Poorly Robo *THE DANGERS OF FLUFFY BEDDING*

**Pompompoms** · 12-07-2009, 11:20 AM

My Robo Jam has has been sick for a few days now

He's lost 5g of weight, and has a bad tummy with soft poos, I first noticed that his tail was dirty, then having looked at his tummy it is too. He doesn't smell, and seems fine in himself though.

He's only eating his hamster food as opposed to any treats, and his mineral block, and he is drinking LOADS.

I took him to the vet today who has given antibiotics and a mini syringe, and some probiotics for his water. I'm not sure how I'm going to get him to take the syringe though.

His diet hasn't changed at all, I did change his bedding about 5 weeks ago to the cottonwool type bedding from rotastack to keep him warm in winter, he was fine up till last week, so I can't think what has happened.

He has a brother who although living seperately from him has exactly the same food, bedding, enviroment in and out of his cage, and he is fine. He's actually gained a little weight in the form of extra winter fluff.

I was wondering if anyone had any extra advice? I'm going to give him the meds obviously, the vet said to clean him out daily, I'm removed all his treats for the moment, so no yoghurt drops, raisins ect just dry food. I'm keeping him in the warmest part of the house.

Anything else i can do? I'm so worried about him, he's only 10 months old

**Tammy22** · 12-07-2009, 12:23 PM

Hiya,

i am really sorry to hear that your robo is ill

I am also sorry to say that it is probably the fluffy bedding which has caused the problem!! You really need to remove it straight away - it is very dangerous! If accidentally ingested, the fluffy bedding cannot be digested and will cause blockages which will make your hamster very ill and will usually end in death! Another bad thing is that it can get trapped around limbs and is very dangerous.

I am not sure if this is exaclty what has happened to your robo, but i would mention it to the vets and see what he says. I am not sure that an operation could be performed on such a small animal to remove a blockage, but see what he says.

I hope your robos gets better soon.

ETA: just wanted to say that 5g of weight is such a lot of weight for such a small animal to lose! If he doesnt show any improvement by tonight i would get him back to the vets straight away tomorrow.

Keep us posted.

Tammy x

angie1music · 01-25-2013, 03:42 AM

I really found your post interesting Tammy22 as I feel that is
What my Bruno died of. The vet said it was pneumonia but
His symptoms seemed to be the same as Robo’s. Now that
I have replaced Bruno, I took the very hard decision of having
him put down, I have put very tiny shreaded paper in the bed
of my new hamster Ed now and refused to buy anymore fluffy
bedding. Many thanks for that, as a person new to keeping
hamsters, this forum is fab for getting new ideas and advice!!.

flogging_molly · 12-07-2009, 12:38 PM

sorry to hear your robo is ill

**Pompompoms** · 12-07-2009, 04:23 PM

Wow, I had no idea! I thought it would be nice for them for winter. I haven't got any other bedding for them, so I don't really know what to do untill tomorrow. His brother seems ok so far, but I'll remove it from both their houses straight away.

Thank you, hopefully he'll be ok.

souffle · 12-08-2009, 06:13 AM

You can rip up some white tissues or use some ripped loo roll or kichen roll for bedding.

Hope he is better soon.

*Niki* · 12-08-2009, 04:57 PM

I use cheap white loo rolls for my hamsters' bedding, i rip it up & they shred it to how they like

**Pompompoms** · 12-09-2009, 05:03 AM

Hiya, thanks for your tips

Jam seems to be a little better, he still hasn't gained the weight back, but he's drinking the medicine in his water really well, and being so good about taking the antibiotics from the syringe. He's fine in himself, zipping about as usual and he was out for about an hour last night climbing me and having a little sleep in my fleece for a bit, usual Jam behaviour!

He's also started eating really well again which is a relief so hopefully he'll start to gain the wieght back again in the next few days. Him tummy isn't quite back to normal, but it is improved. Both of them have gone back to the bedding they used to have.

Jam seems to be a little better, he still hasn't gained the weight back, but he's drinking the medicine in his water really well, and being so good about taking the antibiotics from the syringe. He's fine in himself, zipping about as usual and he was out for about an hour last night climbing me and having a little sleep in my fleece for a bit, usual Jam behaviour!

He's also started eating really well again which is a relief so hopefully he'll start to gain the wieght back again in the next few days. Him tummy isn't quite back to normal, but it is improved. Both of them have gone back to the bedding they used to have.

A little praise for Pets at Home as they do get a lot of stick, and credit where credit is due. I explained to them that I had got the bedding from them, and as with everything I buy for Jam and The Cloud, I asked whether it was safe for Robo's specifically, not just all hamsters as most packaging says. They told me it was, which is why they ended up with the bedding in the first place.
Having explained this to them after Jam has become ill, they have appologised profusely and contacted the manufacturer of the product regarding it's safety, promising a full investigation. I explained that five minutes on the internet will tell you it isn't in the least bit safe, but it is all very well me knowing that now when my pet has already been affected.

They refunded me for the bedding, gave me a large bag of bedding at no cost, and are paying all vet bills for Jam no matter what he needs to get well again.
When I got my Robo's and The Cloud was repeatedly attacking Jam, they provided me with a new Rody cage, and everything needed to go in it for free so they could live seperately.

I do think they are more reative than proactive, but as I said, credit where credit is due for doing what they can to make up for errors.

**Tammy22** · 12-09-2009, 05:08 AM

Hiya

i am glad that Jam seems to be getting better, i hope he makes a complete recovery

That is great news about Pets at Home! The main problem though with this bedding i the fact that the packaging actually states that it is perfectly safe for hamsters, which is rediculous!! So i think this is one of the reasons why pet shops do sell it! but like you said, it is no excuse as just searching on the internet will tell you that it isnt safe.

I really hope that they do as they told you and investigate it and stop selling it - that would be wonderful!!

Tammy x

**Pompompoms** · 12-09-2009, 09:16 AM

Hi Tammy

Yes it seems insane that the packaging says it's fine when it clearly is anything but. I think that's why Pets at Home have been so good here, they did sell it to me believing it to be completely safe, but having found out it's not, are doing everything they possibly can to help me and Jam, and also to investigate the packaging.

Jam has sadly taken a turn for the worse

I found him half sleeping against his water bottle today which he never has done before, and each time I checked on him his eyes were only half opening and he's much slower than he was last night. he was also doing lots of very mucussy poo as he walked about.

We went straight to the vets again, and she said the good news was he is far more hydrated than he was on Monday, but the not so good news was she could feel the little bobbles in his tummy she suspects to be the bedding. That they are sperate bobbles is good, but they need to come out.

He's had an injection to get his system moving, and now has more medicine on top of his antibiotics to help clear it out. If he's not shifting it by Friday then they're going to operate on him. Obviously I'm praying it doesn't come to that, and his little can can things moving again.

She said he's probably bad today because he felt better and ate a lot yesterday, even though it was all dry food it's now blocked up behin the original bedding blockage.

My poor little JamJam, I absolutely adore him and am desperate for him to pull through