Old age or showing signs of health problems?

[Thrifty Hamster]

Puffin is over a year old - about a year and eight to nine months to be exact. I estimate her birthday is May 5th or somewhere around there. Though she never comes out of her igloo anymore unless I lift it, she barely eats unless I nudge her to do so, and she just is really inactive a LOT.

I was petting her and she never lets me do that btw without biting me - but she let me miraculously probably because she's like 'ah screw it i'm old' - and also, she squeaked after a minute. I was surprised and backed off! I didnt know if I had hit something like a bump or a tumor that had maybe hurt her or what, I'm nervous, what could it be? Do you all might know something? Gimme an estimate please!

[kyrilliondaemon]

If you didn't feel anything then I'd not worry too much at the moment. Being inactive might well just be old age

[Skeever]

I'm desperate for ham conversation (with hams, not about hams) so I'd say it was a solitary cry of existential hope, wonder, disillusionment, futility and yet? an all embracing love of the cosmos.....

I have issues ....

Maybe she just liked being petted and figured if she couldn't say it now, she might just not say it. Rusty vocal cords and all that...?

Ham relationships have a distinct aging feature, different than all their phases before that, as many here point out. Still amazing critters...

[DrKMcK]

If she was born in May, then she's only 1 year 3 months old. That's not old, that's still only a mature adult. Some hammies are not as active as others and she may also be more active when things are quiet and dark. However, as hammies get older, they do slow down a bit and some will enjoy more contact with their humans. Personally, if it looks like she is losing weight, I'd have a vet check.

[Thrifty Hamster]

Thank you for helping me with her age, Drk. But I still am convinced she was born in May because when I got her from Petco they said she was five months old. She's fine. She's eating like a big fat lard and she's just as happy as can be, I'm thinking of adding more toys and stuff to the cage - I'm then thinking of adding a schedule for veggies and stuff to their routine once I figure out what to do with little Mort and maybe get Mortie himself some thyme soulution into his system? If he lasts that long.

I estimated that Fessie's birthday is sometime in Janurary. Soo, probably Janurary 10th would be a good estimate. That seems about right. Fessie I'd say is 8 months and since since Puffin is a year and three, she's going to be - omigosh!

I gotta get something special for Puffin in a couple of days since it's Puff-Puffs 1.4th birthday coming up xD!