Advice needed on thin fur and sticky eye

[melanieandlizzie]

Hey

I need some advice on Comet - Syrian Male, Age:18months.

He is usually just normal, sometimes his eyes get gunked up, normally they unstick themselves after a few minutes but recently they dont. Me and the boyfriend have been wrestling him with wet cotton pads.

Well, tonight we got him up to unstick his eye and a) it wont unstick completely and b) his furs going thin on his back/bum, and behind his ears is bald! I cant believe I haven't noticed this before!

Please help I don't know what to do.

[souffle]

At 18 months your hammie is getting to be quite an elderly ham melanie so he will be showing signs of age. The sticky eyes is really common in older hamsters and it is best just to bathe them open with a cotton ball as you have been doing. If they look red or have a constant yellow discharge then they may be infected and need eye drops from the vets.
Fur thinning is normal too and there is not much you can do. We find a pinch of debittered brewers yeast (from Holland & Barrratt) helps fur growth as does supplementing the diet with porridge and extra soft foods.
Have a read at this article on elderly hams and their care
http://www.hamstercentral.com/wiki/The_ ... y_Hamsters

[melanieandlizzie]

Thanks Souffle

I thought maybe old age or cushings....trust me to jump to the worst conclusion!

Its kind of distressing to see him stressed when I try to clean his eyes. And then last night I had to just give up because he ended up with a soaking wet head but his eye wasn't budging. Although I don't think they're infected

I keep meaning to make him some porridge.
I never get around to it as that stuff makes me gag lol
How much is normal to give him?
teaspoon?

Thanks again - feeling more relaxed now

[souffle]

Buy a small box of readybrek and put two teaspoons in a dish then mix to a paste with boiling water. Cool and serve It doesn't need cooked or anything really for hams. You can add the brewers yeast and wheatgerm too if you like and lactol milk powder.