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Old 09-22-2021, 01:39 PM   #1
Tiffanyh
Newborn Pup
 
Join Date: Sep 2021
Location: North east, England
Posts: 29
Unhappy Advice on sick hamster

Hi everyone! (sorry for the long post)

I have noticed that for the past 4 days my hamster hasn't been eating or getting up at all during the night, I saw him once when he got up to get a drink one night but went straight back into his bed.

When it came to cleaning his cage I found him burrowed in the opposite corner to where he usually sleeps which I found strange, I managed to get him out and have a check over of him but couldn't see anything noticeably wrong with him and didn't see anything unusual in his cage.
I put him in a playpen and tried to give him some food/treats and water but he wouldn't take any which isn't like him. He did have a few bites of a strawberry but that's about it, so I put the rest of the strawberry he left in his cage and when I got up the next day I noticed that it was gone, which I suppose is a good sign but nothing else in the cage had been touched.

I took him to the vets today and she told me that she couldn't see anything wrong with him and his breathing is fine, the only thing she couldn't do was check his abdomin properly as she said he wouldn't let her, she suggested giving him a painkiller/anti-inflammatory and to come back in a couple of days to see what he is like, then refer me to an exotic vet if he wasn't any better as they specialise more in cats and dogs.
I asked to be referred to the exotic vet straight away instead of giving him painkillers because I wasn't too comfortable giving him something when she wasn't even sure what could even be wrong with him in the first place. Which I'm not sure was the right decision now?

When I adopted him they told me he had a urine infection when they first took him in but I haven't noiticed any changes in his urine and I did meantion this to the vet.

I can't see the exotic vet until Tuesday (6 days away) and was wondering if anyone could give me some advice on what to do to maybe get him to eat and drink something until then or what could possibly be wrong with him?
I feel awful keep waking him up on a night as he clearly wants to sleep but I want to make sure he is comfortable enough until he can be seen by the vet.

I wasn't too sure whether he could be going in hibernation as it has started to get a bit colder and the room he is in is one the more colder rooms of the house as it doesn't get much sun, so I have moved him to a warmer room of the house to see if that helps.
I should also add that I did have to take him to my parents house for a few days while I went away on holiday, but he was his usual self for 2 days after bringing him back home so I'm not sure if that may have something to do with it.

Any advice would be greatly appriciated as I'm really worried about him and hate that he can't be seen for another 6 days.

Thanks and apologies again for the long post!
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Old 09-23-2021, 06:20 AM   #2
Pebbles82
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Join Date: Sep 2014
Posts: 23,533
Default Re: Advice on sick hamster

Hello. What type of hamster is he please? And how old? I know the feeling, I've had probablems getting to see the exotic vet as well and having to wait a few days.

When you say wake him up at night, do you mean late evening before bedtime or in the middle of the night? His behaviour does sound a bit unusual. Is he sitting hunched at all? The pain relief should help with any pain he's getting (it's also anti inflammatory) so see if that makes a difference.

I do find at this time of year they tend to hide away more as the evenings get colder as well and/or come out later. Make sure he has plenty of nesting material so he can build his nest bigger and cosy.

If he's getting older they do sometimes sleep more as well. It can also take them a few days to a couple of weeks to adjust after a change of environment (eg coming back from your parents home or a room change). They get disoriented. Also if you've done a cage clean when moving him back - that can make them a bit stressed as well.
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Old 09-23-2021, 06:54 AM   #3
Tiffanyh
Newborn Pup
 
Join Date: Sep 2021
Location: North east, England
Posts: 29
Default Re: Advice on sick hamster

He's a syrian hamster and he's around 9/10 months, I rescued him and they guessed he was around 6 months when they got him.

I usually try wake him up around the same time he would get up normally, I haven't tried every night because I don't want to disturb him too much.

He has plenty of bedding so I don't think that is the problem, I only did a little spot clean not a full cage clean and it was 3 days after bringing him back home so I thought he might have been okay.

I might see if I can get him back in at the vets for the pain killer then in the mean time in case it helps.
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Old 09-23-2021, 11:20 AM   #4
Pebbles82
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Posts: 23,533
Default Re: Advice on sick hamster

Try putting a bit of bedding on top of his wheel before you go to bed and see if it’s gone in the morning. He could well be being active and using his wheel at night and only coming out after dark. Sometimes they do that snd avoid you for a bit - either a change of mood or colder weather or just in a hump after being moved around . I’m lucky I have a little nightcam and I can watch on my phone after I go to bed and even if our hamster is reclusive at night he still comes out and whizzes around and uses his wheel in the dark. And they can “play dead” when they want you to go away lol. But if your gut feeling is that he is not well then maybe that’s right. As a rescue hamster he may have reacted more to the moving around - they like to feel settled in their one cage snd not go anywhere really.

What time do you normally wake him? I wouldn’t try - but put a smelly treat outside his house door about 8pm - that might tempt him out. If not straight away then later when your not looking - see if it’s gone before you go to bed. If so he’s fine and just being reclusive. Like a tiny bit of cheddar cheese.
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Old 09-23-2021, 12:45 PM   #5
Tiffanyh
Newborn Pup
 
Join Date: Sep 2021
Location: North east, England
Posts: 29
Default Re: Advice on sick hamster

I've tried things like that with fruit or his favourite treats and they're always left in the same place when I check in the morning, I also like to go off his sand bath as well and whether it's been disturbed or not as he loves his sand bath but it hasn't been touched for days unfortunately I will try the tissue on top of the wheel though just in case!

I managed to get him squeezed in at the vet today and they gave me metacam to give him tonight and twice tomorrow to help in the mean time for his next appointment. When he got back in his cage he had a good drink and a wander around so fingers crossed he perks up soon.

Investing in a nightcam sounds like a good idea lol

Thank you for your advice!
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Old 09-23-2021, 02:41 PM   #6
Pebbles82
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Join Date: Sep 2014
Posts: 23,533
Default Re: Advice on sick hamster

It was my Christmas present . They cost about £35. So if anyone asks you what you want for Christmas ….. It’s actually a small indoor home security camera (round and about the size of a tennis ball). People get them as baby monitors and pet monitors. Connects to the WiFi so streams to your phone but also records the entire time to a mini SD card. So you can look back and see what they did the night before . Infrared filming in the dark. Best thing since sliced bread lol.

If he is leaving tasty food then it does sound like something isn’t right. I hope the Metacam helps if he’s in pain. They are very good at hiding pain, as prey animals.
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