Rescue hamster

[Sara H]

Hi everyone, I wonder if you could please help.

I look to rescue a new hamster when I have a cage free which I usually find on Gumtree/Pets 4 Homes etc but on this occasion I saw a little guy advertised from a hamster rescue charity on Facebook.

The little guy Bob is a robo and just over a year old. The rescue advised they had taken him to the vets and he was in good health. As soon as I got him home I noticed that he had a slight head tilt and seemed to fall over when trying to get onto things. I messaged the rescue and they said they hadn't noticed anything, their vets said he was fine and it must have just happened when he got to me!

I let him settle in for a few days then I took him to my usual exotic vets. The vets said he seemed in good health but did have a head tilt and as we didn't know much about his past to treat him pain killers and antibiotics for a week.

After the week, he does still have the head tilt but seems a bit more stable on his feet however, I moved him into another room with my other two hamsters as he's been in my room for a couple of weeks whilst I monitor him. He doesn't like being handled but I picked him up today to just have a look at the little chap and noticed that he had a tiny mark next to scent glad where it looks like he has been biting so I put him back in his house, he then started biting his side and has drawn blood there too so I have given him some metacam just incase it is causing him pain.

Since he arrived he has been making a bed in one of his wheels every night and I just don't know if the self mutilation is caused by stress. He is a chunky little guy and his weight has been stable over the last 2 weeks, he has been eating and drinking and going to the toilet OK. The rescue had him for over 7 months so I just don't know if the move here, followed by me having to give him medicine everyday and then a move into another bedroom has stressed him out.

I know this is a very long winded post so apologies.