Could Teddie be ill?

Teddy001 · 09-29-2014, 05:43 AM

I've noticed that Teddie's been sleeping more than usual. She was running around and playing a few days ago, eating and drinking like normal. She played really long and hard, Friday, and was up most of the day into the early morning, which is not normal for her, but I added more toys and space to her extended
cage, so that could have been the reason.

When she didn't come out to eat last night, I noticed she'd been sleeping since Saturday, I woke her up to check on her. She in a Ikea Knuff, sleeping which, too is unusual, as she normally sleeps burrowed underneath it. Her food has not been eaten since Friday, and I did notice she woke up once to use the toilet, and once to drink water.

When I woke her up, normally she comes out expecially if she smells fresh broccoli- she wanted to stay curled up. She did come out, and I checked her over- no signs of injury, or anything abnormal, then she wanted to curl back up and sleep, which she's been sleeping all day yesterday, and last check on her was at 1:00am, and she was still sleeping..

This is defo not normal for her to be curled up in the middle of the knuff, for days. Could she just be overly tired from playing/running?

It's 8:00am my time, Monday morning. I just checked on Teddie.. she's moved, burrowed somewhere- which is a good sign? Doesn't look like her food was eaten, tho

.

I'm thinking she may feel as though she's run a marathon Friday, and over exhausted herself?

What's really unusual for her, too.. Is that she has a poo area, and piles them in that area. When she came out yesterday evening for a few minutes, I had to clean out the middle of the knuff, it had lots of droppings, which she was laying in. That's odd, as she's not poo'd in her nest in a long time..

Should I be concerned?

starshme · 09-29-2014, 06:26 AM

How old is she? I've been noticing that my two year old hamster is sleeping much more than usual as well but she does seem to be eating and drinking as normal. Is it possible she's waking while you're sleeping or she's eating from stored food?

cypher · 09-29-2014, 06:29 AM

It seems a long time for her to be tired out from playing, I'm wondering if it could be at least partly the change of season, some hams do seem to sense winter on the way & start sleeping more.

Teddy001 · 09-29-2014, 06:37 AM

Teddie's 8 months old. I did recently, change her to a large cage, and added more space on top of that. She went bonkers the on Friday, ran full speed on her saucer for hours, then explored and her cage for hours.

This is honestly the first time I've seen her sleep through days. She loves her food, and treats- to not see her eat fresh food, is highly abnormal for her. Her hamster mix, doesn't look like it's been touched- I cleaned out her pantry last night, as I did a lower lever cage clean.

Where she'd been sleeping, there was no stored food. Maybe I'm just being paranoid- but defo abnormal sleeping and the not wanting to come out of the knuff, also very unusual for her, as she typically comes out even when she's burrowed, in her nest, when I call her, or put fresh food in her cage.

Teddy001 · 09-29-2014, 06:42 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by cypher

It seems a long time for her to be tired out from playing, I'm wondering if it could be at least partly the change of season, some hams do seem to sense winter on the way & start sleeping more.

Yes, I've not seen her sleep like this before. The weather is getting a " bit" cooler here, but it's still warm-(80/89 degrees)

I hope she's not dying

. . I'd be devastated

.

starshme · 09-29-2014, 06:44 AM

It sounds like she expended a lot of energy getting used to her new cage but I don't know if an 8 month old hamster would need days to recover from that?

You're the one who knows her best - I would say follow your instincts. You know how with kids, sometimes you just know when something's off? Can you call your vet and get an opinion on if it's anything to worry about?

starshme · 09-29-2014, 06:48 AM

It doesn't sound like she's dying. I mean, I'm not an expert on hamster illnesses, for sure but I have noticed my guys sleeping a lot at different times. I sometimes can't see a visible difference in their food bowls either. You said she was going at it Friday and slept a lot saturday and sunday. Now she's moved - so she's definitely been up. I wouldn't start panicking right now but maybe checking it out will give you peace of mind as well. Keep us updated, definitely.

**kyrilliondaemon** · 09-29-2014, 06:55 AM

Is there any chance she's eating from her store and just excercising when you're asleep?

Teddy001 · 09-29-2014, 06:56 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by starshme

It sounds like she expended a lot of energy getting used to her new cage but I don't know if an 8 month old hamster would need days to recover from that?

You're the one who knows her best - I would say follow your instincts. You know how with kids, sometimes you just know when something's off? Can you call your vet and get an opinion on if it's anything to worry about?

I agree. Shouldn't take days to re-coop as she's not an elderly ham, and is typically very energetic.

The only other thing I can think of, is my husband was glueing plexiglass in the hamsters room- I noticed smell of " fumes"- I was out of the house and when I returned, I could smell the sealant, which he had a fan blowing on it to help the pieces dry.
Now, my other 2 dwarf hams are in the same room, although they were in a glass home. Teddie was in the cage. I'm wondering if maybe the smell of the aquarium sealant could have made her sick? My other 2 hams are fine.

I'm going to check on her, and if she's the same, as she was the last 2 days, I'll be taking her to the vets.

Teddy001 · 09-29-2014, 07:05 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by starshme

It doesn't sound like she's dying. I mean, I'm not an expert on hamster illnesses, for sure but I have noticed my guys sleeping a lot at different times. I sometimes can't see a visible difference in their food bowls either. You said she was going at it Friday and slept a lot saturday and sunday. Now she's moved - so she's definitely been up. I wouldn't start panicking right now but maybe checking it out will give you peace of mind as well. Keep us updated, definitely.

Thanks so much starshme. I've not " seen" or experienced an hamster dying, from old age or illness, so I don't know.. Although, just change in her normal daily routine, has me thrown off.

Should I go look for her? I'm sure she's burrowed under substrate sleeping right now.. Or, wait until later, to see if she comes out on her own?