Hamster Central - View Single Post - Helping a hamster stay comfy nearing end of life?

Potato · 02-13-2023, 04:17 PM

Hello, it's been a while since I've been on. I'm wondering if there's anything I can do to make what I think is my Syrian hamster's final days more comfortable?
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Details:

She's only around 1 and a half years old, but I noticed her sleeping just a bit longer or running around less once she reached the 1-year mark. I assumed it was age.

It was around early January when I noticed her stool looked kind of green? Or paler in colour at least. I searched it up and the results suggested that it could've been caused by veggies or a diet change. She was on the same food, but I did give her a bit of greens a week ago, so maybe it was that? But also, this has never happened before..

Then, around 3 weeks ago, I noticed a small lump kind of at the part where her left cheek pouch meets her shoulder. It was kind of squishy so I don't think it was food, but then it just disappeared a week later. She still ate and drank, but I've been noticing that she started to sleep more often. She wouldn't wake up to free roam anymore.

Around the beginning of February, she did start to get a bit more energetic and started free roaming again. I had to leave her for someone else to come over to watch her, and when I came back a week later, on February 12 she was really bony and weak.

She had plenty of food stored but was in the corner where she didn't store any. I don't know what happened but I think she stopped eating on her own. Her poops were small and she stayed in the same location, sleeping most of the time. I could feel her ribs and see her cheekbones

I weighed her (she used to be 128g) and she was 112g.

I read that a Syrian hamster eats around 10g every 100g of bodyweight? And that they eat a bit around every 2 hours, but mostly in the evening. So I measured out 10g of food pellets and those Vita Prima critter cubes and started gently nudging her to eat around every 2 hours, also to see if she wants to drink.

She eats and she will drink, but you have to bring the food to her and wake her up to remind her. Otherwise, I don't think she even wakes up on her own to eat or drink anymore, even though she sleeps right beside her water bottle and I've put some food around her in case she wants to... Also, she only finishes around 1/3 of the soaked food.

Last night (the day I came back) she actually did wake up in the evening to get some food herself :O but in the morning, she seemed even weaker and only weighed 111g

I don't think she's sick. She's not wheezing, there's no discharge, and I don't think she has wet tail since her stools are solid, but I suspect she's too weak to clean herself since she doesn't "fully" poop and there's some pee around her bum.

I don't know if she's in pain because she doesn't grind her teeth, or she might be too weak to do so. But I think she's nearing death. Similarly to my previous Syrian hamster, she sleeps most of the time and her breathing is quicker, even when trying to rest.
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If it is age which helped cause this decline, I'm not sure if bringing her to the vet will only cause more stress. Currently, she's in a smaller bin cage and sleeps right beside her water bottle. She's hand fed and offered water around every 2 hours during the day with those green cylinder pellets and critter cubes that are soaked. Food has been added to practically every corner (if she decides to move since she has before) and beside her. It seems she will still eat sunflower seeds on her own when offered. In the morning and at night, she's picked up because since she stopped cleaning herself, there are some poops on her and pee, so I use a tissue dipped in some warm water to wipe them off.

Is there anything else I should or should not do? Anything I should change?

Thanks (:

02-13-2023, 04:17 PM
Potato Newborn Pup Join Date: Jan 2021 Location: Canada Posts: 17	Helping a hamster stay comfy nearing end of life? Hello, it's been a while since I've been on. I'm wondering if there's anything I can do to make what I think is my Syrian hamster's final days more comfortable? ------------------ Details: She's only around 1 and a half years old, but I noticed her sleeping just a bit longer or running around less once she reached the 1-year mark. I assumed it was age. It was around early January when I noticed her stool looked kind of green? Or paler in colour at least. I searched it up and the results suggested that it could've been caused by veggies or a diet change. She was on the same food, but I did give her a bit of greens a week ago, so maybe it was that? But also, this has never happened before.. Then, around 3 weeks ago, I noticed a small lump kind of at the part where her left cheek pouch meets her shoulder. It was kind of squishy so I don't think it was food, but then it just disappeared a week later. She still ate and drank, but I've been noticing that she started to sleep more often. She wouldn't wake up to free roam anymore. Around the beginning of February, she did start to get a bit more energetic and started free roaming again. I had to leave her for someone else to come over to watch her, and when I came back a week later, on February 12 she was really bony and weak. She had plenty of food stored but was in the corner where she didn't store any. I don't know what happened but I think she stopped eating on her own. Her poops were small and she stayed in the same location, sleeping most of the time. I could feel her ribs and see her cheekbones I weighed her (she used to be 128g) and she was 112g. I read that a Syrian hamster eats around 10g every 100g of bodyweight? And that they eat a bit around every 2 hours, but mostly in the evening. So I measured out 10g of food pellets and those Vita Prima critter cubes and started gently nudging her to eat around every 2 hours, also to see if she wants to drink. She eats and she will drink, but you have to bring the food to her and wake her up to remind her. Otherwise, I don't think she even wakes up on her own to eat or drink anymore, even though she sleeps right beside her water bottle and I've put some food around her in case she wants to... Also, she only finishes around 1/3 of the soaked food. Last night (the day I came back) she actually did wake up in the evening to get some food herself :O but in the morning, she seemed even weaker and only weighed 111g I don't think she's sick. She's not wheezing, there's no discharge, and I don't think she has wet tail since her stools are solid, but I suspect she's too weak to clean herself since she doesn't "fully" poop and there's some pee around her bum. I don't know if she's in pain because she doesn't grind her teeth, or she might be too weak to do so. But I think she's nearing death. Similarly to my previous Syrian hamster, she sleeps most of the time and her breathing is quicker, even when trying to rest. ------------------ If it is age which helped cause this decline, I'm not sure if bringing her to the vet will only cause more stress. Currently, she's in a smaller bin cage and sleeps right beside her water bottle. She's hand fed and offered water around every 2 hours during the day with those green cylinder pellets and critter cubes that are soaked. Food has been added to practically every corner (if she decides to move since she has before) and beside her. It seems she will still eat sunflower seeds on her own when offered. In the morning and at night, she's picked up because since she stopped cleaning herself, there are some poops on her and pee, so I use a tissue dipped in some warm water to wipe them off. Is there anything else I should or should not do? Anything I should change? Thanks (: