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Ria P · 08-13-2021, 06:43 AM

Hello and welcome to HC!

I am very sorry to hear that your hamster is unwell and i hope that the exotics vet will be able to diagnose and treat her ailments.

Going forward i would like to mention a few things you could improve in her care.

The petsathome own brand cages are generally too small for a Syrian hamster but they sell the Savic Plaza online which would be a suitable size for a Syrian hamster.

Wool style nesting material like the one found inside kabok pods is dangerous. It can get tangled in hamsters toes and when ingested can cause internal blockages.

Personally, i think 113g is light for a Syrian hamster and a teaspoon of hamster mix may be enough for a dwarf hamster but not for a Syrian hamster in my opinion. Hamsters love to hoard food which is a natural behaviour that should be encouraged by supplying enough food to eat and enable them to keep a hoard.
Hamsters who carry little weight can go downhill very fast when they take ill because they have no bodyweight reserves. My heaviest Syrian weighed 230g and my lightest one weighs 155g.

A hamster ball is a big No No for me. They are of no benefit to the hamster because they can't see or smell anything inside a ball. They run because they try to get out and the gaps can lead to injuries by trapping their little toes.
I sometimes foster and rehome hamsters their owners no longer want but would not rehome to someone who uses a hamster ball.

Also, you don't mention what kind of upright wheel your hamster has inside her cage. A hamster needs access to an 26/ 28cm upright wheel at all times because they can run comfortably with a straight back. A 30cm flying saucer wheel is great as a floor toy in an out of cage play area though.

I appreciate that i have not answered your questions and my response is not what you came here for. You may even feel offended by it and i do apologise if you do.
I have absolutely no intentions to come across as patronising or critical in any way. I'm only trying to point out the things i've learned about hamster care since joining this forum.

I started off with a Syrian hamster in a petsathome own brand cage with a wheel and a little plastic hut way too small for him and then bought a flying saucer acting on the advice of the shop assistant.

Once i had joined this forum and found out about the Alaska cage from Zooplus, large wheels like the 28cm Trixie wheel or the large Silent Runner, species appropriately sized houses like the ones from Rodipet or the inexpensive Ferplast guinea pig houses i use plus substrates like Kaytee clean and cozy and other suitable enrichments, my hamster's life greatly improved.

08-13-2021, 06:43 AM
Ria P House of Hamsters Join Date: Mar 2019 Location: Wiltshire, UK Posts: 7,103	Re: Seriously Ill Syrian Hello and welcome to HC! I am very sorry to hear that your hamster is unwell and i hope that the exotics vet will be able to diagnose and treat her ailments. Going forward i would like to mention a few things you could improve in her care. The petsathome own brand cages are generally too small for a Syrian hamster but they sell the Savic Plaza online which would be a suitable size for a Syrian hamster. Wool style nesting material like the one found inside kabok pods is dangerous. It can get tangled in hamsters toes and when ingested can cause internal blockages. Personally, i think 113g is light for a Syrian hamster and a teaspoon of hamster mix may be enough for a dwarf hamster but not for a Syrian hamster in my opinion. Hamsters love to hoard food which is a natural behaviour that should be encouraged by supplying enough food to eat and enable them to keep a hoard. Hamsters who carry little weight can go downhill very fast when they take ill because they have no bodyweight reserves. My heaviest Syrian weighed 230g and my lightest one weighs 155g. A hamster ball is a big No No for me. They are of no benefit to the hamster because they can't see or smell anything inside a ball. They run because they try to get out and the gaps can lead to injuries by trapping their little toes. I sometimes foster and rehome hamsters their owners no longer want but would not rehome to someone who uses a hamster ball. Also, you don't mention what kind of upright wheel your hamster has inside her cage. A hamster needs access to an 26/ 28cm upright wheel at all times because they can run comfortably with a straight back. A 30cm flying saucer wheel is great as a floor toy in an out of cage play area though. I appreciate that i have not answered your questions and my response is not what you came here for. You may even feel offended by it and i do apologise if you do. I have absolutely no intentions to come across as patronising or critical in any way. I'm only trying to point out the things i've learned about hamster care since joining this forum. I started off with a Syrian hamster in a petsathome own brand cage with a wheel and a little plastic hut way too small for him and then bought a flying saucer acting on the advice of the shop assistant. Once i had joined this forum and found out about the Alaska cage from Zooplus, large wheels like the 28cm Trixie wheel or the large Silent Runner, species appropriately sized houses like the ones from Rodipet or the inexpensive Ferplast guinea pig houses i use plus substrates like Kaytee clean and cozy and other suitable enrichments, my hamster's life greatly improved.