Smelly Messy Hamster?

Teddy · 11-27-2010, 08:02 AM

Hey, me and Hugo are getting on great but the only thing is he is increasingly getting very messy.

In one day his wheel can be smeared with poop, grease and general muckyness and his tank starts to smell quite fusty and mucky. It almost chocked me to death the other day and he'd been cleaned out 4 days ago. His flying saucer just gets covered in wee and poop and sawdust covered in wee ... its literally like something I've never seen before ... espcecially from some so small ...

Teddy was never this messy ... his wheel would be clean as a whistle for days and I could do a full clean once a week or even once a fortnight without him smelling or having mucky toys.

Are robos generally more messy and is this normal or is he not very well???

He has also developed a baldish patch on his back/shoulder area that isn't getting any worse and has been there for a few weeks now but just makes me think he might not be 100%? Hes drinking, eating and playing as normal ... likes company etc ... Am I just worrying for nothing and need to clean him out every day/every other day?

Teddy · 11-27-2010, 08:22 AM

also ... does anyone have their robos in a tank? I've had to move him due to the cats being able to open doors and I was worried about his safety. The tank means they can't touch him or move his cage no matter what but I think it empahsises the smell. Anyone else noticed this?

st4r_grl · 11-27-2010, 12:01 PM

My male robo does have smelly urine aswell so I just assumed it was a boy thing as my girl ww's urine has no scent. He also makes a mess of his wheel although not as much as he used to. He doesnt seem to mind though

Teddy · 11-27-2010, 01:53 PM

I just cleaned him out. His wheel after 3 days was literally smeared and covered in poo and wee. I've bathed everything is hot water and disinfectant and cleaned him out but it still smells like someone has died in there! Is it possible for a hamster to have wet tail but act normal? His back end furr is quite yellow instead of white.

KatiePillow · 11-27-2010, 02:07 PM

Could it possibly be diabetes? or has he always been like this? I know with diabetes, they're meant to pee more, and it's meant to smell worse... I hope it isn't, was just thinking

st4r_grl · 11-27-2010, 02:23 PM

I was very worried that Tyke had wet tail at first, after he was dropped the day we got him, I noticed that in the first few days his back end was yellow and his neck fur was greasy and parted and his cage was smelling so I anxiously watched over him but his coat is much cleaner now and his cage starts to smell mildly after a week. I think he might have just been very stressed. I have had him since Sept

Teddy · 11-27-2010, 02:25 PM

God, I'm not sure. He has always been a little greasy monkey but recently it appears to have got worse and the smell has got so bad and I've no idea why. His sawdust does get wet quickly and its not the water bottle so he is peeing alot. I'll keep my eyes on him but hes acting normal despite everything. I'm going to clean him out every day and get him some chinchilla sand so he can clean himself up a little better.

Teddy · 11-27-2010, 02:27 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by st4r_grl

I was very worried that Tyke had wet tail at first, after he was dropped the day we got him, I noticed that in the first few days his back end was yellow and his neck fur was greasy and parted and his cage was smelling so I anxiously watched over him but his coat is much cleaner now and his cage starts to smell mildly after a week. I think he might have just been very stressed. I have had him since Sept

Yeah, maybe it is just stress related. Hes had a cage move and before that the cats gave him a scare on day. He likes my company and climbs on my hand but can get easily spooked so maybe thats what it is ... thanks guys ...