A strange spot...

XbeccaX · 07-08-2011, 02:32 PM

I was hoping one of you would be able to shed some light on this, I'm a first time hamster owner so its all new to me!
I got Phoebe out today and noticed a very strange path on her fur. There was a small grey spot, and the fur around it was slightly darker, as though she had got water on it, like from leaning up against her water bottle or something. But when I got back from rangers (about 3 hours later) her fur was back to normal but the spot is still there.
We are planning to take her to the vet tomorrow, but does anyone know what it can be? Thanks

souffle · 07-08-2011, 02:50 PM

Are you sure it's not her scent gland? They have two and they are situated on top of the hips. They darken as the hamster gets older and sometimes look wet or greasy when the hamster has been scenting usually after a cage clean or handling. These are quite normal and nothing to worry about.
info here : Syrian Scent Glands

XbeccaX · 07-08-2011, 11:48 PM

I don't think so, she only has one :/ We're taking her to the vets this morning so will hopefully know about this mystery spot soon!

XbeccaX · 07-08-2011, 11:50 PM

Actually just looked at the link you posted, that does look a lot like what it is! Thankyou

souffle · 07-09-2011, 12:41 AM

Often one is more obvious than the others especially in females. It is often the one they rub the most depending on the way they rub around the cage to mark it! If you search hard and find the other one it may be a bit of a waste of money to see the vets!
Very occassionally they can get infected but this usually makes them swollen and scabby with pus oozing. Vets often don't tend to know a lot about hamster scent glands so I would be loathe to give a hamster treatments if there was nothing actually wrong as they can have side effects. If necessary they absoloutely.
Do you have a picture at all?

racinghamster · 07-09-2011, 01:15 AM

My male syrian is always rubbing his glands over his cage accessories!

Dwarf hamsters have them in various places aswell but mainly on the belly button area I think? I have a chinese female so I think she might have one under her tummy I`m not sure.....

XbeccaX · 07-09-2011, 02:34 PM

Thankyou for the advice, we took Phoebe to the vets and he said it was a scent gland and nothing to worry about! Just me being a paranoid hamster mummy :P And I have learned something new about hammies!