Your little mate is a mix between your best friend and your baby, and the last thing you want is to see him get sick! Obviously, the best way to help is to take him to a vet, but if you've already done so or can't go there at the moment, there are a few home remedies you can use. Read this article to find out which ones.
Steps
Step 1. Examine your hamster's symptoms:
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Are you sleeping more than usual? Remember that old hamsters naturally sleep more.
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Has your hamster lost his appetite?
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Don't you brush anymore?
Treat Your Sick Hamster Step 1Bullet3 - Are you more irritable than usual?
- When awake, does he move slowly or find it hard to get around?
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Has your hamster shed some fur or does it have spots? Remember this is normal for old hamsters.
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Does he have a runny nose, shiny eyes and / or wet tail?
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The hamster's feces should be in the shape of a wand. If they are liquid, it means they are eating too much fruit and vegetables. If they are too tough, however, they won't eat enough.
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Step 2. Find out what your hamster has and how to treat it:
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If your hamster has a cold, he will have a runny nose and be irritable. Give him cod liver on some bread, it'll do him good.
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If he has dental problems, it won't be easy to understand - the only way is to look inside his mouth every now and then! Powdered milk helps a lot to heal dental problems.
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If your hamster has a wet tail, he will also have a wet butt and move slowly, as well as being more irritable. Try to do something as fast as possible - in the worst case it could even die! The wet tail probably means the cage is dirty, so try to keep it clean. To treat it, get a broad-spectrum antibiotic.
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If your hamster has diarrhea, stop feeding him fruits and vegetables until he gets better. Usually, this is caused by an intestinal or stomach blockage. The best way to cure this is to give him alfalfa as part of his diet.
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Constipation - this is caused by a lack of water in the diet. Make sure your hamster has enough water available. If your hamster becomes constipated, give him carrots or other fresh fruit or vegetables (and also give him more water, of course!)
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Shiny eyes - this indicates that there is food stuck in its food tray. This happens if you feed your hamster too much soft fruit and vegetables. Avoid this by giving him small bits of food and making sure he doesn't put them aside. If it has food stuck in its tray, use a liquid to release it.
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Step 3. Find out how to prevent (this doesn't mean cure, but make sure it doesn't happen yet) and your hamster will be fine:
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Colds: Make sure you wash your hands and dry them with a clean towel. Try to prevent the cage from filling with dirt and do not wash never your hamster.
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Teeth: There's not much you can do but be careful that you don't have a chewing block. If powdered milk doesn't work, go to a vet - always the best choice.
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Wet Tail: Try to keep the cage clean and there should be no problem.
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Diarrhea: Don't give the hamster more than one too soft treat per day.
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Constipation: Make sure she always has water available
Treat Your Sick Hamster Step 3Bullet5 - Shiny eyes: Make sure he eats the soft foods you give him right away. Check its tub every so often to make sure nothing is stuck.
Advice
- When your hamster recovers from a cold, change all the pebbles and what's in the cage, even if everything is clean. Clean the cage even when you find out he has a cold - same thing you should do with any kind of illness.
- If your hamster is squealing or making strange noises it means that he doesn't want to be disturbed or that he is tired - leave him alone.
- Many people do not wash their hands when dealing with their hamster, but it is important to do so. They are very small and don't have a very powerful immune system, so any germs in your hands can easily attack them.
- Never wash your hamster with water. If the hamster gets wet, it can even die! Instead, get some chinchilla bath sand to clean with this.
- Your hamster will be much happier if you follow all these steps.
- Make sure you are taking all precautions or you could make your hamster sick.
- Hamsters can feel very lonely if you never play with them. Get them out of the cage 1-3 times a day and they'll be much better off!
- Wet tail is not caused by dirty cages! Usually, it is caused by excess stress. Dwarf hamsters and Robo hamsters (desert dwarf hamsters) usually never have this problem, but Syrians are prone to have it. Those who are most prone to have this problem are young Syrians, not old ones. Young hamsters are more stressed when they have to get used to a new home.
- Pyometra is also a fairly common problem in older hamster females. It is an infection of the uterus, and if it happens, you will need to give your hamster antibiotics. These can help, but even better if your hamster is strong enough to be spayed. Pyometra can lead to death if not treated.
Warnings
- Wet tail is deadly. Be very careful with this symptom - always keep the cage clean!
- Even when you take the right precautions, your hamster can get sick. Take it easy. If you know you did the best for him, it's not your fault. It's not your mother's fault that you catch a cold, it happens sometimes. It's the same with hamsters.
