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Pebbles82 · 04-27-2022, 08:00 AM

Great idea. I adjust their cages when I first notice back leg weakness, which can happen as they get older. With Charlie it was when he tried to climb off his shelf into his sputnik and fell back again. He looked very surprised and tried again but his back legs were too weak (or possibly arthritic). He still sped about on the flat for another 8 months but it was the time to have everything one level in his cage and no levels he could fall off.

The other thing I watch out for when they get very old is tripping out of the wheel. So I moved his wheel so it was directly level with the substrate so he could get in and out easily. Some wheels have more of an edge to trip on than others.

Yes their nails grow too long as they get older and are less active and not wearing them down so much. Needs keeping an eye on as they can injure themselves grooming, or the nails can start to curve up and they can't keep their grip on things.

There are lots of suggestions on here for clipping nails! I had the vet do them the first time so I knew what to do. The key is to only snip off the very very tip. So you don't cut the quick (which can be painful and bleed a lot). Obviously as the nails are long you're not taking much off that way but you just take off the very tip fairly regularly until gradually they are not too long.'

Some people stand them on mesh and do it from underneath. I do the (slow) way of snipping the odd one when they're out of the cage and noshing on a tasty snack so not aware what you're doing. It's slow because you maybe only get one or two nails done in each session!

Losing weight and getting bonier is fairly normal. Checking teeth aren't too long is important or they can't open their mouths properly to eat. But usually even if the teeth aren't too long, they need soft food supplementing as they get older as may have tooth ache and avoid eating their hard mix (hence losing weight as well). But still putting hard hamster mix out as well so they still have normal habits (pouching and hoarding it) and they may eat the odd little bit of it.

I think their personalities are rather lovely when they're older. They become more calm and patient with us!

04-27-2022, 08:00 AM
Pebbles82 Hamster Antics Join Date: Sep 2014 Posts: 23,533	Re: Senior hamsters Great idea. I adjust their cages when I first notice back leg weakness, which can happen as they get older. With Charlie it was when he tried to climb off his shelf into his sputnik and fell back again. He looked very surprised and tried again but his back legs were too weak (or possibly arthritic). He still sped about on the flat for another 8 months but it was the time to have everything one level in his cage and no levels he could fall off. The other thing I watch out for when they get very old is tripping out of the wheel. So I moved his wheel so it was directly level with the substrate so he could get in and out easily. Some wheels have more of an edge to trip on than others. Yes their nails grow too long as they get older and are less active and not wearing them down so much. Needs keeping an eye on as they can injure themselves grooming, or the nails can start to curve up and they can't keep their grip on things. There are lots of suggestions on here for clipping nails! I had the vet do them the first time so I knew what to do. The key is to only snip off the very very tip. So you don't cut the quick (which can be painful and bleed a lot). Obviously as the nails are long you're not taking much off that way but you just take off the very tip fairly regularly until gradually they are not too long.' Some people stand them on mesh and do it from underneath. I do the (slow) way of snipping the odd one when they're out of the cage and noshing on a tasty snack so not aware what you're doing. It's slow because you maybe only get one or two nails done in each session! Losing weight and getting bonier is fairly normal. Checking teeth aren't too long is important or they can't open their mouths properly to eat. But usually even if the teeth aren't too long, they need soft food supplementing as they get older as may have tooth ache and avoid eating their hard mix (hence losing weight as well). But still putting hard hamster mix out as well so they still have normal habits (pouching and hoarding it) and they may eat the odd little bit of it. I think their personalities are rather lovely when they're older. They become more calm and patient with us!