New hamster pees on herself

[Lemon]

I’ve adopted a new hamster and she’s so afraid in her new environment that she hides in one spot and only leaves it for water.

It looks like she peed in that spot too and now it’s stuck to her. It made me nervous that it might be wet tail but it looks like only pee and no poop. Also she stays in that same spot.

We’ve been leaving her alone to relax but she still won’t come out and I’ve never had a hamster this afraid before. I want to leave her to relax but I’m afraid it’s not good for her to sit in the same spot and pee there. It’s been 2 days.

Should I give her more time or try to encourage her out of her hiding spot?

Edit: also I have not seen her eat anything since she got here. Idk if she does it when I’m not looking. But she drank water


I’m really scared because I don’t know if it’s wet tail vs. just urine stuck to her

[SKB_Hamsters]

Wet tail name is a bit misleading. The main symptom to look out for are diarrhoea which which is usually watery which covers the belly, bottom and lower back. The diarrhoea smells revolting - you will smell a foul smell near the cage. The hamsters will stop eating and drinking so become dehydrated. Hamster will be in a hunch position due to the pain and very lethargic

If your your hamster has these symptoms this your hamster needs to see a vet as an emergency. As is fatal unless treated quickly with antibiotics.

It not uncommon for hamster to wee were they sleep. Some of my past Syrians have done this and love to smell of their pee. Plus it depends on the weather too hamster if they too hot get their fur wet to help them cool off.

So if you are concerned with your hamster it better to check on them and to make sure all is okay and get to a vet if needed.

[Lemon]

It does smell like hamster pee but it’s not a horrible smell. It’s just what hamster pee normally smells like.

I really don’t know if she’s lethargic or just scared because she just got here. She won’t come out of hiding. And I also don’t know if she’s eating because she’s so new and she’s hiding and she won’t take any food from me directly

[SKB_Hamsters]

If it smells more like wee then it probably not wet tail. But still continue to monitor her to be on the safe side.

How long have you had her for? Is she taking food from her bowl? Is she drinking an excessive amount?

[Lemon]

She’s been here for about 2 and a half days

She was very nervous in the car ride home. We haven’t taken her out to handle her yet. She’s very afraid and she’s been sitting in a hiding spot in her cage.

She ran on her wheel a lot 2 days ago but that was in a cardboard box, not in the cage. Ever since we put her in the cage, she doesn’t want to come out. I saw her drink water but I haven’t seen her take any food yet. I don’t know if she’s eating when I’m not looking.

She may have peed on herself because she’s too nervous to leave her hiding spot. It’s definitely not an unusual smell though, I’ve smelled the same smell before when one of my old hamsters peed in a more enclosed hiding area

Her fur around her rear is black so it’s hard to tell if it’s pee or poop

I’m also scared that if it’s not wet tail, the vet visit might stress her into actually getting it

[SKB_Hamsters]

It’s a hard one.

Without seeing her and going based of what you have said to me she feel like she a nervous hamster settling in. It a lot of changes and it is understandable overwhelming. Her behaviour doesn’t sound too dissimilar to some of my hamsters when I brought them home. Try and make sure her cage has plenty of place to hide and hopefully soon she will find her confidence and start exploring.

To see if she eating I would put her food in a bowl (if you aren’t already - I scatter fed so don’t use bowls) put in a tablespoon to 2 tablespoons. And see closely if her food is going - some hamster don’t hoard. Maybe put some strong smelling treat in her cage tiny amount of fresh veg works well or nuts. Place them somewhere you can see if she take them.

However saying this it hard to offer advice without being able to see her so this is when you have to use your judgement. If you are very concerned that she may be sick then taking her to the vets will be the best. I know you are worried the stress may cause wet tail but on the other hand if she is sick with something else leaving her could be worse. So definitely try and see her without disturbing her too much and make your judgement based on what you think is best.

All the best and I’m hoping your hamster will be fine.

[Lemon]

Will those wet tail drops maybe help her until her appointment?

But she’s so new I can’t get her to take anything, at least not in front of me


She was also making a teeth chattering noise when I was nearby looking at her. I’ve never head that specific noise from a hamster before

[SKB_Hamsters]

Wet tail drops do nothing. The only way to treat wet tail would be an antibiotic and you can only get that from a vet.

Teeth chattering is a way of hamster telling you they aren’t happy and to leave them alone.

[Lemon]

Also not sure it it’s related, but her teeth are a lot more visible than any of my other hamsters’ were. Like I can see them even when she’s not really opening her mouth to eat

They aren’t like massively huge but I wonder if maybe they’re a little overgrown and if that would make a difference

She has chew toys in her cage (but she didn’t at the place where I got her and I didn’t like that) but she hasn’t used any chew toys that I saw yet

[Lemon]

She refuses to eat or drink from me (I offered lots of fun stuff) but she’s sprinting on the wheel with tons of energy

i don’t think she ate or drank all day so I’m wondering whether I should take the wheel so she doesn’t dehydrate faster? But she seems to like it so much

when she woke up she was kinda slow for a few minutes but then got up to normal hamster speed.

She does smell but not worse than regular hamster pee, which appears to be stuck to her

Hopefully the vet will know tomorrow. She is also cleaning herself. I saw her do it a couple times in the evening when she woke up.