Can anybody enlighten me?

jacoen · 10-23-2009, 09:04 PM

Hi to those who is much more experience than me. I'm new here, just joined this forum today.

I have 2 hamsters and i only started keeping them as pets 5months.
Their breed is pearl winter normal and pearl winter white and they are kept in individual cage.
One of my hamster is having some kind of problem here, which is already 6 months old. This hamster of mine (male) is getting smellier which i dunno why. Just last night i washed and cleaned his cage thoroughly, this morning when i wake up, there is already some smell. I've put in a super strong fragrance of bath sand for him to roll in but when i hold him, the bad smell is still there and will linger on my hands. I've checked my hamster, he seems normal and healthy. Playing well, eating well. There is no problem with my another hamster.

Can anybody please enlighten me? Is it normal or is it that my hamster has some kind of skin disease?

internet_nobody · 10-24-2009, 04:59 AM

What kind of smell is it? If it is urine, then there is the possibility he is diabetic. If it is a sort of musky/nacho type smell it may just be that he has started to feel threatened by the smell of the other hamster and is marking all his "property". Check the gland and see if it looks normal (compare to the other one if male too) - if it is swollen, red, unusually lumpy etc then pop him to the vet incase it is infected.

Btw, I think you're a bit confused about what they are - winter white is the species, pearl (white with darker ticking) and normal (browny grey and black) are colours.

souffle · 10-24-2009, 07:33 AM

Is he weeing and drinking a lot? As Internet nobody says he may be diabetic. If they wee in their wheels, which WW often do then run they give themselves a pee shower and can get very whiffy. You need to wash the wheel every day in this case.
If there are any lumps or bumps that look red and swollen ir could be an abcess that is leaking and smelly and he needs to see a vet for treatment.

Katty_Sheldon · 10-24-2009, 11:48 AM

I wouldnt suggest putting anything that smells in the cage, the hamsters might not like the smell that humans like. Maybe he is just peeing all around the place to mark his territory and beat the sand smell over? Good luck!

Bunsey · 10-24-2009, 01:02 PM

if he stinks that badly, i would take him for a check-up in case he has an infection. I wouldn't put anything scented in the cage though as it might be an irritant or would cause them to scent-mark more in attempt to cover it.

jacoen · 10-24-2009, 08:31 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by internet_nobody

What kind of smell is it? If it is urine, then there is the possibility he is diabetic. If it is a sort of musky/nacho type smell it may just be that he has started to feel threatened by the smell of the other hamster and is marking all his "property". Check the gland and see if it looks normal (compare to the other one if male too) - if it is swollen, red, unusually lumpy etc then pop him to the vet incase it is infected.

Btw, I think you're a bit confused about what they are - winter white is the species, pearl (white with darker ticking) and normal (browny grey and black) are colours.

I feel that it doesnt smell like urine. How do i describe the smell would be like those kind of smell that is like 2days never wash sock those kind of smell?

so is there a possiblity he is infected?

I'm sorry that i get the hamster species mixed up.

I'm still very new in this but i do love my hamsters alot. Ya that means they are both winter white, one is pearl and one is normal.

jacoen · 10-24-2009, 08:43 PM

Thanks for all the replies people! Appreciate a lot!

I will check my hamster gland area as soon as possible and if its really unusual, i will bring him to the vet. =)

But another symtom here:
Its a very weird scene. I give my 2 hamsters the same type of food. But i don't know why this few days every morning i wake up, there will be ants at the food. But weird thing is, the ants only gather at my pearl's food (the one with this smell problem) and not my normal's food. I cannot figure out why.

internet_nobody · 10-25-2009, 02:50 AM

With insects being attracted to the cage i'd be thinking diabetes - the sugar in the urine would attract them...however as you've said it doesn't smell like wee then maybe not

Bunsey · 10-25-2009, 08:17 AM

it wouldn't neccessarily smell like wee though would it? I'm thinking wouldn't it smell sweet? The smell you describe sounds like the scenting smell to me. I think it smells like old unwashed socks, too. Makes me physically gag to clean scent glands, i have to put a cloth over my face!

I'd still go to the vet. Nothing to lose. The ants are a concern, especially if they are attracted to whatever the problem is, like sugar in the urine.

jacoen · 10-25-2009, 08:53 PM

Thanks for all the advice. =)

I think i will bring my hamster to the vet tomorrow.