How Nervous is too Nervous?

[greysome]

Hi all,

I took in two robos today and while for the most part, they seem healthy (weighing in at 20 and 24 grams), there is one who has one eye larger than the other. I decided yesterday I was going to immediately house both in separate bin cages to get rid of any chance of them fighting but after taking them on, decided to leave them together as both seemed to take comfort in being together. As in when one went to one side of the cage and the other realized they were alone, there were pips and squeaks until they were together again. And I'm a bit annoyed while thinking its the cutest thing that despite having two wheels, they choose to run on both wheels together, alternating between them (although as they had one wheel in their old home, that may be habit?)

My concern is how nervous they are. I know robos are known for their shyness but these two shake at just the sight of me. I'm not sure if this is because I'm new or if they do this to everyone, but it gets especially worse when one is separated from the other, particularly in the one I thought was being bullied. I was planning on taking her (I checked and I have two girls) to the vet to get her eye checked out but she shook so bad when I had her in the jar to check her gender that I was honestly afraid she might end up having a heart attack of something. She stopped shaking so badly as soon as I had her in the cage with her sister (I assume?) but went right back at it when I went to check on her sister and she couldn't see/find her. Neither were very happy about this and I think I may have been squeakily admonished by her sister, who also shook but not quite so badly.

Her eye does look better at last check, the one that was smaller seems to be opened a bit more within an hour of my getting her (the entirety which was spent in her carrier) and more so after two so I think maybe she was bothered by her bedding in the original home (it looked like carefresh although I'm not sure--I don't remember carefresh being so clumpy) as her eye was already starting to look a bit better by the time I got her home and the only thing I could think different from the cage in the carrier was the bedding (I had them on a mix of aspen and clean and cozy). Should I still take her to the vet to get her eye checked to be safe or am I worrying for nothing as her eye already seems to be getting better on its own?

I know people here use carefresh with no problem whatsoever so I'm concerned it may not be the bedding, especially as her sister was fine on it, but with her eye appearing to get better on its own and seemingly quickly too, I don't know what to think exactly. Her eye also looked like this in the picture posted on the ad though I wasn't sure if it was the case or if maybe it was the angle. She's been in her nest sleeping for the past few hours so I haven't had the chance to check in and see if her eye is better or worse or simply haven't had any further changes. Should I take her to the vet? And are both my hammies super nervous or just regular nervous? I have no problem with them being look and no touch pets but I want to make sure it's because it's better for them and not a case of them being petrified of me or people.

[NiceCrocs]

You've had them for less than a day, correct? Of course they're nervous and shaky right now, moving is terribly stressful for hamsters. Give them the same isolation period that you'd give any other hamster (2-3 days, keep room dim and quiet, and leave them completely alone except to refill food and water. Don't even approach the cage otherwise and especially don't pick them up) and they'll likely calm down.

The eye sounds like it could be a small infection or injury, which hamsters can usually recover from on their own, just keep an eye on it. If it starts getting worse again then you ought to ask a vet :)

[cypher]

Great to hear that you did get them!
I agree with NiceCrocs, they have been through quite a stressful time & need a while to settle into their new home. Then just begin to let them get to know you really slowly.
Hopefully her eye will settle down ok on it's own, so just try to keep a watch on it without disturbing her unless it seems to get any worse.

[Thin Lizzy]

Hi Greysome, give them both time, they obviously rely on each other which is so sweet.
I agree with NiceCrocs and Cypher about keeping an eye on her eye, maybe bathe it with lukewarm water on cottonwool.
Good on you getting them!
Have you thought of names?

[greysome]

NiceCrocs-- I had planned on leaving them alone completely originally but since I decided to house them together, I wanted to make sure both were the same gender (the original owner didn't know what gender(s) they were) and as they were already in the jar, I figured I'd weigh them. It's crazy how tiny robos are! I mean, I knew they were tiny, but it's different reading it and knowing that their ~2-2.5" and then actually seeing it! I was relieved the find their weight in the normal range for robos as I wasn't sure if they were the 'correct' size or not by sight (thus, the weigh in). I am glad to hear the shaking is likely not anything to be concerned about though.

They've been left alone since the weigh-in with the exception of once this evening when I heard a screech from their cage and was worried a fight had broken out or something. Turns out it was their wheel. I have them in my room which has light-blocking curtains and is the darkest room at all times now due to that and the acoustic foam I covered one of the windows with. I am leaving them in their lil corner and pretty much on their own otherwise. The eye from what I saw really quickly when I fixed the wheel is the same as it was earlier (that is, better than originally but the same as before she burrowed down and took her nap)

cypher-- Yup, I got 'em and am convinced that their original owner should never have pets. I'll keep an eye on the one's lil eye. I'm really hoping it's something that'll heal on it's own as I don't relish the idea of separating them to bring one to the vet. The squeaks and pips are...well, the squeaks are kinda sad for me to hear and the pips I think are rather cute (I may have literally gone, "Aawww..." in the car when I realized what was happening)

Thin Lizzy- I'm so relieved to have been wrong about the bullying. I think it was likely a bad photo and then with the eye... I checked what cottonwool was (here we call 'em cotton balls) and am glad to see it's not something we don't really have here. As for names--I'm thinking Pip and Squeak (the one with the eye, who is mostly white is the main squeaker) or Patch and Puck. Patch, I will admit, would be named partially because of her patches and also because with her eye, I kinda think of her as running about with an eye patch.

[cypher]

I'm going Awwww right now lol! I know what you mean by seeing just how tiny they are, I nearly got one earlier this year but totally lost my bottle when I tried to hold him! They sound incredibly cute, I hope it all goes well with them settling in, keep us posted!
I like both sets of names too btw.

[Skeever]

Patch could be a sensitive issue to a poor hammy who may have a congenital eye defect from birth. Pip and Squeak for the win!!!

I mean, would you call a three legged hamster 'tripod'? :p

[Shannonmcn]

Patch could be a sensitive issue to a poor hammy who may have a congenital eye defect from birth. Pip and Squeak for the win!!!

I mean, would you call a three legged hamster 'tripod'? :p

I probably would! I think that's super cute :3

I like Patch and Puck :) congrats on your new buddies greysome! I don't know a thing about robos but they sound adorable, looking forward to pictures when they've settled in! :)

[Thin Lizzy]

Greysome, I love the names Pip and Squeak!

[kyrilliondaemon]

I mean, would you call a three legged hamster 'tripod'? :p

I'm sure I know someone who did that actually... :p

Anyway, greysome if you do take the one to the vets take her friend with her for company on the journey, it reduces stress for both of them and tends to minimise the risk of the vet visit causing problems in the relationship too :)

[greysome]

cypher-- oooh I'm not sure if I'm ever gonna be comfortable holding them! Lol, I'm just hoping to get them comfortable enough to come to me.

Skeever-- But I'll tell 'er Patch is so named for her color pattern! And of course I wouldn't name a three-legged hammie "Tripod"--I'd name 'im Podtri (pronounced Podtry)

Shanonmcn-- I'm looking forward to when they're comfortable enough to have pics taken as well! Lol--I figure name wise, I'm just gonna wait until I know them better. I like both sets of names so I'll just see which fits better

kyrilliondaemon-- I'll probably do that (taking both to the vet) if a vet visit is in order. I haven't seen that particular hammie today (at least not his front--I saw his butt go down his burrow for his sleep earlier)

[greysome]

Ugh :( Sadly, I did have to separate the two. I'm wondering now if the move made them fight (well, really Puck fight Patch) or if the stress of it actually made it temporarily stop. However, a couple of hours ago, Patch was drinking from one of the water bottles and Puck was not having it. I think the lovey-dovey in the beginning may have been a sticking close to the familiar at first.

[cypher]

That's sad but I guess there's no knowing what causes them to kick off & they often sleep together & act lovey dovey after fighting, just glad to hear you caught them in time & I'm sure they'll both live their separate lives quite happily now they have a good home.

[DrKMcK]

It happens. You gave them the chance to see if they could stay together. You can't do more than that. At least they are in a safe place and will have a good life with you. :-)

[Thin Lizzy]

Good as gold all the way to their new home and then fall out over the water. If it had been porridge - it would've been so weird!

[kyrilliondaemon]

Yeah it happens. Sometimes the stress of a new home can upset them, othertimes its a mystery - our hybrid pair fell out with no warning recently and we've no idea what caused it.
At least you tried :)