really worried

lau02 · 06-12-2009, 02:24 AM

My syrian hamster has a bad odour smell when he has weed, i have had him for 2 weeks now and he did not have it before, i am worried that he is ill, or is it normall as the last time i cleaned him out there was no smell like this. I cleaned him out last night.
Please help as i am really worried about him .

LittleSnowBear · 06-12-2009, 02:42 AM

Unfortunatly I cannot help you, but someone should come along soon with better advice than me and i am sorry your wee one is ill.

Are you sure he is a boy as when girls are on heat the produce a pungent smell
other ideas possibly diabeties?

Best go to vet if you very worried, but as I said I amd not to knowledgeable about hammy illnesses,many people on here are though. I can send the little one some love from here though

souffle · 06-12-2009, 03:10 AM

Hamsters do produce very strong, concentrated urine as they are desert animals so maybe he is using one area more now he is settled and bacteria are acting on the urine and making it smell? The hotter weather also makes it seem more pungent!
Check his water bottle is working properly and he is using it and not getting too little fluid.
He could have a urine or kidney infection but hamsters with these are usually quite poorly with blood stained urine, straining to wee, swollen belly, hunched up and lethargic, not eating etc and if he is acting normally then is is not likely it is this. Diabetes is not common in a young animal.
You need to check him all over for signs of anything amiss like swelling, messy underneath, lack of energy, sleeping a lot and if anything seems amiss then he needs to see a vet for a check up asap.
You could try and potty train him and use a potty with chinchilla sand in it which is easily cleaned every day to keep it fresh.
Females certainly do smell during their 4 day cycle...a bit like twiglets and sometimes stronger depending on the stage. Check underneath to see that you definitly have a boy. There are pics on the WIKI. to compare.

lau02 · 06-12-2009, 04:39 AM

I will give him a check over when he wakes up. Apart from this he is acting normal. I think he is a boy i was told and i checked myself but it looks as though i will have to check again.

gem · 06-13-2009, 01:49 AM

Like souffle said, hot weather can make your hamster's urine smell quite badly!
There shouldn't be anything to worry about if he's eating/drinking/playing normally. However, if he does seem very lethargic, or hasn't got much of an appetite, you may want ring your vet/pet shop and tell them the symptons - if they think there's anything wrong, they'll probably ask you to bring him down.
- hope this has been some sort of help (:

lau02 · 06-14-2009, 10:08 AM

Update
His wee seems to be ok now so i dont no what that was and now he seems to be rubbing both of his sides against the cage.
Now i have checked him over for mites , fleas, dry skin and i can not find any thing at all and i dont no why he is doing this.

Bunsey · 06-14-2009, 11:50 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by lau02

Update
His wee seems to be ok now so i dont no what that was and now he seems to be rubbing both of his sides against the cage.
Now i have checked him over for mites , fleas, dry skin and i can not find any thing at all and i dont no why he is doing this.

he is scent-marking his territory. They have scent glads on the sides of their hips (looks like a mole)