Fred has started `spinning`.. - Page 2

amie · 12-10-2013, 06:12 AM

Wishing you and Fred all the best. Thinking of you both.

racinghamster · 12-10-2013, 08:11 AM

Hi guys. Thanks for your concerns and wishes, really appreciate that. DrKMck, a stroke could well be a cause but without seeing any paralysis (Fred is using all his legs and is mentally active) so I rules that out. I`m no expert though so there could be a neurological area in the brain that is sending the wrong signals to the body. Something causes this circling behaviour and I`m convinced it is brain activity of some kind.

The Baytril is more precautionary but it may help, it may not. But because I had some in the house, I thought I may as well use it up and see if it has any beneficial effects. x

Vectis Hamstery · 12-10-2013, 10:46 AM

Baytril is a good thought to try in case of ear infection. It may be worth seeing a vet to discuss steroid injections. One of my Chinese developed twirling in June following a suspected stroke and has had three steroid injections since then when the twirling gets worse which has helped for a time. My lad's still with me and still enjoying life, although he has his cage in the same layout and isn't handled much to minimise stress and reduce twirling.

Good luck to your little one.

racinghamster · 12-10-2013, 10:56 AM

Thanks for that Vectis. Steroids can be the answer sometimes, but Fred is such a wired little guy that I fear making him worse if I intervene with injections or stressful vet visits right now. My vet is good, but the fact that Fred is a little more than excitable, I want to try the Baytril route for a few days to see if it makes any difference. Putting it in his water was the only real solution, but he adores small nibblets of sweet corn, so I`m thinking about `lacing` one tonight and hope he will eat it all! I`m gong for the possible ear infection theory as he did have a very slight `lean` to the left before this mad spinning started, so I`m hoping that`s what this is rather than neurological. x

Clairealex · 12-10-2013, 02:15 PM

I've become a master at lacing antibiotics in treats recently! Seems to be the only way to get antibiotics into Chubs at all.

I do hope it's an ear infection and hopefully when the baytril kicks in you'll see an improvement.

Biscotti · 12-10-2013, 05:12 PM

Poor Fred, I hope the baytril will help. Sending him lots of good vibes.

I don't know if you've also seen this, but in the follow up thread from your link there was the idea that regular vitamin B12 supplement seems to help with the spinning. There was also one other user on that site that used B12 supplement for her spinning robo with good effect, so it seems like it may be something to try.

racinghamster · 12-11-2013, 04:33 AM

I missed that article about the B12 and brewers yeast so many thanks for this Biscotti, really appreciate it.

I`m convinced that Fred`s spinning is behavioural/neurological and antibiotics won`t be the answer. He does control his spinning and sleeps well, eats/drinks and sits still whenever he wishes, so it could be that he has some sort of hyperactivity behaviour, or indeed, a deficiency that may be helped by the B12. Something I will be looking into. he`s still behaving like this but mainly more active during the night when he`s more intent of going a bit spin cycle mad! During the day, it`s not near as bad. x

TraceyH · 12-11-2013, 04:42 AM

Well, I hope he recovers and has a happy life for a good while yet now he's got a great cage and homelife.

**Pompompoms** · 12-11-2013, 01:52 PM

Hi RH,

I do have a little spinner, but it is a different set of circumstances as he span from birth, well from two weeks as soon as he was out and about. I feel with Tinker that he was the last in a large litter of eight and had Tallulah not been so healthy and well fed he may well have been still born or not survived as he was so tiny and wobbly for his first couple of months.

With Tinks I have just experimented with his environment from when he was tiny, and found what suits him best. What works well for the other robos isn't always what works best for him. For example he had a round sand pit that he just used to tear around for 20 minutes at a time, so I replaced it with a large rectangular one the width of his cage, and he rarely spins in it at all anymore as it's not the right shape. He had everything low level when he was little as he couldn't control his spinning as it's got more manageable, he now has a platform and other bits to go up and down on.
The spinning seems to be an OCD reaction, and when he starts he does seem to need to get it out of his system, but what was 20 minutes is not two minuted which is more improvement than I could have hoped for.
I keep him as stress free as possible, he only ever stays in the hamster room, he doesn't like free roaming in there as he gets confused, but he does like to be cuddled and stroked. I keep his environment the same at all times now, and have learned how he likes to be approached, and all his little quirks. He has improved so much that at eleven months old a few weeks ago he finally learned to wheel which was wonderful as it had proved completely impossible for him up to that point.

Fred obviously has been fine, and something has happened. With this sort of spinning it is usually as has been said an infection or a neurological difficulty. If the baytril doesn't work then it's likely not an infection, although it is worth giving it a go, and I often sneak mine into baby food so it goes down well. If he has had a little stroke then the spinning may improve, but he also may be left with it. I hope Tinker can show that a really good quality of life can still be had with spinning, and they really can manage it as long as it's not so severe they are unable to rest.

I really hope little Fred is ok, I know he's getting older now, but fingers crossed for some realy quality time left still.

racinghamster · 12-12-2013, 02:11 AM

Thanks so much for telling me Tinker`s story and routine Poms, that does help. Fred does seem to do much the same. He can wake up and toddle about in a straight line, go for a pee and look as if he`s not going to `spin` and then if he stays awake, sometimes he will have this tendency to go around to his left, but he absolutely knows his surroundings and knows where everything is, so in that respect, I`m not worried that his behaviour is stopping him from remembering or from managing his daily tasks, which is obviously a good thing.

I`m actually wondering if this was triggered a wee while back when I offered him a flying saucer wheel. Having rehomed him at just over two years of age, he never has a proper wheel that worked, so rather than starting him on an upright wheel, I went for the saucer. I think this was a bad move because a few days to a week afterwards, I saw him emerge from his sleeping place tilting to the side and `circling`. I immediately removed this wheel and Fred recovered within an hour or so. But ever since then, he`s always sat with a very slight `tilt` to his left, as if favouring this.

Now that this spinning behaviour has kicked in, I feel it could either be a delayed reaction to when this all started, or as you suggested, it may be due to a change in his brain or infection. I can`t handle him because he`s a little attack hamster and he squeaks at me as he charges! So attempting to nab him might well result in a bite! I can`t say I blame him as he`s quite a territorial little chap, but I would love to be able to gently massage his head and give him little kisses. Funnily enough, he wasn`t like this when I first got him. His behaviour changed a few weeks after he was given a Gabber Rex from a mini Duna and the fact that he had more accessories to guard!

I love him to bits and I know he`s older, but apart from this spinning, you wouldn`t believe he is this age.