It's always sad when a pet is sick. Hamsters have their own way of making their owners love them and hamsters are very small in size, so it is very worrying if the hamster is not feeling well. The hamster's small size means it's not very strong when it's sick or fighting an infection. So try to prevent it from getting sick if you can, and when your hamster is sick, take steps to make it healthy again.
Step
Method 1 of 3: Caring for a Sick Hamster
Step 1. Look for signs that your hamster is sick
If you notice any behavior that is different than usual, watch your hamster more closely. Changes in behavior can be an early sign that your hamster is about to get sick. Look for the following symptoms:
- Do hamsters sleep longer than usual? Keep in mind that older hamsters usually sleep longer.
- Has the hamster lost its appetite?
- Does he not want to beg himself again?
- Does he get angry easily?
- When he wakes up, does he move slowly, or does he have trouble walking?
- Is the hamster hair falling out or is the hamster going bald? Keep in mind that this is normal for older hamsters.
- Does he have a wet chin or throat? This could mean dental problems.
- Does he have difficulty eating, such as dropping food from his mouth?
- Is it runny nose, watery eyes, or wet butt?
- What is the shape of the poop? Hamster droppings should be shaped like bars. Watery stools indicate that your hamster has eaten too many fruits and vegetables. Hard, dry stools indicate a lack of fiber.
Step 2. Keep the hamster warm
There will be situations when the hamster doesn't feel well. There are some general things you can do to help keep your hamster recovering. Make sure you keep it warm. Sick hamsters often lose body heat and feel cold to the touch. You can try standing in front of the hamster's cage with a hot water bottle so it can get some heat. Also, try wrapping a small hot water bottle in a towel and laying your hamster on it. Make sure you do this in a safe box so the hamster doesn't escape.
Step 3. Check if the hamster is dehydrated or not
If he doesn't eat and drink, or if his tail is wet, he may become dehydrated. You'll know when your hamster is pinching the back of its neck and then releasing your pinch. If the back of the hamster's neck is still peaked, it's a sign that it's dehydrated. You can give plain water, or buy an ORS powder made for people with diarrhea, such as Pedialyte or Dioralyte.
Make it according to the included guide
Step 4. Drop the liquid on the hamster
If your hamster doesn't want to drink on its own, prepare a 1 ml syringe. Suck a drop of liquid at the end of the syringe and hold it against the hamster's lips. Hopefully he will lick it. If not, wet the fur around his mouth so he will groom himself and drink the liquid stuck to his fur.
Be careful when dripping liquid with a syringe into his mouth. The hamster's small size makes it easy for water to flood its mouth. As a result, water can enter the hamster's lungs and cause serious pneumonia
Method 2 of 3: Facing Certain Conditions
Step 1. Treat breathing problems
If your hamster has discharge from its eyes or nose, if it sneezes, or if it bends down and breathes using its stomach muscles, it may have a respiratory disease. There are several things you can do to help him.
- Make sure the base of the cage is always clean. Dirty mats due to urine can contain ammonia which is very irritating to the respiratory system. Use a spoon or shovel to clean any wet bedding and make sure the cage smells nice and clean. If you can smell urine or ammonia, the effect will be hundreds of times worse for the hamster.
- Clean the litter in the cage daily, but try to do this without disturbing your hamster and stressing him out even more.
- Make sure the room temperature is within the recommended range and adjust it as needed.
- If your hamster's nose is sticky, clean it with a damp cotton swab. This method can help smooth the incoming air so that the hamster will be more comfortable to breathe.
Step 2. Treat your hamster's teething problem
Dental problems can make your hamster feel unwell. Clear or milky discharge from your hamster's eyes could be a symptom of a tooth root that is too long. Check if the hamster is eating well. Otherwise, a vet check is highly recommended to make sure the teeth are not too long. If there is a problem, the vet can scrape it off. If this is the case and your hamster's teeth are not chipped, he may continue to starve because he can't eat.
- Another sign of dental problems is a wet chin or neck. This occurs when the tip of the tooth is stuck to the cheek or tongue, causing pain when swallowing.
- Prevention is easier than cure. This means that you will have to give your hamster something to bite on to keep the hamster's teeth short.
- Don't give your hamster too much mushy food, such as strawberries or bananas, as these don't take many bites to digest. Instead, give dry food in the form of pellets or wooden blocks for the hamster to bite. Also give a tube or box made of cardboard so that his teeth are always healthy. In addition, hamsters love to crush them.
Step 3. Treat digestive problems
If your hamster has a wet tail, your bottom will also be wet and your hamster will move slower and get angry more quickly. Act fast because this problem can be deadly. Wet tails are caused by a dirty cage, so you should always keep your hamster's cage clean. To treat this problem, get a broad-spectrum antibiotic as soon as possible from your veterinarian.
- If your hamster has diarrhea, stop giving him fruits and vegetables until he gets better. This condition is usually caused by a blockage in the intestines and stomach. The best way to avoid this is to provide alfalfa hay as part of his diet.
- Constipation is caused by a lack of water in the hamster's diet. Make sure fresh water is always available for the hamster. If your hamster is constipated, give him carrots or other fresh fruit/vegetables as well as more water.
Step 4. Treat the hamster's broken bone
There are varying degrees of damage that can be lethal or incurable. If your hamster breaks its leg and you can see the bone sticking out, you should see a vet. If it's not too bad, the vet will treat and bandage the wound. If the bone is broken badly enough with broken skin, the hamster may need a lethal injection.
- If the hamster's legs are in an odd position but the bones are not visible and he is still eating and looking healthy, isolate the hamster in one part of the cage for 4 weeks and take the wheels. This will force him to rest and not use his legs and help the hamster's bones to come together quickly. You can also take him to the vet so he can bandage the hamster's paw, although the vet will also advise restricting the hamster's movement in the cage.
- Never give your hamster painkillers unless prescribed by a veterinarian. Its small size will make it prone to overdose.
Method 3 of 3: Caring for Hamsters
Step 1. Keep an eye on the hamster
This will help you figure out what he usually does. Check on your hamster at least twice a day and find out how much food and water he eats each day, his activity level and play time. By knowing this, you'll be able to tell when something isn't right, such as your hamster's appetite has decreased or the hamster is drinking more than usual.
Paying attention to these small details will help you detect early symptoms of the disease that appear in their daily routine
Step 2. Keep your hamster under stress
Stress puts a strain on your hamster's immune system, preventing it from fighting infection and recovering from illness. Stress for hamsters is feeling threatened or insecure, so make sure your cat or dog won't sit and watch them for hours on end. Consider partially covering the cage with a towel so your hamster can have some privacy and can go to a safe place if necessary.
Avoid loud noises, which can also frighten your hamster. Avoid polluted air that can put added stress on your hamster's respiratory system, such as tobacco or air fresheners
Step 3. Avoid extreme temperature changes
The ideal room temperature for hamsters is between 20 and 22 degrees Celsius. If the temperature is very hot, the hamster can become stressed, so make sure there is a fan running near the cage to provide air circulation and cool it down. Very low temperatures, below 10 degrees Celsius and more than 24 hours, can trigger a hamster to hibernate. Hibernation can put your hamster to sleep and can't wake up when you stimulate it, making the hamster look like it's dead.
If you suspect this is the case, place the hamster in a safe box such as a suitcase and place it in an open cupboard for a few days. A hibernating hamster will wake up this way
Tips
- Always wash your hands after handling a sick hamster.
- Never bathe your hamster in water. If your hamster gets wet, it will die faster. Instead, buy a chinchilla bath sand and let the hamster roll around on it.
- If your hamster squeaks or makes strange noises, it means he doesn't want to be held or is tired. Try to hold him again later when he's less rebellious.
- Pyometra is a common problem in older female hamsters. He will most likely stop eating and be so thirsty that you can see pus oozing out of the hamster's genitals and will stain the bottom of the cage. Pyometra is an infection of the uterus and you should get a prescription for antibiotics from your vet. This may help, but it is better to castrate the hamster if it is strong enough. Pyometra will be very fatal if not treated. However, surgery will be high-risk, so be prepared for the worst.
- Even when you are careful, hamsters can get sick. Calm down. If you know you're doing your best, it's not your fault.
