Emergency Cage Injury

[squeakylittlepaws]

Oh what an evening.

I came home from work and dumped my bag on the sofa in the lounge and then headed out to see my guinea pigs who are in a shed outside. I was only meant to be gone a few minutes but I locked my keys inside the shed and wound up spending 30 minutes trying to break into my own shed.

Then I got back inside, grabbed some dinner came back in the lounge to find my russian dwarf hamster frantically gnawing at her own arm.

Rushing over I see that she'd managed to almost weave her arm through the bars. There was blood everywhere. And her arm looked deformed.

She was in a mary ferplast. I had to take the top section of the cage off, and unscrew a ferplast shelf in order that I was able to move her body to free her arm. It took all of 60 seconds as I went into emergency mode and my adrenaline was working at a 1000mph.

Buddy didn't even flinch, she was so brave, she didn't scream or bite, and she allowed me to manipulate her body and arm out.

I gave her metacam immediately and called the emergency vet.

The vet advice was to leave her 24 hours, they essentially said, they wouldn't do anything else other than pain relief. That I need to wait 24 hours for the swelling to go down to see the extent of her injury.

Actually, it's been just 2 hours and it's gone down dramatically and she's washing, eating and walking albeit gingerly on it (although she's also climbed on top of her hidey house).

I have her in a carrier, I don't know where to keep her tonight. I don't want her climbing with it, and I'm terrified of putting her back in the cage, equally worried she's going to break out of the carrier (it's the bigger standard carrier you can buy in almost every pet store).


Is there anything else I can do? I can't believe this. I've been keeping hamsters for the best of 15 years and twice in one week I've had two require urgent vet advice!

Is there anything else I can do for her? And also, what's the standard metacam dosage? I had to fluff it! I didn't have time to start calculating.

I have the dog one and I gave her 0.5ml approx.

Thanks xx

[Pebbles82]

Goodness what a night. I'm so sorry this has happened to your little ham. I'm afraid I don't know Metacam doses. If you've already given a dose I would leave it now until tomorrow and someone else might advise in the morning. I'm not sure what to suggest for protecting the arm either. I assume as there was blood everywhere, it is an open wound, so will need bathing to clean it. A tiny bit of salt dissolved in water (I find it easiest to dissolve it in a very small amount of boiling water, then add lots of cold water until it is tepid - ie only very slightly warm). Not too salty or it will sting a lot. Maybe 1/4 teaspoon for a litre of water at a guess. It's a shame we can't put little bandages on hamsters to keep a wound clean, but we can't because they will chew them. After it has been bathed, the salt should help it be clean and heal. But of course bits of substrate will stick to it. Maybe put a bit of antiseptic cream on the open wound - it will be sticky but will protect the wound from getting infected by bits of substrate as it will make a barrier. Something like a pet antiseptic cream if you have one. If not I should think something like Savlon or Germolene would be ok, but I'm not an expert on this. With it happening at night it's difficult to stop her being active. Maybe take the wheel out and remove anything high she could fall off if she tries to do 3 legged climbing - eg remove ladders from shelves and so on, so she has to stay at ground level. I doubt she will try and climb bars with 3 legs. In the morning you could put her in the pet carrier with a little house and a big pile of torn up toilet paper and let her nest and sleep in there, where you can keep an eye on her. Like a hospital bed kind of! Hope that helps.

[racinghamster]

How is Buddy today? What a fright this must have been for both of you. I hope she`s okay and doesn't need to see a vet, but if her arm is in any way limp or you feel it`s still swollen, it won`t hurt to let a vet check him out and to advise on the way forward. Might also be worth looking at a tank-style cage like a Zoozone 1 to prevent further climbing or bar exposure. I`ve always used a Gabber Rex tank, only available now second hand but the same size as a Zoozone 1 and never had any problems. Fab caging for dwarf hamsters. Or indeed, you could look into making a Bin cage, but those usually are best with a wire front added, so the Zoozone tank would save you the work. x

[squeakylittlepaws]

I realised with the metacam dose I got it completely wrong! The actually syringe is 1ml - so 0.5ml would be ALOT - it was more like 0.05ml.

So on the smallest animal syring, it was just below the half way of the first 0.1ml.

Anyways, she's fine this morning, so I didn't give her too much.

I kept her in the carrier over night and she's in there today while I'm in work. She has her house and a water bottle we've managed to put up in there, food, and fresh bedding. Obviously she isn't very pleased about being in there, but I need her to rest her arm.

The swelling has come right down, thankfully. And she's walking on it. It's obviously sore for her, but I think she will make a full recovery, as long as it doesn't get infected.

Thanks for your responses. I've never had a cage injury before. She loves climbing the bars. I think she'd be so upset in a tank. I've never really liked tanks but I've got to do something.

My boyfriend said after all these years this is the first hamster that's had an accident and accidents do happen - but I don't know if I can put her back in the Mary cage and I don't have another cage at the moment. I can buy one but how fast can I get it? I can't leave her in the carrier for another night!

Arghhh I'm stressing.

[herbi7]

How awful for u and her! I'm glad she seems a lot better, good u had the metacam on hand. I would be surprised if she makes the same mistake twice tbh, u may find she is more cautious climbing bars than she used to be. My Syrian is a great climber and altho she is still in a barred cage as she loves it, I decided if she ever needed a tank style I would cover it with safe ramps and ladders and other things for her to climb. U can get a string and wood climbing wall type thing in.p@h it might be safer to hang some of those about that she can climb but it can't actually trap her

[Pebbles82]

Tomorrow! The perfect dwarf hamster cage on one day delivery is here!

Ferplast Maxi Duna Multy Guinea Pig and Rabbit Cage, 99 x 51.5 x 36 cm, Grey: Amazon.co.uk: Pet Supplies (http://www.amazon.co.uk/Ferplast-Maxi-Multy-Guinea-Rabbit/dp/B00F5ZZ2R6/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1443088307&sr=8-1&keywords=Ferplast+Maxi+duna+multy)

It's back in stock on Amazon and they have improved the packaging as there had been complaints of breakages in transit. Latest reviews say packing is very good.

Yes the smaller Zoozone 1 would be fine as well but would be a bit smaller than she is used to I think with the Mary. And - the extra space could be used very creatively - and be such a fun place that she won't even care she doesn't have bars.

TBH solid sided cages are supposed to be much safer for dwarf hamsters, for these kind of reasons. I know Rach K has a few dwarf hamsters and I saw her set up - they are all in duna tanks or duna type tanks and she said she gave up on cages because the dwarf hamsters try and climb the bars and have falls and injuries.

Only thing is it is £77. There's also the Kerry Terrarium but that's only from Zooplus and could take a week to get to you.

I had to do this once - I ordered a cage from Amazon about 1am to get there next day when Charlie started getting stuck in tubes in his Rotostak set up (I didn't know they were rubbish when I got it!). It did take him about 10 days to settle into it, but on day 10 he was happy as larry exploring and having fun.

Safety first and she will get used to it and enjoy it in different ways. You can transfer everything over from the Mary - all the bedding and contents and keep them in similar positions. You can't put a shelf in the Maxi Duna but you could have a platform or a flat roofed house as a platform. And plenty of space for a couple of extra toys and some treat rolls to make up for the change.

Here are a couple of set ups in it for dwarf hamsters.

This one has space for a labyrinth house as well as a wheel and a flying saucer and toys and tubes

http://www.hamstercentral.com/community/487108-post144.html

The same setup is on this page, plus another one in a Zoozone 2 which is the same size but the top needs meshing on the Zoozone as it's about 2cm. The Maxi Duna bar spacing on top is fine - less than 1cm.

http://www.hamstercentral.com/community/housing/37424-lets-see-your-cages-january-2013-a-15.html

This one is for a Syrian but you can see how a similar set up would work for a dwarf hamster

http://www.hamstercentral.com/community/housing/50773-maxi-duna-multy-has-arrived.html

You could get a Zoozone 2 a bit cheaper, but it's not much cheaper, would take a few days to get there and the top would need meshing.

The Ferplast Maxi Duna Multy would be a fantastic home for your little one - some people even have a whole detolf for a dwarf hamster (166cm long). The more space, the more hidey places and bridges and levels you can put in for her to do a wee bit of climbing safely.

[racinghamster]

Great links and advice from Serendipity for you regarding the tank-style caging. Believe me, your hamster wouldn`t be unhappy in one. Human owners always seem to place that view when in fact, the tank style caging offers the same or similar floor space without the worry of bar chewing or climbing. Floor footage is far more important to a hamster than height and they will obviously climb bars if given the choice and most do!

Do you have a Bin/storage box in the house? The ones Poundstretcher and Tesco and other outlets sell for storage? One of those with the lid off for a few days would be good until you can get another cage. Better than the carrier and usually cost about a fiver/seven pounds and won`t go to waste as you could use it for storage or a spare bin for clean outs. :)

Sell the Mary and get some cash back. ;) x

[Pebbles82]

The Maxi Duna is also futureproof! Good for Syrians and dwarfs.

[racinghamster]

Very good point Serendipity. These cages are what you might call Universal due to their size, safety and housing all hamster species. So it`s money well spent I feel. x

[squeakylittlepaws]

thanks so much for taking the time to write your post serendipity! I'm sold, that looks like an awesome cage when you see it set out like that.

It was only the other day I responded to a post saying I didn't like the tank cages (that's karma for you!).

I will get it ordered this evening.

Is there anyway of putting a shelf up in there? and which shelf would I need to buy? I know the other duna's come with shelves, so you can create some levels and things.

[squeakylittlepaws]

Oh and good idea racinghamster - I do have some bin storages - they're all in use but will see what I can do. I'm sure I can sort something out :)

[racinghamster]

Great. :) As for shelving, yes, it`s not an issue. You could make a shelf either from using a spare Ferplast mini Duna cage plastic shelf and lodging it into the same central gaps between the top and the base of your new cage and put a cardboard shoe box under the other end as a sleeping house. Nice and roomy, no floor in it and free from any show shop! ;) Run one of these Trixie log bendy bridges up each end and there you go! This is how my shelf is and even though it sags a bit, Chubs doesn`t bother with the details of his interior!!!

Or indeed, you could find a piece of plywood from a DIY store or somewhere that uses it and a thin off-cut could be used and wooden stumps nailed onto each corner from wooden pegs or anything you feel will be good to use as legs. The shelf should only be around five inches off the cage floor for safety reasons. Or just a little higher than an up-turned shoe box to fit underneath.

How is wee Buddy doing now? I`m sure she will settle into her new cage well and rummage around for ages, which might take her mind off what`s happened to her. Hamsters are hardy little creatures. x

[Pebbles82]

thanks so much for taking the time to write your post serendipity! I'm sold, that looks like an awesome cage when you see it set out like that.

It was only the other day I responded to a post saying I didn't like the tank cages (that's karma for you!).

I will get it ordered this evening.

Is there anyway of putting a shelf up in there? and which shelf would I need to buy? I know the other duna's come with shelves, so you can create some levels and things.

Great! I'm sure she will love it. You could have a flat roofed house as a shelf - like the Trixie Leif labyrinth house in the link for one of the set ups. Hams seem to love labyrinth houses. If you don't fancy diy or making something then Rodipet make excellent free-standing shelves/platforms with legs - I can link them as our internet is off today so am using a very slow dongle! Also Trixie make a free-standing platform that looks like a kind of table. The rodipet website is Nagerzubehr & Nagerfutter - Rodipet (http://www.rodipet.de)

I use google translate to translate things. Postage to uk is £7. They also do some really good flat roofed houses as well, with lift off roofs! You could also maybe 'build' a level in one corner with some stones, or have a sandblasted vine branch propped between the base of the cage to near the top. I got a 30cm one of these from rodipet (the ones on Amazon seemed too big) and Charlie loves it - he climbs up it, sits on it and hides under it. I think flat roofed houses make good levels though. With a bendy bridge for access.

[Pebbles82]

Internet is back on!

Trixie Natural Living Shelter, 30 x 22 x 25 cm: Amazon.co.uk: Pet Supplies (http://www.amazon.co.uk/Trixie-Natural-Living-Shelter-30/dp/B000WFCFNI/ref=pd_sim_sbs_199_14?ie=UTF8&refRID=05QJKEE295KHRFZ9SX7X)

Trixie 6201 Natural Living Leif Labyrinth House 35 11 25 cm: Amazon.co.uk: Pet Supplies (http://www.amazon.co.uk/Trixie-6201-Natural-Living-Labyrinth/dp/B000OLZIWU/ref=sr_1_1?s=pet-supplies&ie=UTF8&qid=1443180589&sr=1-1&keywords=Leif+house)

Rodipet® VARIO ECKETAGE mit Rampe (Zubehör) (http://www.rodipet.de/shop/zubehoer/rodipet-vario-ecketage-mit-rampe.html)

Rodipet® VARIO ECKETAGE XXL (rechts) mit Rampe (Zubehör) (http://www.rodipet.de/shop/zubehoer/rodipet-vario-ecketage-xxl-rechts-mit-rampe.html)

House, ramp, platform, bottle holder and food bar all in one.

Rodipet® Futterbar XXL 5in1 (Häuser) (http://www.rodipet.de/shop/haeuser/rodipet-futterbar-xxl-5in1.html)

[squeakylittlepaws]

Thanks for responses. Not had time to update. But just a quick one to say Buddy has been to the vet and been given the all clear.
No infection/no break. Probably slightly sore but she's 100% fine.

Binky on the other hand not such good news but will update her thread this evening. Its entitled lump!

[Pebbles82]

So glad Buddy has the all clear! Did your Maxi Duna arrive?!! Will check out Binky's thread.