Is this something to be worried about ???

[NicolaJane]

Hi,

Im new on this forum, so I hope this is the right place to post this

I am just worried about my syrian hamster, she is still quite young and should be in good health, I got her around May/June (Sorry cant remember the exact date) and she was quite young when I got her.

She is generally a very active hamster,and enjoys running around and climbing on the wires of her cage, and running in her ball etc.

However recently her energy levels have changed, when I get her out and put her in her hamster ball, she doesnt run around in it. She just sits there, and occasionly will walk slowly around the room in it . Also when she is walking round her cage, she has started to walk really slow. She used to always be noisy at night, and now shes not, its only the odd sound I hear from her

She normally leaves a bit of food in her bowl that she doesnt like (I have noticed what she does and doesnt like ) however now she hardly eats anything at all

I dont know if this is anything to be worried about, I have recently travelled with her in the car to bring her home from uni so could this be the cause ?? However she was fine after the ride to uni. ??

Somebody has said that it may be her sleeping pattern, because i dont normally sleep till 3am/4am at the best of times, and the bedroom light will be on. However recently ive been at my boyfriends house and the light goes off anywhere from 12-2am .. am I just worried about nothing? Or do you think there is something wrong with her ??

Any help would be greatly appreciated thankyou.

Nicola

[souffle]

Any change of behavior like this can be a sign of illness.
I think you need to give her a very good checkover because it sounds like she is not feeling well to me.
The most common couse in young females is a pyometra or womb infection and this is very serious. It can strike at any age. Feel her tummy to see if there is any swelling or any discharge that can be smelly from her female vent.
Also check her teeth, is she weeing and pooping OK? Water bottle working? Ears up or down? Look for limps or hunching.
If there is anything you see that just is not right then you need to see a vet. I doubt the car journey would have upset her this much and she should be OK by now.
Let us know any other symptoms and how she is doing.x
and Welcome

[NicolaJane]

Thankyoufor the information, Ive given her a checkover and cant find any lumps or swollen sections etc, which is a good sign. I havent noticed any increase in her weeing and pooing :S so it appears to be normal. There is no discharge or smell. ...

She appears to be in good health, I just dont know why shes suddenly got such a lack of energy and apetite. I read on a forum that syrian hamsters like small bits of cheese, so ive put that in her cage, at first she left it,but she has started nibbling it now but i havent seen her on any dry/hard food (her normal hamster food) so maybe her teeth may be hurting ??? I cant see any damage though...

I brought her back to uni today, and she seems to have perked up a little she actually had a little run in her ball she appears to like it when she is out of her hamster ball though, she will run around quicker, but I cant let her do this because her faviourate place is under the bed haha !!

But she seems to have perked up a little now, shes been doing a bit of climbing ! I just love her to pieces and dont want her to be ill .

Thankyou for your help though and I will keep you updated on how she is Im also going to post some pictures up if you want to check them out :P she is called princess and is a syrian hamster

[couchy]

i wonder if its because of the weather we are having because with toy when the wind is strong he runs into his house and doesnt come out a while, he still bar chews but not as much as he usually does when the weather is bad, milly tends to chuff because she moans at any noise lol, if she is still like this in another week you could eith er take her to the vets or get her a sppliment drops to put into her food/drink i have given it to milly before now and saw an increase of change in her...


on the other hand steves hamster ziggy is like yours really quiet very slow in his wheel and just plain lazy lol, it could be because she ma be used to the surroundings and thinks well im comfy enough to laze about hehe as long as she doesnt seem scared i think she will be ok