Escape Night!! - Possibly more babies!!

[Tammy22]

Hi Everyone,

i came back from shopping at about 2pm today and went into the hamster shed for the first time time today, as i had left early this morning. The first thing i notice is Panda's cage:




She has actually bitten through a very thick piece of lead which my husband pop riveted on a few months ago!! She had her babies in this cage and has lived in there happily since they were weaned, and now this!!

I found Panda in a glass tank which has three of her female babies in it!! Luckily, none of them had any injuries, and luckily it was the female babies and not the male babies!!


I then realised that my new Sable female was not in her cage - she had escaped too and i found her in my new Cream male's tank

First of all, i havent got a clue how she escaped from her own bin cage - she has been in it since i bought her home and has never escaped before this - the only thing i can think is that she was in season and was adamant to escape and maybe she has grown slightly since coming here and now she can reach to get out!

Secondly, she has completely bypassed several cages which housed male and female syrians, and somehow got into the glass tank with the new syrian male - the only way i can see she has done it is to climb the shed wall - as this is the only tank that was close to the shed wall - and there was no other way into the tank (except to climb the glass sides!)

I got her out and checked her over, and the male, and none of them have any injuries, but she did have what seems to be a 'mucus plug'?? i think that it what it is called - so it looks like she may be pregnant

I am completely devastated , and once they were both put in safe cages i sat down and just cried. She is only 9 weeks old today, so i am guessing i have completely ruined her and stunted her growth (if she is pregnant - which i am sure she is), the babies probably wont suvive, she might not survive, there are so many reasons why this is just so wrong

I cant believe this has happened, especially after i have been so careful since Panda's accidental litter.

I have been feeding both the new hamsters with plenty of high protein food to build them up and now it all seems such a waste - i have completely let her down with being so careless! - but i really didnt think anything like this could have happened, i really have been so careful

I think i am going to forget Syrian breeding and stick to breeding Roborovskis - this really is more than i can take - i just feel so angry at myself and so annoyed too - i also feel kind of deflated - as i was so looking forward to letting her mate when the time was right and she was the correct age and weight etc. - and now everything is all ruined

I just don't know what to fo the best now - i have completely changed my whole shed around since i got back today - all of the syrians are now in glass tanks which they CANNOT escape from!!

I am worried about the new Sable female, and worried about Panda as she may have swallowed some lead - lead poisoning?? I just don't know what got into them both?!! It was so strange that they both escaped on the same night - i think it's obvious that the Sable female was in season, even though she is so young, as she climbed into the males tank, but how can Panda be in season again!! when she is so old??

I am so confused and very depressed right now, i just dont know what to do fo the best

Tammy x

[Bunsey]

Oh Tammy, how awful. Poor sable girl. 9 weeks. that's not good. The babies may well be fine though, they won't neccessarily die. yes it will likely stunt her growth and she'll not be a show ham now, but she won't necessarily die.

that lead chewing is unbelieveable! He-Man Ham!

there's no reason to give up on Syrians though. just have stronger cages.

[internet_nobody]

Oh my god, did she eat the lead?? I hope she is OK, lead poisoning can be really bad in people :S

Poor sable girl, I hope she's not preggers too.

[Bunsey]

she had a mucus plug though. sounds preg to me... well, a mating took place anyway. you're lucky she's in heat else one would've been dead

[Tammy22]

Thanks for the comments,

Yes, it is lucky she was on heat, but i done't think she would have escaped if she wasnt in heat - it some determination to get out of that bin cage! and she also managed to get into the male syrian cage which involved climbing the shed wall!! so i think it was because she was in heat that this happened

Tammy x

[Holly]

Well Tammy, firstly don't panic. Yes, being pregnant at 9 weeks is absolutely not great - but a great many young hamsters are mis-sexed and end up having litters (usually with a brother) at this age and, if she's fed well and kept nice and quiet, she may well be able to raise them - I've heard of lots of young hamsters raising a litter. Yes it will likely affect her growth somewhat I'd have thought but I don't know much about that.

As for the lead, I don't know - as IN says lead poisoning if very serious in humans, I think you need to speak to a vet.

[Noodles]

I'm sorry to hear you were so upset Tammy

I think you should take Panda to the vets - I believe that in dogs the symptoms are vomiting, stomach pains, and funny turns and in children, even a little can cause brain damage I think but I'm obviously not sure what would happen to rodents.
But has she actually eaten it or just chewed through? I think they would know not to eat it wouldn't they?

I don't know about pregnancy issues but my friend was sold a pregnant hamster once and it was fine and raised the babies. I presume she wouldn't have been any older than yours.

I hope everything works out OK and you are feeling a bit better - they are determined little critters that's for sure!!

[Jessalina]

Is it possible to get a 'morning after' injection from your vet? I'm sure I've heard of this being used on rats after accidental matings. Might be worth looking into for your girl
I do hope Panda will be alright.

[Tammy22]

Thanks for all your comments,

I have spoken to the vets who said that it is highly unlikely that Panda has actually swallowed any lead, although she could have accidentally swallowed a tiny amount.

They also said that if she has swallowed even a tiny amount then it would probably affect her quite a lot and she would already be showing symptoms as she was out all night.

I have to keep a very close eye on her and if i see any slight difference in her behaviour then i need to take her to the emergency vet immediately - so far so good, she doesnt seem to be acting any different - she is still eating and drinking, running in her wheel and grooming herself, so fingers crossed that she is going to be ok.

Tammy x

[Bunsey]

it sounds like she be ok

the trouble is, hams can't vomit