm extremely worried.

I checked his teeth and they look fine, so I don't think he has a problem eating his food. His food is a mix of 3 bags (versele-laga crispy müsli, a protein mix and another mix with various vegetable tablets etc.).

I give him fresh vegetables and fruits multiple times a week (In small portions) and a little bit of cooked meat (usually unseasoned boiled chicken).

He only just got the right wheel 3 weeks ago, due to shipping issues (I wanted to buy a specific wheel I can't find in Denmark) and the package got lost in the mail. So I was wondering if it could be the extra exercise he's getting from the wheel that's making him lose weight? He has never had a wheel before (they didn't give him one at the pet store).

I switched from water bottle to a bowl because the cage he is in is an aquarium, so I can't attach it anywhere, but I think he drinks from it (at least when I'm looking) and I usually scatter feed him, but recently started using a bowl again because of the weight loss, in hopes of him eating more (maybe he'll find it easier to access food). He's not a fan of the protein mix I give him, but options are very limited at the pet's stores in my area.

What do you guys think? I'm worried sick and have thought about taking him to the vet, but vets in Denmark are insanely expensive. So I wanted you guy's opinion before taking him.

Thanks in advance.

02-22-2020, 05:45 PM
ulluma Join Date: Feb 2020 Location: Denmark Posts: 1	Syrian losing a LOT of weight??? Hi, I'm new on this forum (but longtime lurker). I got my Syrian (male) hamster in December and he has since been losing weight and I can't figure out why. He started on 148g in late December - start January, and is now 96g as of yesterday (February 22nd) and I'm extremely worried. I checked his teeth and they look fine, so I don't think he has a problem eating his food. His food is a mix of 3 bags (versele-laga crispy müsli, a protein mix and another mix with various vegetable tablets etc.). I give him fresh vegetables and fruits multiple times a week (In small portions) and a little bit of cooked meat (usually unseasoned boiled chicken). He only just got the right wheel 3 weeks ago, due to shipping issues (I wanted to buy a specific wheel I can't find in Denmark) and the package got lost in the mail. So I was wondering if it could be the extra exercise he's getting from the wheel that's making him lose weight? He has never had a wheel before (they didn't give him one at the pet store). I switched from water bottle to a bowl because the cage he is in is an aquarium, so I can't attach it anywhere, but I think he drinks from it (at least when I'm looking) and I usually scatter feed him, but recently started using a bowl again because of the weight loss, in hopes of him eating more (maybe he'll find it easier to access food). He's not a fan of the protein mix I give him, but options are very limited at the pet's stores in my area. What do you guys think? I'm worried sick and have thought about taking him to the vet, but vets in Denmark are insanely expensive. So I wanted you guy's opinion before taking him. Thanks in advance.