Unwell hammy.

[Hamsteh]

Didn't want this to be my first post, but I'm concerned about my mum's Hamster.

We've had her about two weeks, so she must be approximately 9 or 10 weeks old, but she's very small, and we haven't seen her much for at least a week. Today, she seems unenergetic/sleepy.

Her eyes are closed and her ears are back, she's long haired and the hair around her bum is slightly matted but not wet. (I'm thinking just poor grooming, I hope) I tried to stroke her, she didn't care the first time, the second time she reacted normally.

I scooped her in a mug and took her upstairs. She let me pick her up and cup her in my hands, gave my hand a test nibble and had a sniff. When I stood her up to look at her bottom/belly, she gently nibbled the side of my thumb. She nibbled slightly harder when I showed my boyfriend her belly, but not hard enough to hurt me.

Before I picked her up, she seemed to be foraging in the wood shavings slowly, she was biting in the corner where the glass meets the wood (She's in an Ikea Billy.) When we first got her, she was very energetic, exploring and climbing her water bottle, she doesn't seem to have run in her wheel last night (We placed sunflower seeds in to see if she used it)

We have also placed a heat mat under her enclosure, under the spot her nest/house is as we were worried she might be getting cold and not wanting to come out, but it doesn't seem to have changed her behavior. I feel better knowing she won't be too cold, though.

My parents installed some LEDs about a week into having her that have softly lit her tank, last night I suggested turning them off and covering half of her enclosure with a towel to make her feel safer as we hadn't seen much of her. That must have worked a little cause she was out at 11am when I decided to try to check on her. Could the light overnight cause this behaviour?

I think that's everything I know... Sorry about the massive post.

[Hamsteh]

I posted this while my mum was working. I spoke to her when she got back and we decided she needed to see a vet, so my mum made an appointment. She managed to get one for while I was at work. Unfortunately, they decided it would be kindest to euthanize her as she was too small and too far on for antibiotics to be fair. The vet said she had a bug or illness, and had fluids but no solids.

I'll make an intro post soon, I've been lurking for a couple weeks since I got my own hamster, and my mum bought Belle slightly after.

Here's a link to a pic from Saturday. She was a cute little fluffball and she seemed just fine less than a week ago.
https://api.eyefi.com/3/files/207733.../image.jpg?v=4 Rip<3

Edit~ oh, but does anyone have any suggestions on sterilizing her tank, wheel and playthings (Mostly wooden) for another hamster to enjoy, when my mum feels ready?

[velma]

Hi. I'm really sorry i missed your first post & by the time I've seen your second that it's been bad news but your mum did the right thing taking her to the vet. Poor poorly little ham.

For future hams, I Wouldn't have the lights on at her tank all night as it will confuse her body clock but apparently they can't see red light so your mum coils maybe put some red LEDs by the tank?

I've not had to sterilise after illness so I can't help you with that but I know someone will.

I look forward to meeting your hamster when you're ready to post

[Hamsteh]

Originally Posted by velma

Hi. I'm really sorry i missed your first post & by the time I've seen your second that it's been bad news but your mum did the right thing taking her to the vet. Poor poorly little ham.

For future hams, I Wouldn't have the lights on at her tank all night as it will confuse her body clock but apparently they can't see red light so your mum coils maybe put some red LEDs by the tank?

I've not had to sterilise after illness so I can't help you with that but I know someone will.

I look forward to meeting your hamster when you're ready to post

Hiya, thanks for your reply. That's good to hear, thanks. : ) Yeah I was pretty insistent that she should see a vet, without trying to stress my mum. I offered to pay if need be. (She had an expensive one this month with one of our dogs getting mild kennel cough... Despite being vaccined haha!) I was really hoping she'd be sent home with antibiotics.

That's really helpful about the red light! Actually they're RGB LEDs so we can just change the setting. I thought that would be the case with the light but my dad can be pretty stubborn. We settled on a dim amber shade in the end. They weren't in the whole time we had her anyway, think he put them in about a week ago.

Oh and thanks! I'll work on that post tomorrow. I'm into photography so I already have a couple nice pictures of her. ^^

[velma]

I have changy LEDs just for the red It's nice to be able to watch their normal nighttime behaviour.