Can i start taming him yet?

[sparklyfluff]

I got our new hamster (who we have called Custard) on Sunday, the first day & night he barely came out really, just slept mostly and the one time he did come out he just stuffed his pouches and went back to bed with it all. Yesterday evening he came out of his bed and had a drink, eat, wash and played in his wheel for a while but tonight so far he's just not for coming out again but i feel really i need to start taming now.

It's been 7 years since i had my last hamster so i can't remember how they were as babies really. So is it mean of me to get him out of his bed if he doesn't want to? My children are desperate to see him awake so i'd like him tame as soon as i can really.

[souffle]

I would start now. Here is a link to our Taming Tips article. I would start taming him two or three times a day while the kids are at school and allow them in on the evening session but under supervision.
http://www.hamstercentral.com/wiki/Taming_tips
You definitly need to get him out to check he is well enough if he is in bed all the time.
Follow the guide and see how it goes. You can also take him in the dry bath if you want to be sure he does not escape. get in with him and allow him to walk over you.
Custard is a great name. Our hamstery is called 'Custard Hamstery'
www.custardhamstery.piczo.com (http://www.custardhamstery.piczo.com)

[sparklyfluff]

I got him out in his ball today and around his bum looked wet, not dirty just wet, so now obviously now i'm a little concerned about wet tail. In himself apart from not coming out much his coat condition is good and he seems nice and alert when he is out, the poo's which seem to be mostly in his bed are all hard, there is the odd mishapen one but even those are hard. Do you think it's something to worry about?

I rang P@H with my concerns and they said to take him in tomorrow if i think it is and they can treat him for it but i wouldn't like to stress him out further with another journey if it's not likely to be that.

[souffle]

If it is just wet he has likely just pee'd in his bed and sat in it!
Wet tail is very distinctive in that he will smell really bad. The botty is not just wet but covered in runny poo and the hamster will be quite poorly.
I would not take him back to the shop even if he had wet tail as it is better to nurse him at home.
If you have nice solid poo's and he seems well don't worry. I expect he wet himself as he was a bit scared. Now you have got him out in the ball, get him in the bath with you and let him crawl out over you. Smooth him down with your hand, then pick up and lay down gradually working up to the lift and run through your hands,
I hope he is well. If he does have the runs though don't hesitate and see a vet asap.

[sparklyfluff]

Hi, yes i think you were right, unfortunately though i ended up in hospital last Thursday and have only just got out so as yet he still hasn't been handled properly - eek! Really need to start now before i leave it too late. Thanks for getting back to me :)

[souffle]

Oh dear sparklyfluff. Hope you are OK after your hospital stay. I am sure once you get down to taming he will be fine. Good luck

[sparklyfluff]

I got him out and saw his bum is now dirty too :( he has been seen by a vet today and they have confirmed wet tail although it's not as severe as it could be, just keeping our fingers crossed that the meds work though and he gets better.

Once they have had it once though are they likely to get it again after they have recovered?

[souffle]

Oh no how awful sparklyfluff. It is very easy for hamsters to contract wet tail when the move to a new home. It is very hard to pull a hamster through wet tail. If the bowel has been damaged they may always be delicate and it can recur. I hope the meds help him and he pulls through. Where did he come from sparklyfluff?

[loyal_tree]

She mentioned she called P@H with concerns initially, I'd imagine he might be from there. Oh poor baby, I really hope he pulls through. Please let us know how Custard is getting on.

[sparklyfluff]

Yep he came from pets at home, first animal i've ever had off them, previously i used to get my hamsters from a small local pet shop but they don't exist anymore, i tried a few local breeders but no nearby ones were having litters right now.

It's also them who are treating him now, when we phoned up again they said oh you can bring him back in and swap him if you like - can you believe that!! I don't want him swapped, i want him made better, although sadly that attitude didn't surprise me.

Anyway they just told us what the vet has said and have said they need to keep him whilst he's treated and that we can go in and see him, it's not ideal but as i don't really want to stress him out further i don't want to have to move him back and forth so it's what we are having to do, just having to keep out fingers crossed.

[souffle]

There have been an awful lot of reports of wet tail and other problems lately from here. I hope he pulls through with the treatment. Fingers crossed but I emphasise it is very hard to pull them back. Where are you in the country sparklyfluff?

[sparklyfluff]

Well since this having looked on various sites i've found quite a lot of posts from people who have had hamsters from p@h who have got wet tail and died not long after getting them, i know that generally they don't survive from it though, i'm hoping because he wasn't that bad when it was caught he will recover ok but we will see i guess. We are in the north west.

[sparklyfluff]

Just thought i'd update, we went in to see him yesterday and he looks worse than when we took him in :( , he's lost weight, he's walking around all hunched up and is just not happy at all, so i'm not as optimistic as i was. The lady looking after him still thinks he has a chance, she says they get quite a few with it (is that worrying??) and she's seen a lot far worse than him although a lot have to be pts. I guess time will tell, they do seem to be trying with him though.

[souffle]

Poor little fella he is having a hard time. They are giving him their best try which is nice though. Sometimes the bowel becomes so badly damaged that even if the infection is gone they do not absorb food well and do not thrive. Fingers crossed he feels a lot better very soon.
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