Can anyone please help me as i am worried

RalphandEmma · 08-17-2011, 07:22 AM

Hi

I cleared out my little jamie oliver's hamster heaven cage last night and sat watching him carry all his food and bedding up to his penthouse

He happily emptied his food out and went back for more and more lol

Then he started with his bedding (we use the cotton wool type) and as i watched him take this out of his pouches i had to turn away as i fealt sick

It seemed to me like what looked like his tongue or something long and thin and pinkish colour was stuck onto some of the bedding and he was trying to pull it off and made me feel quite ill watching him

My partner sat and watched him and eventually went back inside

He seemed to think that it was his pouch not his tongue but it was more of a long pipe type thing than a pouch

Please help as i am worried about him, but he does seem ok now and did straight after

It may have happened before but i have never witnessed it

Also does anyone have any tips on taming them as i want to pick him up but im afraid of being bitten

My partner tried to pick him up soon after we had him and got bitten and we havent tried since

Amethyst_ice · 08-17-2011, 07:47 AM

Hello and welcome,

Firstly, the cotton wool type bedding can be very dangerous to hamsters and i suggest you remove and bin it and replace with shredded cheap tissue. Hamsters will pouch bedding (as you have seen) but it can get swallowed and wrapped around the internal organs. It is a mistake many (including myself) new owners make as pet stores still won't accept there is an issue. Several hammies on this forum have been lost to it.

It sounds like some has got stuck on his tongue but hopefully he will have removed it himself.

Check out the wiki for taming tips

x

LoveMyHams · 08-17-2011, 09:02 AM

I recommend a bedding like carefresh for hamsters (in europe I believe you have more options that are similar). As amethyst said, the wool type is dangerous and should be removed immediately.

RalphandEmma · 08-17-2011, 09:55 AM

thank you for your advice, we will remove this wool type bedding and get him some other as soon as we can =)

**Hope** · 08-17-2011, 10:18 AM

Yes the cotton wool bedding is quite dangerous stuff, I hate the way that they market it as 'safe', the manafactures just refuse to listen though

I use the shredded j cloth type bedding and ripped up cheap value loo roll, it makes a lovely cosy nest and is much safer for them.

As for taming tips Iwould recommend that you pick him up useing his ball or a box and take him somewhere safe where there is no means of escape, I reccomend the bath tub, empty of course! Get in with him and let him have a crawl about and a sniff, chat to him and get him used to your voice. Try gently stroking his back if he seems ok and not too stressed. Repeat this every day and build up to picking him up, scooping is beat using two hands, but in the bath he cant escape up the sides, so dont be to worried if he squims away at first. And basically the more you do it the more confident he will get and thwn you wont need the tub and you will be able to pick him up straight out of his cage

RalphandEmma · 08-17-2011, 12:35 PM

thank you hope that is very useful

we have removed the wool bedding just now when he came out of his penthouse and we have given him some soft cardboard which he is happily making into a new bed as i type =)

souffle · 08-17-2011, 12:54 PM

I would write to the manufacturer and advise them that your hamster nearly choked and damaged his tongue on the stuff. I have heard of hamster choking on this, losing limbs as it wraps around them and the circulation is cut off and also having it block their bowels up.
Ripped up loo roll is perfect for them we find. The cheaper the better!
Glad to hear he is OK now though x