Last Updated: April 14, 2020.
If you are concerned that one of your pet hamsters is sick or injured, let us help you diagnose the problem. By closely observing your pet’s behavior and physical appearance we can begin to narrow down the issue(s) of your sick hamster.
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Signs and Symptoms
Once you spot all the behaviors and symptoms that are out of the norm, go to the next section below to help determine the ailment that most closely resembles your hamster’s problem.
Within the following articles we provide additional information on specific problems including signs, causes and treatment approaches of the given ailment. Some of the treatment solutions we provide might include things you can do yourself or medications you can get from the pet store.
If you ever have to ask yourself the question, “is my hamster dying?” or if your hamster looks sick to the point that it needs immediate attention, we always recommend consulting a professional vet. A vet can conduct medical procedures and or prescribe medications and antibiotics.
External Resources
- Risks of Human Infection
- Are You Allergic?
- Zoonotic Disease
- Rabies Information
- LCMV viral infection
- Your Weakened Immune Systems
For diagnoses and treatment of specific illnesses & injuries, see:
What’s Wrong?
You can narrow it down by counting the symptoms listed next to each illness. It’s important to make a correct diagnosis so you can treat appropriately. If a treatment calls for a medication, you should be certain your hamster is suffering from said issue. If you have any strong doubts, consult a vet.
- Abscesses: lumps and bumps, possible redness or matted hair
- Acariasis Skin Disorder: loss or unkempt hair, scaly or dry skin
- Alopecia Hair Loss: loss of hair
- Anorexia: underweight, unable or not to eating
- Cuts and Scrapes: visible cuts, redness and bleeding
- Diarrhea: runny waste, wet bottom
- Demodex Mites: possible redness or patchy hair loss, constant rubbing
- Eye Problems: red, swollen, watery, gooey or unable to see eyes
- Hind Limb Problems: unable to use back legs. drags hind legs
- Impacted Cheek Pouches: swollen cheeks, unable to eat
- Intussusception: hunched over, trouble with or not going to the bathroom
- Kidney Disease: possible constant urination, blood in urine, swollen abdomen
- Lumps: physical lumps and bumps, redness, swelling, possible hair loss
- Malocculusion of Teeth: overgrown teeth, drooling, unable to eat, swelling
- Mastitis Mammary Infection: swollen or bluish mammary glands, possible blood discharge
- Obesity: overweight, lazy
- Overgrown Toenails: long toenails curling inward, difficulty walking, possible redness or swelling
- Rabies: (it’s rare) excitable, aggression, convulsions
- Respiratory Infections: sneezing, runny nose, issues breathing, lethargy, dull coat, shivering, hunched over
- Ringworm Fungus: patchy hair loss, dry, flaky, yellowish skin
- Sarcoptic Mange: itchy, scabby, crusty patchy skin
- Skin Sores: raw, red, open wounds with possible bleeding
- Wet Tail Disease: runny stools and a wet bottom
- Worms: anorexia, diarrhea, constipation, tiny worms in feces
General Health CareAnimal GuidesPet Hamster Care
Reviewed By: Tim Winter
Tim Winter has a strong affection for pets and wildlife. His years of experience caring for various types of pets has led him to share his knowledge with others on the best practices in pet care. Tim holds a Bachelor of Science from the University of Oregon School of Journalism and Communications.
Hi, my hamster Kiku poop is solid light brown color. I am wondering is there something wrong with his digestive system? His poop is usually solid black. I am really worried! Please help me.
did you change anything in his diet? It might not be an issue at all.
My hamster is just lying down there , it’s has not been active for a day or two and I realize that it’s hands are swollen . When I hold it up on my hand it just lies and will not move .
for swollen hands, it could just be due to wire bars or had surfaces. make sure it has lots of soft bedding and there no exposed wire rung floors, stairs and so on. It also sounds like it might have an illness. It’s difficult to say what the issue is though based on those symptoms. You might want to consult a vet.
Hi my hamster’s name is Prancer he is a Chinese dwarf hamster and he has been drinking his water and I have to give him more twice a day and he pees in his whole cage and sleeps in eat what is happening to him?? Pleas help me!!
Hamsters often create an area for their bathroom but sometimes they go everywhere. You could try to get a hamster bathroom and put some of the soiled bedding in it.
My hamster doe the same thing and he is the same type. He jugs down all the water and when he is mad, he bites it until it pops open. We have had him for a months and we have already bought 28 bottles for him
Hi, my male teddy bear hamster is quite ill. He isn’t moving very much and his eyes are like glued shut. He also won’t eat. We were able to get some water into him threw a dropper. What do I do? I don’t understand why he got so ill! We had another hamster in the house 2 floors between them tho and she became so ill quickly and died. 🙁 she also had these systems. What could be killing my hamsters?
It’s hard to say what the issue is. You might need to consult a vet if it isn’t too late.
Hi my hamster is a dwarf hamster and he is sometimes acting weird like he would be fine and when I go and come back he would just be lying at a random place in his cage with his eyes open wing like he is sleeping with his eyes open and I have also noticed that he has a spot on his tummy where his fur is yellow and a little hard but it’s just there and I think that it cannot be from peeing because because it is pretty far away from his area and I’m scared and it the first time I own a hamster please help me
Hi, today morning i checked my two dwarf hamesters, unfortunately one of them has a cut in his mouth.
I dont know how and from where it comes but it is deep kind of or that what i saw.
So the first thing i separated them because usually they play together or fight idk, but i don’t think that the other one bites because they have been together almost 1 year.
I asked a pet store they say give it an antibiotic cream but they say it’s better to see a vet. So is the antibiotic cream enough with a tiny wrap?
The cream might be enough. Use it and see how it goes. The mouth heals pretty quick so hopefully no other treatment will be needed.
For the past few weeks, my Robo has been running around in circles, and it’s always in a counter-clockwise direction. Last night she nipped me lightly when I fed her and she did the same thing tonight, actually drawing a small (less than pinprick, really) bit of blood. Is she sick or just bored?
Running in circles and other repetitive behaviors can be a sign of a mental health issues (boredom). She might need more room to run around or more toys to keep her happy. It’s hard to say if there is a real issue right now.
My Robo hamster had the same problem and I ended up having to put her down. Robo hamsters can get this genetic diease and it makes them run around constantly. Some can live a normal life as long as they keep eating and drinking but once they stop doing that they will die of dehydration and starvation.
My hamster has big brownish blackish circles around his eyes and one of my hamsters died a couple weeks ago sadly and ever since then he had the circles around his eyes. I don’t know if it was because he is sad or because the hamster that died was a girl and he was a boy. ADVICE PLEASE!!!!!!!!!! 🙁
I just checked again and his eyes are red and he shakes a lot when I hold him
It sounds like your hamster is indeed sick. it could be a lot of things so it’s hard to diagnose the issue. Some general things you can do to make your hamster more comfortable can be found on . If things don’t improve soon, you should consult a vet.
Start by cleaning and disinfecting the cage thoroughly. Next observe your hamster’s behavior to determine if it might be ill. Is it lethargic, not eating, wheezing, etc?
I have a male teddy bear hamster that isn’t eating or drinking. Plus he’s sleeping a lot. What should I do to help him? He’s been this way since last night.
Hamster by nature sleep a lot so that is not necessarily an issue. Not eating or drinking is an issue though. First try feeding your hamster a treat to see if the not eating is due to the food. See this post for treat options. try one that also offers a good source of water like a fruit or applesauce. If that doesn’t work you may need to force feed it water using a water dropper and then try to diagnose the health issue. Try to see what other symptoms are showing and let us know. You can also consult a vet as well.
Is it normal for my hamster to suddenly stop what shes doing,and stare at one place? And she also had her paws clenched tighter than normal. Does she have any internal injuries? Or maybe a bruise somewhere?
Hi I adopted a hamster yesterday and she is a Chinese dwarf hamster. She is eight weeks old and when I put her in my hand she threw up her food. Then I put her in her ball yesterday to and she threw up her food again. Then the same thing happened in her ball this morning but this time it was even more throw up. I got worried so I put her back in her cage. I adopted her yesterday. Someone please answer me ASAP!!!
Thanks
She might just need some time to adjust to her new home and new owner. Take your time bonding with your new pet. Avoid holding it or putting it in the ball if she continues to throw up. If she sick, she will likely be most comfortable in her cage. Make sure she continues to drink and eat.
Hi there,
Very concern about my lil one turbo ..didn’t notice two days ago that he has a pink eye and what I did was using warm water with q tip wipe from front to back of his right eye but keeps coming back it is still sticky… On top of that he’s not eating ! I’m freaking out ! …don’t know what’s going on :(q please help?!!
I’ve found bits of blood on my female Syrian hamster’s sawdust in her cage, I’ve looked on her for any wounds, cuts and basically any blood on my hamster. I want to go to the vet but I’m going on holiday tomorrow and can’t boom an appointment any time before!!! Someone tell me what to do!!!!!??
Clean the cage and see if any blood returns. If not, it is probably not an issue. If it continues, then try again to determine where the blood is coming from.
I am really worried about my female hamster, there is blood on some bits of her sawdust and I’ve seen quite a lot in her ‘toilet place.’ I e looked for wounds or any signs of blood on her body and can’t find any.I can’t go to the vet because I’m going on holiday tomorrow and can’t get an appointment now!!!!! What can I do!!!???!!!???
It might be a urinary tract infection or some other type of digestive issue. depending on where the blood is coming from, in the urine or the droppings will help determine what type of diet to switch to. a few cranberries can help treat a UT infection. However, If you are feeding your hamster too much soft food, you may want to cut back because that can result in blood in the droppings. It’s hard to tell though and a visit to the vet is recommended for when you get back. Who ever is caring for your hamster while you are gone needs to make sure to feed it a balanced diet and to make sure it is drinking enough water.
Hi our hamster was attacked by our pet cat 2 nights ago at first he seemed ok but now he’s suffering from shock and hasn’t moved much in the last 24 hours, we’ve kept him in a warm quite room and just waiting to see how he goes. Is there any thing else we can do and how long can it take to go either way the whole family is on hamster vigual.
Please take your hamster to the vets. This should have been done in the first instance, it should not have been left until the hamster went into shock. It is vitally important that you take it to a vet ASAP or it will continue to suffer and die very uncomfortably.
plzz i really need help. my female hamster is not looking good. yellow stuff is coming out of her vagina, it doesn’t smell at all. her whole body is extremely weak and pink. me and my mother have tried to give her water because we thought that she might be dehidrated. we seperated the male and the female from each other because the female was pregnant. i don’t want to lose my hamster, she is my first hamster pls help :-(!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
My hamster stays in her blue house all day and all night and only leaves for food and water.My sister’s and mine hamsters have something around their eyes like orange crust or something i don’t know for sure what it is but I usually clean it off but it just keeps coming back.
hi, i have a russian dwarf hamster. She has been sleeping more than useal, today when i got her out i found i had blood on my hand. She is bleeding and pooing at the same time. She is only a year old, and looked fine other than that, dont know if its going to fatal or not. i put her back in her cage, is there something i can give her to help? thanks
my hamester is suffrering from a injured she have a cut by nails on her back . Please tell me how to recover his injury plzzzz replyyyy its very imp.
Make sure to clean the cut and keep it clean. It should be able to recover.
Keep it clean with what? My hamster has a little cut by his neck. And I don’t want him to die.
Sorry for the late reply and I realize this answer is no longer needed…You can use a warm wet wash cloth and little bit of antiseptic. If cuts don’t stop bleeding, you can add a bit of manuka honey onto it. this honey will act like a band aid and allow the cut to clot. Plus the honey is not toxic in the event your hamster continues to pick at its cut. Here is an article that we added for hamster cuts and scrapes
I have a hamster and he has been really sick for a while now. His private parts are swollen and red, and he pees all over himself. He can’t walk because he has a limp on pretty much all his legs. He used to be very cute and curl up in little balls but now he sleeps on his side and it looks like he is in pain. I don’t know what it is and I need him to feel better please help?
He also chews at at his paw and is losing fur.
Take a look at this post and see it any of these symptoms look familiar. hamster mites
It could be a number of things; you should contact a vet.
thank you, but I lost him
And also, he was fat, but now, he’s small! He’s not like his original self. And under his mouth is swollen, please help! Please be quick! I don’t want my hamster to die early! ?
I love him and my other hamster very much! ❤️?❤️
My hamster started to go off her food for a few weeks, she wasn’t taking all of her food into her bed. Then last night all of the sudden my son found her half in her bed so he took her out. She was very weak and unable to open her eyes or even move, there was also poo on her bum that was clearly stuck. I dripped a few drops of water in her mouth, stroked her for a while and put her cozy in her bed thinking I would take her to the vets first thing in the morning. Only when I opened her bed to see her in the morning she had died ?. Our hamster was only 10 months old and a Syrian hamster. Just wondering is there anybody else this has happened to? I thought they usually lived 2-3 years. I feel so terribly guilty now for not taking her to the vets when I first noticed she wasn’t eating as much but really just thought she was alright.
It’s nothing you likely did or didn’t do. Most people would have waited to see if a sick hamster would get better first before taking it to the vet. It’s unfortunate that it didn’t make it to the vet in time but at least you were willing to do so. A lot of the time when a hamster gets too sick, a vet would just recommend putting it down and out of its misery.
Please help me, for my hamster! ???
I hope you can help, please be quick! I’m still not telling my mom because i don’t want to put more stress on our monye issues, ans theres a lot of things that my mom is stressed, i still don’t want to take him to the vet because i know i can find a cure without buying, and i don’t want to add more money issues. So please help me!
I know how you feel with the money but the way its doing right now you need to go to the vet
Hi, i have a male hamster, and he’s more than 2 months now, yesterday i looked at him, his tounge was sticked out and there’s some yellow liquid thingy on his eyes, i took it off, only his one eye opened, and he can’t eat much because of his tongue, he is playful, he really likes to eat, drink and run and walk fast in his cage, and he stands up in the wall when i go to them, (i have another male hamster) he was very healthy before, in fact he’s fatter than my other hamster, he is my 2nd hamster we were surprised that he got fatter than my 1st hamster! They really make me happy when they’re playful and healthy. And this happened, he walks slow, his other eye still can’t be opened and i think he’s fur under the mouth is wet, it has a greyish color. I’m afraid that he might die, he really likes turning around and stands up fast, but now he doesn’t turn around that much and when he does he cannot stand up!
It’s hard to say what it is. sticky eyes often are a signs of a cold or respiratory infection. It might be time to call a vet, especially if your little guy isn’t eating or drinking.
My hamster escaped from her ball and after I caught her and returned her to her cage she became very still. She’s breathing and her eyes are open but she’s barely moving at all. it’s almost 11 pm and usually she’s pretty active by now. I picked her up and she didn’t fight me at all or try to jump out of my hands like usual. I’m worried now, she has food and water and doesn’t seem ill, but I don’t know. Any thoughts?
It sounds like she is stressed. Give her time and she should return to her normal self.
My hamster male private part has be swollen how can I help him or medicine
How is the swelling today? You may need to reach out to a vet. Applying a thyme tea mixture to the affected area might help reduce swelling as well as feeding the hamster dandelion leaves.
Hi, i’m worried about my hamster, she is a fat russian dwarf hamster… Her fur looks wet, and when i go to get her out, she’s grumpy, and just trys to keep burring and just sleeps, she drinks and eats alot though… The only thing i could think of that would make her like that would be maybe from yesterday… I was letting her runn around, and i accidentally stepped on her fur, but i didn’t like squish her or anything… She also lives with a male hamster that’s the same kind as she is… PLEASE HELPPPPP
I would leave her be for awhile to see if she can bounce back. Are there any other symptoms other than wet fur and being grumpy?
Yeah that’s what i was going to do–Leave her alone– My sister sais that my hamster seems limp… i don’t think their are anymore symptoms that i can see, i can’t tell if her nose is wet or not, but i have seen her and my other hamster mating alot a night i think–Do you think it’s just because i have them out too much?
I don’tknow if you got my reply, but here it is again—I was going to leaver her alone too–My sister says that my hamster seems limp–i don’t thinik their are any other symptoms that i can see—-Oh and she’s been mating with my other hamster at night at think–Do u think it’s just because i have them out too much??
It’s hard to tell. Let them be for a few days but closely observe the one that is having issues. make sure it continues to eat and drink. If it doesn’t start to get better, you should at least call a vet. other options you have include asking this question on one of the few active hamster forums. There are a lot of experts that have gone through similar issues. They might have a solution or some insight on the matter.
Thank you, do u think it could just be because her cage isn’t cleaned?
i washed her Wheel and her plastic house last night…
She looks alittle better today
i had a pet hamster and she constantly chewed on the bars of her cage and the paint of the bars was chipping off and she was eating it. Do you think it had anything to do with her death
Hamsters like to chew on things including metal bars. It’s hard to say if that was the cause. You can avoid this by buying chew toys next time around and consider getting a plastic habitat instead.
OUR HAMSTER ,IF PUT NEAR A WALL WOULD BITE THE BARS ALL NIGHT…ONE DAY WE WERE DOING SOMETHING AND NEEDED TO PUT HER SOMEWHERE ELSE SO WE SAT HER NEAR THE CHRISTMAS TREE …SHE WENT NUTS..BITING THE BARS LIKE SHE WENT CRAZY…WE FIGURED OUT THAT WHEN NEAR A WALL WHERE THERE IS ELECTRIC IN THE WALL SHE BECAME SCARED TO DEATH…WE THINK SHE CAN HEAR THE POWER IN THE WIRES…WE MOVED HER TO THE DINNING ROOM TABLE AWAY FROM ANY LIGHTS AND FOR TWO YEARS SHE WAS FINE…ONLY WHEN SHE WAS DYING SHE BIT THE BARS A LOT FOR THE LAST WEEK..OUR SWEET HAMSTER DIED YESTERDAY..IF YOU EVER GET ANOTHER HAMSTER…MOVE YOUR HAMSTER AWAY FROM THE WALLS..AND ANY LIGHTS…OR LIGHT SWITCHES..SORRY FOR YOUR LOSS
In answer to your question, no chewing the bars would not have contributed to your hamsters death , I have had Syrian hamsters for over 30 years and if you have a wire cage they all seem to like a good chew on the bars!
I had a particular hamster Charlie who lived for 3 years and 3 months and he chewed the bars from day one( even though he had a lot of toys!) he preferred bars!!, so no I think it would be something else he died from
My hamster Poppy I got her 1 month ago and now she is round and puffy and is trying to cling onto me but when she gets on me she bites me she keeps trying to go up. Earlier I walked in my room to see if she was okay and what I found was her hanging off her water bottle it is a hanging one that comes from the top of the cage not the side. Please help!
I’m not sure what the issue here is? Hamsters like to climb and hang onto things. If you are concerned, just make sure if the hamster falls, she doesn’t get hurt. You can do this by adding a nice layer of soft bedding.
Oh and she looks alittle better today, i washed her wheel and her little plastic house last night
Hi. I have just gotten 2 male robo hamster few days and have been letting them get used to the environment. However, one of them was running on the silent wheel and just flew out (guess the speed was too fast ) and hit a log nearby. Then subsequently, it just keep getting flown out of the wheel until he is now scared of the wheel. What can I do? And could he injured himself as he has been hit by the log?
You might try to get a wheel that has covered sides to help keep him in the wheel. He could get hurt if he keeps taking hits like that.
I have a russian dwarf hamster that has lived with my boyfriend since I got him about 3 months ago.. this morning he brought the hamster over because he isnt his usual self… he said nobody toucbed him to hurt him, but he looks in pain.. I think its an upper respritory problem but im not sure, I looked at the page and I couldn’t really figure it out.
He is normally evil and playful, but today hes depressed looking amd wont bite me, he always tries to bite people when they touch him. he barely moves, he usually runs around like crazy, and hes kinda hunched and walks funny. His body is moving as if hes struggling to breathe or like his heart is going to explode.
I changed his cage today to a tank which I put a heating pad on one side to keep him warm but he wont go on that side anyways. I had him in paper bedding for about a month then switched to pine and today I switched to aspen. when I first put him in the aspen tank, he was moving more, but now hes just sitting there doing nothing accept what looks like struggling to breathe… I dont know what to do because I have no money for a vet… please help )’:
I asked you a question, I dont know if it went through… but I dont need an answer anymore because hes dead )’:
Ohh, I’m sorry to hear that. I just responded to your original comment too. 🙁
Pine shavings contain toxins which can cause respiratory problems – though they are not as bad as cedar shavings. Aspen shaving are safe but if they are dusty, you might just want to switch to a cellulose based bedding. See bedding options for more on that. make sure to keep the cage clean and always remove the soiled bedding since ammonia build up from waste is also a cause for respiratory and eye allergies. I would also say you should make sure the cage is well ventilated to allow these gasses to escape.
never mind 🙁 she passes away in to my hands:( she was struggling to breath ;(
I’m sorry to hear that. 🙁
My hamster jumps around and suicks and turns itself on to its back!
is he sick?
tell me what to do!!!!
It’s hard to tell from that explanation. Is the hamster continuously doing this or is it just every so often? Hamster are active creatures and it cold be nothing at all to be concerned about. But there is a chance it has some sort of mental illness or genetic defect.
Hello I was hoping you could help. My hamster Dexter has yellow wetness on his belly that has not gone away for a few days. I gave him a sand bath and have been changing his bedding more frequently, but it is still there. What could it be? I do not believe it’s wet tail because he still has solid poops. His activity level is the same and other then the yellow wet belly spot he is completely normal. Do you have any idea what it could be?
Where does the yellow wetness appear to be coming from? it’s behind, a open wound or somewhere else? Is he just peeing on himself? You might want to use a warm wash cloth to clean him up. If the the yellow wetness comes back, let us know.
if dexter is a robo dwarf thats normal cause mine has that
I’m really worried about my hamster right now. His eat his food( and I give him extra) but his still loosing weight (and small patches of hair). He shakes a lot but my room is always a solid 70 degrees, and he does’t to have a lot of energy. I got him 7 months ago from petsmart so he shouldn’t be that old. I’ve checked for every sickness I know of but i really can’t find a match for his symptoms.
I would consult a vet for an appropriate line of treatment.
My male hamster has one eye is very red in the eye can someone who know about hamsters help me.
It’s hard to say what the issue is but it could be as simple as a burst blood vessel. It might have just poked its eye on something shard in it’s cage. You could try cleaning it with a saline solution. Does the hamster have any other visible issues?
its albino: that means both eyes are slightly red or completely
Hello i have a female syrian hamster and her name is charlie. I have about 3 months with her now. At first she used to get up at night and go on her wheel. Now she is always asleep all day and all night. I only wake her up so she can play outside her cage. But once i put her backin tye cage she goes to her iglu amd falls asleep. I hope you can help me! Bye!
Is your hamster eating and drinking? It’s hard to tell what if any issues exists. How does the hamster physically look?
never mind the hamster passed away in my hands struggling to breath ;(
my 2 month old female sirian hamster was self bred but now her paws are pail white and her nose is white she cant walk with out falling down and she has not been going to the loo often and she does not drink or eat and i have to make her drink by hand also her poop is black and crusty and i dont have enough money to go to the vet plz help me 🙁
I’m sorry to hear that. Continue to make her drink water and see if she will eat. Just try to keep her warm and comfy. Hopefully she can get through this. It’s hard to say what the issue might be though. A vet is obviously the recommendation. You might call one to see if they can at least point you in the right direction.
My hamster has a big, black lump (kind of like a bubble) on his stomach and is depressed and eyes are sunken and he’s not eating a lot. We are afraid that he is dying. what symptom do you think it has?
It’s not easy to say based on all of those. I would recommend calling a vet for an expert medical opinion. It sounds pretty serious.
Hi, my hamster Puddin’, has been proper off these past few days, coming up to a week now, she’s nearly 2 years old, she’s hardly eaten, or drank, I got her out to have a cuddle to see if she’s any better and she’s just gone down hill, she had a large clump off poo on her bum, which I cleaned off with cotton buds and warm water, and off white gunk came out, but cleaned it all properly now and her eyes were crusty so again cleaned her eyes with cotton buds and warm water to which off white gunk came out, she cant open her eyes and her eyes have sunk in, she doesn’t seem in pain, not squeaking as I know she would if she was, she feels cold, currently got her wrapped up in a towel on my chest, were having to give her her bottle to get her to drink and cant eat as she doesn’t seem to have the energy to bite down, its like she knows she wants too, she loves her dried banana chips, what could it be? Is she coming to the time I have to say goodbye or is there another reason? Please help, in floods of tears at the thought of it. :'(
Hamsters do have a short lifespan so it could be that but it could also just be an illness having nothing to do with its age. It sounds like a virus of some sort. You should consult a vet. In the mean time, keep it warm and comfy. Also make sure it continues to drink water. You can add water soluble vitamins into the water. You might consider feeding her some food that is soft or in liquid form. In order to give it a chance to fight off the illness, she will need to be hydrated and have energy.
I was wondering if you would help, my hamster wakes up with one eye shut and leaves it shut unless you open the cage, then he slowly opened it, I had a good look at the eye and it has sunken, I don’t know what to do please help!
A sunken eye can be caused by a lot of things. take a look at our post on eye problems to help narrow it down. If the information there doesn’t help, you might try asking a vet for a recommendation. You might just be something as simple as needing to clean the eye or it might be an infection require eye-drops or something more serious requiring antibiotics.
The eye section of the page wasn’t much help I want to do as much as I can before the vet in case he gets put down, are there any other solutions or diagnoses for him?
It’s hard to tell what it might be. Does it display any other symptoms of an illness? If we can’t provide you with a solution, you might try searching for a “hamster forum” in Google. There are a few active boards that have some pretty knowledgeable users. They usually give pretty good advice.
Ok other than his eye he is totally fine and a happy hamster like he always is, but he does hang on to the bars at the top of his cage and me and my dad wondered if he may have knocked his eye or wouldn’t it do that?
Yeah it is possible its eye was hurt from some sort of physical activity or fall. It might have even scratched it on an object or bedding in the cage. If the hamster seems to be perfectly happy other than the closed sunken eye, I doubt a vet would advise putting it down. You should contact one if the eye doesn’t get better soon. Or ask some of the experts from the few active hamster forums. Wishing him the best and please let us know how he is doing after all of this gets resolved.
Hiya, I have a normal hamster and earlier I went to give him water and food as I give him clean water and food everyday, I clean his cage out often as well as he is a messy hamster, but earlier I checked on him as I wondered why he wasn’t out because he’s normally out chewing the bars and I picked him up and he couldn’t open his eyes, his eyes were all gunky and red around the edges I managed to open one eye but couldn’t seem to open the other one , also I noticed that he couldn’t use his front legs to and it was just like as if he just wanted to curl up in a ball and go to sleep, I don’t know if he just needs some rest or he’s just going to die, please can you help me as I’ve had him for 12 years and I’ve watched him grow and I’m only 12 years of age, please help me I don’t want to see him die
Hi! I really hope someone can help me. I have two hamsters. Recently one of them has started losing hair on its back. He has bald spots now. The two hamsters do live together and sometimes fight but only sometimes. And that dolt have any cuts so the balding isn’t due to their occasional fight. I have changed the bedding from wood to paper, but they’ve used paper before so I’m not sure if that is causing it. The one losing hair mostly sleeps under a little house made from wood but the wood doesn’t seem rough at all. I haven’t changed their food, and there water bottle leaks a little but only a drop when I put it in and the it stops so I don’t think its the water bottle. And the balding is only happening to one hamster and not the other. The balding hamster (other than losing hair) seems fine; no change in diet or attitude at all. PLEASE HELP!??
Hi take a look at our post on alopecia and demodex mites to see if any of these symptoms also fit your hamster.
My dwarf hamster just did this super weird spasm-like thing, where he will suddenly be like a fireball twitching and flipping very vigorously within his cage. He is also making a very weird noise that is very deep and rough and almost evil-like. He is a total sweetie but he seems like possessed right now when he does the spasm thing and the low voice thing. Is something wrong? Something is def wrong, could you identify whats up? I want to comfort him so bad, but now i dont even dare touch him. Its 2am here, i am worried sick i dont think i can sleep. Please please help.
Call the vet because he might need to be put down
My hamster cheek is swillen till her right eye never open…what can i do?shes not active like what she use to be..she been sleeping and not active
Is there any food stuck in her mouth? If so treat for impacted cheek pouches. You can also take a look at the teeth and see if they might be irritating the inside of the mouth to the point of causing the swelling. Another issues it could is an abscesses (see lumps and bumps). Calling a vet is also an option. They might be able to help drain an abscess or provide antibiotics.
For the past 2 days my 4 month old dwarf hamster, Honey, has not been sleeping. She is eating and drinking normally and I have cleaned her cage and her little house that she sleeps in but for the last 2 days she has not been asleep at all to my knowledge. I am really worried about her, any ideas?
I wouldn’t worry too much right now. It could be that she is sleeping but just not when you are around. If any other issues come up, let us know.
Please help!! For the past few dayseconds my hamster, Pumpkin, has not been herself. She’s about a little over a year old. Her eyes are gooey, she’s not eating at ALL, barely drinking water, sits up and sways back and forth. Her skin seems red and she might be losing some hair. She’s normally a very active, hungry and full of life hamster! Any advice would be appreciated!! Thank you in advance!
She may have a cold or some other bacterial infection. I would consult a vet and see if you need to get some antibiotics. In the mean time, you can clean the eyes with a saline solution, clean the cage thoroughly and make sure the hamster is nice and warm. Lastly, make sure she is drinking water even if you have to feed her with an eye dropper
Hi I have a Syrian hamster named Togo and he is 1 year old, about 2 day ago he started acting strange he wasn’t active he’s wasn’t eating or drinking, and he hasn’t been pooing or weeing either, his rear end was dried and dirty, I took him to the vets and they say he had a lump in his body so she gave us some pain killers and today my hamster wouldn’t move at all, he was still breathing and crying , so I had to make a hard choice to put him to sleep, because he was in to much pain, it was a hard choice for me but I know I did the right thing , I just thought u could help me find out what was wrong with my hamster so it doesnt effect my other one, thank you
Lumps and abscess are not contagious unless of course the lump is the result of an infection from say something like mites or another parasite. The vet would have caught something like that so it just sounds like the lump, what ever it was, was in a place that caused Togo to be in a lot of pain. You did the right thing by first taking it the vet and then to putting it out of its misery. I’m sure you took good care of him and that he was happy for his one year of life. Some general care advice can help you minimize the chance of an illness but sometimes, no matter what precautions you take, a hamster can get sick and sometimes not pull through it. Keep their cage clean by doing routine maintenance, feed them a well balanced diet and provide them with plenty toys and space to run around and be happy. Best of luck to you and your other hamsters.
If she is moving back and forth are hamster died of that he was having a heart attack take her to the vet and see what they will say
i have two russian dwarf hamsters they are both female, and they playfight sometimes and it seems to be harmless and they sort it between themselves. they sleep together and play together. but today they were really fighting and one has blood around her bum and every time i try to touch her or lift her to inspect her wounds she squeaks in pain. should i take her to a vet ? i have split them up for now but dont know what to do because i dont have room for two cages and they seemed to get on fine before, i got them together and they already lived together from birth i have had them about three months. they seemed to enjoy each others company when they were lifted out to play with my son they would always go to each other and it would break my wee boys heart to get rid of one. please help
Usually two female dwarfs should be fine to live together but as you see now, they might also fight. if it continues like this, you might sadly have to separate them. If you don’t have the space for two cages, perhaps you can expand the current one and provide a few more spaces that are more private. This will give them their own area to call their own. Two feeding dishes, water bottles and wheels might help as well.
I got a robo dwarf hamster a few months ago. When we first got her she was all over the place and played al day than ran on her wheel all night. She slowly calmed down and just went on her wheel at night. I see her eating but I never see her drink; however her water bottle shows she does drink. Nowadays she stays hidden all day and almost all night. I hardly see her and when I do she is just sitting on one of her floors eating. It worries me because of how dramatically her behavior has change. I hope you can help me.
It’s really hard to tell if there is an issue to be concerned about? Some of these behaviors are just what hamsters do. Are there any physical signs of a problem?
Hi, I have a Russian dwarf hamster and he/she is usually very active but is not leaving his/her bed and I have not seen him/her eat since early hours this morning. is this anything to worry about and should I see a vet?
It probably isn’t anything to worry about but continue to monitor your hamster’s behavior. Make sure it is at least eating and drinking water.
I got my hamster about a week ago it was very active and running around but the past two days it has just sat in its house it eats little she does drink and when I get her out she runs around but when I put her back she just goes and lays down she also has a bit of diarrhea, could it be stress I clean her cage often but I did get her out the day after I got her is this stress or sickness ?
It could be stress. It could also be its diet. make sure you feed your hamster a well balanced diet. Also, hamsters are more active at night so you might think it is not moving around a lot but in fact it might be moving around a lot while you are sleeping.
She’s not doing much at night she does a lot of sleeping … She does get up to eat and drink but that’s about all she has only been on her wheel for maybe a minute the diarrhea is still here but other than tired and diarrhea she has no other signs of wet tail ..I’m going to buy dry tail and see if it may help
My haster is injured in a fight with other hamster….and he got injured….he has scratches every where,his one leg is not working properly and one side of stomach is swollen a lot ….what to do….plzz help and he sits in one place only he never walks
First, you need to separate the two hamsters. next you need to clean the wounds with warm water and an antiseptic. it will take some time to heal up. It’s leg may or not need a vet visit. If after a few days it can’t use its leg, you should consult a vet. A little limping is probably to be expected for a little while as it takes time to heal bumps, cuts and bruises. If the hamster starts picking at healing wounds, use manuka honey to help it heal.
hi, i also have a pet hamster and think if it has diarrhea, then i really think you should get a vet’s attention and get him checked out just to make sure it’s nothing serious 🙂 i wish you luck.
I’m a new time hamster owner andand my 2-3 month Syrian female hamster I see drinking but when I’m awake I don’t see her eating. She also stores her food in her sleeping area I’m just worried she might get sick from not eating a lot. and because she I’d little and they need to a lot it. And I can see her food were she stored it is not going down its staying the same
And her fur is all ruffly and sticking up
Is it anything to worrie about or am I just worrieing to much.
It’s probably nothing to worry about.
I have a Syrian hamster he is always up at night and running around, today he bit my toe I think he was jus tired cause I woke him up before I left for work, but for a day or so I noticed he hasn’t been running so much and is really tired no change in his diet and he is still eating and drinking normal amounts a day.
He might just be more active when you are away. Continue to observe his behavior though and if anything else comes up, let us know.
Hi
Thanks for your response , i got her age wrong , is is 19 months old . I moved her cage to a coooler area of the room set up two frozen bottle of water a few inches from the corner she normaly sleeps at and some times put the fan on , she some times lies down in her own pee which is bizarre and her coat looks ratty these days , , shes skinny so i put some margarine on the tip of my finger and she went crazy to eat it , i wonder is she has teeth problems ?
ill take her to the vet tomorrow to give her the once over
waiting your response
john ( thanks )
Awwww… i hope your hamster wouldn’t have anything wrong with him… Mine died about 4 days ago from a black finger, but nothing else unusual ever happened.
so i just hope my new hamster would be as good as my last one, her name was Pippy Long Stocking.. So how is your hamster?
My hamster got his teeth stuck on the cage when I was going to help him get lose he pulled and his tooth fell of he was bleeding am scared because if he can’t eat because of the pain he could die help me I don’t have money to take him to a vet I don’t want him to die
How is your hamster doing right now? Is it able to eat?
If you do not have the money to take your hamster to a vet then you should not purchase a pet in the first place. He now has to suffer because you chose to buy a pet you could not care for. You need to borrow money from someone (parents, family etc) and take him to a vets urgently or he will not be able to eat and will become malnourished, the wound may become infected and it may be too painful to drink. At the very least they will possibly put him on painkillers to ease his suffering.
My russian dwarf hampster is 1.5 years old ( female ) we live in france and it is hot and she sleeps outside her box in the cage but I noticed her bottom looks wet and sometimes she sleeps where she has a pee , she looks skinny and doesnt move around unless to find another place to go to sleep in. she eats pieces of cheese and some grains but not much else She normaly shares the cage with her daughter but they fight all the time now when they see each other , so we are thinking to buy another cage. does it sound like “old age” or should i take her to the vet ?
thanks john
Dwarf hamsters live to about 1 1/2 to 2 years so your girls is certainly a senior citizen. Just keep the cage clean and provide clean bedding. It being the summer time, make sure it is not too hot for her. Try to find a nice cool room to place her cage. Finally make sure she is drinking water. If she isn’t, get an eye dropper and try to hand feed her. Adding some hamster vitamins into the water could also help. Hope this helps.
I have had my hamster for about 30 days, it’s is a Russian dwarf hamster. It’s always full of energy and on his wheel. But the past few day he has been hunched over and doing nothing, he has been in his home all day and night I haven’t seen him eat today at all. If I pick him up he just sits in my hand and closes his eyes and doesn’t move, it’s almost as If he is having trouble moving. I thought he might be cold so I put his cage in a warm room and placed hi, in the middle of his cage. He is breathing but not moving just kind of falling asleep in the same spot and not moving. Can you tell me what is wrong?
Nvm. I took him to the vet. And he had a respiratory infection and it was too late and they couldn’t do anything so we drove home because we couldn’t do anything. And he sadly died in the car.
I’m so sorry to hear about your little hamster.
My hammie is 10 months old. He was the runt of the litter but has always been happy, healthy and curious. I clean his thoroughly cage weekly, spot clean it daily (just take out soiled bedding and replace with fresh), give him fresh food and water, etc. I noticed today when playing with him that there looks to be a poo pellet stuck on his anus. Then I noticed the poos in his cage are a lot larger than usual. They’re formed and not soft or hard. I’m worried because it’s different from usual and I don’t want to dismiss it if it’s something I could catch early. He still loves to run around the room every evening (my eyes on him 100% and hamster proofed room) and seems ok. But why would hamster poo increase in size so much? No changes in food, not giving treats, he hasn’t had fresh veggies since a week ago. Thoughts?
It doesn’t sound like an issue to be concerned about. Continue to monitor your hamster’s behavior and if anything else changes, let us know.
My hamster is in pain. My hamsters feet are swollen and her stomach is also swollen and has some scratches on it I’m very worried
What kind of bedding and cage habitat do you have? If the bedding is rough like wood chips, it can scratch your hamster’s belly. Additionally if you have wire bar flooring, that can cause bumble foot (swollen feet). Adding a protective layer over the top of any expose wire flooring, ladders or ramps will help. Lastly, make sure your hamster’s wheel is not a wire bar type. You need a nice smooth surface for your hamster to run on.
Hi, my hamster is not doing very good. For the past few days he has been laying in the corner of his cage, just yesterday we got him up and noticed that he was in very bad condition. He was super skinny to the point where I could feel every bone in his body, he had lost some hair, his skin is pink, and his eyes are shut and he’s unable to open them. Up until today he really hasn’t moved much, but he tries. When he moves he’s really shaky and needs help to move sometimes. When he moves on his own he sometimes falls over and needs help getting up, because he is so weak. We noticed that the tip of his water bottle was a little hard to open so we were wondering if he is dehydrated, sick, or dying of old age. Keep in mind that he cant see at all so when he does fall down he cant see anything. I try to have him drink out of his water every 15-45 mins. Since he cant see I try to get him to eat but he sometimes struggles to see where the food is. He is moving a little more, but he cant get far with out help, it looks like he grew some hair back, and is still drinking water when I give it to him. I don’t know what the problem is and I don’t know how long he has left. Please help 🙁
How old is your hamster? This all might be due to old age. Just try to make him as comfortable as you can in his old age. Provide him with lots of warm bedding and continue to help him drink water. However, If he isn’t that old, you might want to consult a vet.
If they are cold put a warm damp towel around them and put them by yur chest so they can warm up
My hamster got bitten by another male hamster on his scrotum the bleeding stoped and his injured part has turned into very dark red, the outer skin is been teared. He is not that much active as previous. Am very scared. I want him back… Will he ‘ll be okay?
You should consult a vet on this one.
Hi
my hamster has been breathing heavy for the last 3 days her urine is darker and shes not eating well she eats only a scoop a day (its a little itty bitty scoop) ans she gets 2 scoops a day please tell me whats wrong i have had lots of hamsters but this one is a really special one…???…
It’s difficult to say. The urine might be darker due to an infection or it could just be due to the change in your hamster’s eating and drinking habits. Breathing heavy can be due to a number of things so it is also hard to tell. Are there any other symptoms you can provide? Regardless, make sure she continues to drink water.
Hi there. I recently adopt two robo hamsters and I am not sure what are their gender. It has been a week now that they are living in their new cage that my boyfriend got for them. We got them two running wheels so that they won’t fight but from what I saw for past few days, they are fighting each other often. Whenever one of them get down, the other one will chase after her and they fight until the one who got attack go up again and run in her wheel. Sometimes, the one who attack will chase her into the wheel and fight. I seperate them for few hours and they seems fine when I put them in the cage back but then the fight start back. I am so confused
Secondly, my hamster who got attack by the other one are scared to be hold but the other one are already tamed. What should I do?
Lastly, it is also about that hamster who got attack. Her fur is kind of messy or ruffled. Does this mean she is sick?
Please reply. I need your help
It’s probably not sick. The ruffled coat is most likely a result of the fighting. Some fighting is okay but not to the point of bleeding and high stress. It’s good that you bought two wheels and it is good that you split them up for a time-out. If the fighting continues or gets worse, you might need to split them up permanently. You could also make the cage bigger so the two can have their own space or limit the time they are together. There is a chance they work it out and figure out how to coexist. Give the untamed hamster some time. Slowly build a bond/trust with it and then you could try again to hold it.
Hey dont worry they are going to fight get two cages so then they are not running into each other
I got my male Syrian hamster almost a week ago and wasn’t informed that I was supposed to leave him alone for the first week to become accustomed to his new surrounding. Last night I discovered that his water bottle was leaking everywhere and he was just laying in a puddle of water. I cleaned out the cage and got a new water bottle for him but he is just hunched over in a corner that doesn’t have any bedding and is surrounded by his own feces (which isn’t particularly solid). When I pulled him out he was acting normally and crawling all over me but he had some liquid fecal matter on his butt. I don’t know if I’m just jumping to the conclusion that he has wet tail but there isn’t a small animals veterinarian even remotely nearby and I don’t want to stress him out even more by traveling. He is eating but he shies away from me whenever I try to touch him. He’s only around eight weeks old and I’d like to know if I’m just overthinking it and if I’m not then what I should do.
You are probably over thinking it. Continue to keep the cage clean and give your little hamster time to build a bond with you.
OMG please help. I have female Syrian hamster. She gave birth on 28th of May. Killed two babies right away. 6 survived and she was the perfect mom since. I found new home for 3 babies and I have 3 left. No idea about their sex. Can’t say if it’s a boy or a girl. Though tonight one of the babies started jumping around and lifts his back leg and act crazy. To the point where he can’t even sleep. His brother or sister begins to do this too. I split all hamsters. Mom, babies etc. Two of them calmed down. Though white one acted like this for over an hour. Two babies are back home with their momma. White one is alone in the box. I don’t have spare cage now :/ he is here alone with bedding food water etc almost 5 hours. He is calmer though he can’t sleep because of those new ticks. I checked all Google can’t find any answers. I must add that babies were done unfortunately by brother and sister. I had no idea they weren’t same sex. Can it be some genetic issue? If not what is it? What should I do? I can’t afford vet yet. It’s 60 euros for the visit only here ;(
That’s too bad about the two babies being eaten. unfortunately this does happens sometimes. Depending on the age of the remaining babies, they might need to be housed with their mother so she can care for them. Unless of course you think she will try to eat them as well. The issue with the nervous tics of the other baby is not something I have experience with. It could be a genetic issue due to inbreeding but it could also just be a phase it is going through. For me it is hard to tell. I wouldn’t want to give you any advice on something I’m not fully familiar with. You can try to seek out an active forum on hamsters and explain this to the members. Though they will likely tell you to take them to the vet. 60 euros is a lot of money to spend on a hamster that may not make it. It’s a sad reality but also an understandable one. Here are a few active forums to look at: hamsterhideout and hamstercentral
Thank you for your reply. I took her to the vet. He said she is perfectly fine. Those nervous tics he explained to me as a great shock. She was attached to her mom too much and when for the first time I tried to catch her she was already very stressed plus I eventually catch her and took out. She screamed back for her mom to come and save her. Apparently this sound was the sound of abandoned or lost baby. Though mother didn’t showed up. So she was close to heart attack. Now she’s doing fine back with the mother and her 2 siblings. Apparently because I never tried to touch babies or interact with them caused her to react in this way. He gave her something to calm down in a shot. Don’t know what it was. She slept half of a day. And now she look like a pretty healthy hamster. Eat and sleep. Play etc. Sometimes while sleeping she squicks and do weird noises. Maybe it’s PTSD if hamsters can have it at all
My hamster has been acting funny. She pooped out a big ball of poop and it had blood in it. I’m afraid she’s pregnant because she is now making a nest out of toilet paper and she is storing food. I haven’t had her for very long but the pet store warned me she might be pregnant. ( I also think the blood and “poop” ball was maybe a miscarriage.
Please help! -Emily and Liz
It sounds like it could have been pregnant and a miscarriage occurred based on what you stated. See this post on pregnant hamsters and raising babies for additional information
My hamster has a cut just below his neck, he has had it for a while now and I thought it would heal by itself but it hasn’t. He seems to be scratching it quite a bit. He is still running on his wheel, eating and drinking so it doesn’t seem to be bothering him. Is there anything I can do to help it heal. Do you think I should take him to the vet?
You can try adding some manuka honey to help stop the bleeding.
My hamster has a lump on her head and I can’t afford a vet what can be wrong
A lump can be several things. A general lump, swelling from a skin condition (parasites), a cyst or even a tumor. A common lump probably doesn’t require vet care. You can try soaking a wash cloth in a thyme tea to help reduce the selling. Try reading the articles relating to skin conditions and lumps on, Hamster Illnesses for more care instructions.
Hi my hamster is acting normal but when I put her in my hand she won’t climb around and she
Usally she will and she’s been rubbing her nose lately I’m a first timer so I’m probably just paranoid
It’s probably nothing to worry about but continue to monitor your hamster and check back if things get worse.
My daughterson hamster lost it’s foot within 24 hrs all of a sudden it’s not there there is no blood but it’s bone is sticking out I don’t know what to do for it obviously a vet but we cannot afford a vet obviously I don’t want it to be in pain any advice?
Sorry to hear about that. There is not a lot of advice to offer. There is a very small chance that it doesn’t get infected but without vet care the wound will likely become infected. I suggest calling a vet at the least and asking them for their expert opinion.
If my hamsters starts making funny noises and it is getting red around the eyes what should I do
It’s hard to tell what that it might be. It might be as simple as a cold. See this post
Hi,my hampster has blood running from his nose,mouth and bottom and he let’s out screams and splats of blood come out,please help I don’t know what to do!!
Hi
My hamster escaped out of his cage for a week and since we’ve caught him and put him back in his cage he’s not been his usual self. Used to be quite a clean hamster and would poo and wee in certain areas. Now there is big, soft poo everywhere! Particularly in his house and it stinks so bad!! His wee is also very yellow. We have to clean his cage every two days at the moment. He’s also got poo stuck around his bum and it’s all sticky. Otherwise, he’s drinking a lot and seems alright. Any advice?
My hamster is bleeding on the nose because another hamster bit it on the nose,what should I do
If the cut is still bleeding after a few minutes of noticing it, you can use a clean paper towel or tissue to help stop the flow. Hold it against the wound for a few minutes but be gentle. If your hamster fights you over that, try adding a tiny bit of flour to help stop bleeding and then let it be.
You can treat the wound several ways. Let it heal on its own if it is a minor cut or otherwise clean it with a Que-Tip and some mild antiseptic. Then add a tint bit of Neosporian. Some hamster owners use a thyme tea or UMF Manuka Honey to to clean wounds since they are completely safe for hamsters.
The Manuka Honey is recommended because it will help keep the wound from scabbing. Scabs on the nose can easily be torn open since the nose is usually moist all the time.
Lastly, you may need to separate the two hamsters if this behavior continues or get a larger cage. Only dwarf breeds should really be housed together. The larger Syrian breeds prefer their own space.
My hamster got stuck in her bed for a day and night before i realised. Ive freed her and shes walking gingerly, and hasnt had a drink yet. Shes normally quick and full of life and she is very quiet and not keeping still for long periods of time.
Hi! My hamster Marie looks healthy but then the other day, she can’t even walk properly! And her eyes doesn’t look good either, she had a hard time eating and drinking so I had to help her by holding the water bottle close to her. The next day, I just found her dead with a blood on her bum 🙁 And this morning.. I found her sister dead with a blood on her mouth. I wasn’t around the last few days, my mom just told me that Marie’s sister acted the same. She can’t barely walk and had a hard time eating and drinking so my mom did the same, she helped her drink and eat. And now.. mama ham ham seems to act weak right now.. What should I do? What might have caused them to die? Is it a genetic disease or something? Because the other hamsters (from another mother) are fine and they are in a one big cage. I would really appreciate your help. Thank you!
It is hard to tell what the cause of death might have been. It could be an issue with genetics based on the info you provided. Regardless, consider quarantining the mother hamster away from the healthy hamsters, do some deep cleaning of the cage, clean the food and water dishes, keep the mother hamster comfy and makes sure she is drinking water. Depending on the mother’s age, she could get better. If you can provide us with more symptoms, we might be able to help narrow down the problem and see if there is an available treatment. Of course you could take her to a vet for a more accurate diagnoses and treatment options.
my hamster had a serious accident. I keep a towel over her cage at night and she had pulled parts of it apart causing strings of all sorts. she got her foot caught in it and seems like she tried way to hard and now she has an extreme open wound and I’m scared bc I can’t take her to a vet bc none are open and I can’t afford it I don’t have her papers from when I bought her anyway I’m afraid she’s going to die but I don’t want her to die is there anyway I can help her?
To stop the bleeding, use surgical gauze or toilet paper as an alternative. The hamster will of course chew these off so you will need to keep replacing them. You might call a vet and see if you can purchase a small head cone to help keep your hamster from chewing on the bandage. I wouldn’t recommend making one on your own without first getting advice from a professional. We do not have the experience with these. Use an antibiotic ointment or spray to help keep the the risk for infection down. Avoid using adhesives like band aids directly on the hamster’s fur. The fur will stick to the band aid and make it painful to remove.
My hamster is not sleeping this morning and I am not sure if this is not normal because she may be excited till tomorrow morning because we let her out in the garden and that’s the first time she has ever been there and we observe her to keep her safe from bad plants but I noticed she chewed on flowers and grass. Could this be the problem
It depends on the types of flowers and plants she chewed on. Grasses should be fine and many plants are fine too.
I noticed earlier today my hamster’s eye is filled up with blood.I thought maybe he had a paper cut from some papers that were on my couch, but he wasn’t bleeding externally. I called Petco and I asked one of the managers his opinion. He suggested that maybe Dusty busted a blood vessel. Does that sound like something that could happen? He told me to give it a couple of more days since my hamster is still acting normal and playful. But I was told that if he does need help from a vet that I can relinquish him since right now I’m not able to afford to care for him.
From that bit of information, it does sound like a broken blood vessel. That’s not a given but the most likely. Monitor it over the next few days and see if there is any improvement. In the mean time, make sure your hamster’s living space doesn’t have objects with sharp edges. Also consider using a softer bedding if you currently use wood chips for example.
I have a 2 month baby hamster and he/she is not eating or breathing and he/she has heavy breathing I’m afraid he might die
mysyrian hamster had a fall yesterday and her nose started bleeding. I had to go to school so I made my mum make sure she is okay. When my mum got back from the school run the bleeding had stopped. She is really wary now and keeps sneezing.Please help me. I don’t know what to do and we can’t afford a vet at the moment
Like humans, hamsters are no different. When you get a bloody nose, which for some people happens easily, sometimes blood gets stuck in your sinus passages. Sneezing might just be a reaction to trying to clear them out. Being a little out of it is also common when you get hit in the nose or take a spill. There are a lot of nerves in the nose so is a normal response. Both issues should probably go away with time. The main thing is that the bleeding stopped. Observe your hamster but don’t handle it for a few days, let it rest and heal and it should be able to recover on its own.
Hey y’all my hamster hurt herself she was obviously trying to escape and busted her tooth sideways. Now she’s breathing weird like she has the sniffles I’m scared and don’t want nothing happening to my baby. please help!! Ohhh and her nose was bleeding.
Sorry for such a late reply. Do you have an update to share with us? Were you able to fix her tooth?
Same thing happened to my hamster, Eugene a few months back. He had to get the tooth removed, and the other filed down. Had to give him pain killers and antibiotics for a few days. Also soft foods, I crushed up his favourite biscuits into crumbs so he could eat it. He got better, then a few days back I noticed his nose looked like it had been bleeding and sounded like he had a cold, so back to the vet! More antibiotics. He was getting sticky eyes too. Poor wee bugger. Then yesterday morning he seemed very confused and wobbly and very bloated. Back to the vet for more antibiotics, unfortunately I lost him yesterday afternoon, I was heartbroken. But Eugene was very old. Hope this helped. 🙂
My robo dwarf hamster has been recently screaming, or letting out high pitched sounds, and when i check on her she looks scared and is unable to move for a short period of time, what should i do?
Hi, dwarf hamster in particular are known to let out squeaks so it’s not a given that there is a problem at all. Furthermore, you picking it up when it might already be stressed could just make it more stressed and its reaction is to stand still or cower in fear. Continue to observe your robo and read up on our post on hamster body language. Let us know if any other odd behaviors come up, like, if it stops eating and drinking water.
She has been continuaslly scratchting, then she started to twitch and jump, and I saw the page in your response and she has not been to responding to anything after the twitching occurs. This is a new behavior, but she is getting older, she is almost exactly 2 years old, I don’t know what I can do for her if there is a problem.
Scratching could be a sign of mites or some sort of skin issue (see this post and the others on skin issue) It could be an issue due to her age and if that is the case, there is not a lot you can do to fix her. Try to make her comfortable in her old age. Keep the cage clean with lots of soft bedding. Taking her to a vet is an option but they will likely say the same thing.
I’ve noticed alot of blood in my hamstets cage. Ive pocked him up several times and never see any woumds.He is little over a year old now. He just lays around he usually runs in hes wheel all night but he hasnt been doing that. Ive also noticed alot of blood on his wheel as wheel. PLEASE HELP I DONT KNOW WHAT I SHOULD DO FOR HIM.
Have you checked closely at your hamster’s feet? or could the blood be coming from its mouth or behind? It’s hard to tell what is going on without knowing more. Try to make sure your little guy keeps drinking water so he doesn’t get dehydrated.
My new Syrian hamster that I got three days ago has just had a dramatic change in the way it’s acting. In the past few days it has been incredibly active and very responsive to me but now she’s barely moving and will just sit in one spot for very long periods of time when she is usually moving around. She hasn’t been drinking very much either. Her fur looks a little ruffled tu there’s no sign of wet tail, runny noses or problems with eyes. What’s wrong with her? Should I take her to the vets?
Sorry about the late response. How is your hamster doing? In regards to the not drinking issue, you should get a small eye dropper and hand feed it water. you can also buy some water soluble vitamins. Dehydration is a serious health issue for hamsters.
Our dwarf hamster has a red blister like mark on his paw. Any ideas what it could be?
It could be that its living space doesn’t provide enough soft places for it to walk around on. If you have a wire cage or wire exercise wheel for that matter, the red blisters might be a symptom of aching feet. add extra bedding or at least adding something over top of the wire rungs. Continue to monitor the blisters, keep them clean and infection free. Keep us updated. See these posts: Drawbacks of Wire Hamster Cages and Safe Hamster Bedding Materials.
what your dealing with is bumble foot this happens when you have a wired wheel or that it has been putting its feet all over the cage which could also cause bumble foot its not dangerous just dont let her use the wheel and try as hard as you can to prevent her messing with the cage
My hamster is sleeping all the time for the past two days, and when i take her and put her on a table or any surface, she just lays there not moving. She opens her eyes for a little while and then closes them like she is tired and wants to sleep. She wasn’t like this at all, she is usually very happy and energetic. By the way she is 1 year and 5 months old. What is wrong with my hamster?
Are there any other symptoms of a possible illness? Hamsters are animals that do prefer to sleep during the day and are up and active at night. Have you noticed if any food has been eaten or water drank? If so, it might just be that you and your hamster are on different sleeping schedules. In the mean time, just make sure your hamster is comfortable, the cage is warm and has plenty of soft sleeping bedding.
I am not sure but i think she eats less then usual. Other than that and the total lack of activity, I do not see any other symptones like sneezing, runny nose, wet tail, fur is also ok. I am sure that the problem is not a change in sleeping schedules, because whenever i take her in my arms (day or night) and put her back down she remains in the same position, she doesn’t even curle up in a ball, like she usually does when sleeping. It is really sad….
It’s hard to tell what might be wrong but obviously something is off about her. Dehydration is something you want to be concerned about. If she isn’t eating or drinking, she could die from dehydration. Try getting a small syringe and hand feeding her some water. Do it slowly and see if she drinks any of it. You might also want to go to the pet store and ask for some vitamin supplements that you can dissolve in the water. This will at least give her a chance to fight off her ailment. Considering your hamster’s age there is always a chance it is something more serious. Regardless of the issue, just try to make her as comfortable as possible.
My moms hamster has been making this sneezing noise recently he looks like he has a runny nose & red. His right eye is closed & looks kind of watery. What may be wrong with him? What can I do? Should we take him to the vet?
It sounds like he has a cold or respiratory infection. On this post, see the section Treatment Basics to get some information on what you can do to help. Your hamsters can fight off these illnesses but it might need a little extra attention to ensure a speedy recovery.
My hamster is about 6 months old, and I do have some gnawing block thingys. It lookes like its been used, because of the fact that its chewed along the edges. Its eyes are usually half open, however I am unable to see if its because of fatigue or sickness. I look at my hamster during the day so i think it looks tired. It has a running wheel that it uses during the night as our family hears it while trying to go to sleep.
I will try to find vitamin drops. Do they sell them at the local pet shop?
I changed its food bowl, water, and cleaned its cage. I will reply if things start to get better. Thank you for your help!
My hamster is acting a little strange lately. It drinks a lot of water and I think its trying to gnaw on the water bottle, but Im not sure. It doesnt eat much, even its favorite food: sunflower seeds. Its grown skinny and its ears are flat against its back. Also its back legs are shaped funny. Sort of like a frogs back legs. I must admit I havent been taking care of it much, for instance not changing its food bowl often or not changing the bedding, but now Im concerened for it. What should I do? Will it get better if I take care of it more? Please help!
First things first, clean your hamster’s cage, change the bedding and its food and water. The good new, your hamster is drinking water. If it isn’t it will lead to dehydration which in hamsters can be a death sentence. Is your hamster getting old? Does it have trouble walking? Do you have toys in the cage for it to gnaw on and get exercise? Older or out of shape hamsters can get issues with their back legs. see our post on hind limb problems. Having toys for exercise and to gnaw on, will make it less likely for your hamster to gnaw on its water bottle. If your hamster is not eating, you might want to put vitamin drops in its water. See our post on hamster diet. Lastly, seeing its ears pinned back is another sign of an issue. It’s either stressed or has an illness. With only those few signs, it’s hard to determine what the real issue is but do these things mentioned in this post and it is a good start. Let us know if your hamster starts to improve.
I’m getting a hamster and I’m scared it will get sick and I won’t notice! What should I do? Help! I’m scared!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! 🙁
If you feed it well and keep the cage clean, you should be able to keep the little guy from getting sick. Also, observe it everyday to see if you notice any changes in behavior.
But I’m scared your advive won’t work! ;(
OMG!! my hamster’s back leg is injured i think……it’s like crippled……..wad should i do now???????????wad should i do now????!!!
I hope your hamster’s legs are better. There are many reasons their back legs stop working. An injury, old age or a lack of exercise to name a few. You can help treat some of these with a change in diet and more exercise options. In terms of an injury, you can either go to the vet or try to make your hamster feel more comfortable as it tries to heal. A vet might not be able to do much other than prescribe some pain medication. Surgery and casts on such a small pet is often impossible and many vets won’t. Follow some of the advice in this post and you can improve your chances of it getting better.
My hamster has been very sick a few days now. Very lethargic and weak. We actually thought he had passed the other day but has not. He’s not eating/drinking either. He does have a yellow discharge that seems to have dried up underneath him. It’s a boy…is that his penis? I don’t know whats wrong with him but I believe it’s immenent that he’ll be passing away. My children are upset. Do you know what could be wrong? He’s a dwarf hamster.
Yeah, it’s likely dried up urine. It’s hard to tell what it might be. Is the hamster an older hamster, does it have any other symptoms like respiratory problems, runny nose? You should take a water dropper and make the hamster drink water since hamsters can become dehydrated quickly. I’d almost call a vet and tell them your situation; the vet might be able to give you some advice over the phone.
My hamster hasnt been it self latley, it now and the sneezes and just sleeps all day, only getting up for 2 hours during the night. i was wondering if hamsters can have allergies since its spring right now, or do you recommend i see a vet?
Hamsters do sleep a lot but it sounds like your hamster might have a cold or is allergic to something in the cage. If it’s a cold, take a look at this post on hamster colds. If it’s not that, try looking at this post on allergy free hamster bedding.
Do hamsters get a period, if so how long does it last and how often does it come.
Yeah they do in a sense but it’s not often they bleed. It lasts a few days.
My hamster was fine yesterday. Today she seems very ill. When I talk to her she whines or squels back which she never does. She seems to be breathing fast, shakey and has a yellowish discharge. She is laying in her house with head stuck out the window and eyes closed. I have had the windows open the past few days with a breeze coming in, fed her a few celery leaves, and she may have fallen as her ladder was down in her cage and she was on lower level when I came home. She is walking fine. I cleaned her cage and she has plenty of water. I placed her in a warm dark room for tonight where its quiet so she can sleep. She is about 2 years old. I am concerned.
It’s hard to tell what the problem is but you are doing all the things I would do. It sounds like a virus but i’m not sure. Keep it warm and comfy in a quiet room and make sure it drinks some water. You can always try calling vet for advice or a professional diagnosis. Hope she feels better soon.
I have a female dwarf hamster. She has been a year old since Christmas. When I got up today, I noticed that she has a runny nose. Last night, I heard a small very small coughing noise. When I get her out, she doesn’t move. It looks like she sleeps. She also hasn’t been drinking as much. Should I take an eyedropper and give her water to her like that? Does she have a cold? My sister has had a cold for about a week now, so could she have gotten it from her? Note: My sister doesn’t hold my hamster, only I do. What could be wrong with her?
it sounds like a cold. i would follow the steps on treating a sick hamster and also look at this post on hamster colds. germs get in the air and you should try to keep sick people out of the hamster’s room if possible. it’s not your sisters fault thou. If you don’t see your hamster drinking, you might try a water dropper. It’s important to get it hydrated.
my hamster is acting the same however she is also very slow hobbling around like an old lady. she knows what she wants but is also very weak on one side im wondering whether she has had a stroke or even worse has knocked herself out as one of her habits is to monkey bar the roof of her cage and let go.!! i took her out the cage last night and she tended to turn round in slow circles. the rest of her appearance is normal. what do you think??
She may have hurt herself when she fell, you might need to see if she can heal on her own. If it was a stroke, there is little you can do to treat that. I would call a vet and a see what they recommend. I would make sure you have nice soft bedding in your cage so your hamster has a comfy place to walk on.
Hi there I have a Russian dwarf hamster who is about two years old, recently she had a cut on her nose that got infected. I took her to the vet and after a series of injections the swelling went down and she seemed to be doing well for three weeks. Today I noticed her one pouch is blocked and her face is very wet and icky I messaged a bit of food out of her pouch like the vet said I should do in case of an impacted pouch and I immediately smelt an awful rotting flesh smell, she’s lost so much weight she’s practically just skin and bone, tomorrow I’m going to try giving her the unsweetened plain yogurt and have temporarily moved her cage away from the other hamster in case it is contagious. Her mouth inside is black and horrid is there hope for her and what can I do to keep her a bit healthier if not. I can’t afford to take her to the vet again so soon 🙁
you can try cleaning out the pouch with a salt water solution. see this post on impacted cheek pouches for more info.
My hamster has a swollen and discolored abdomen. She is also dragging her hind legs. She seems to be having difficulty breathing and is staying in one corner of her cage(fish tank). This seems to have come on very quickly (she was fine yesterday). I am concerned however, because she did fall recently. Could you give me some advice?
I’m sorry to hear about your hamster. try reading this post on hamster hind limb problems. A fall could mean it hurt its back but there are other reasons for hind limb issues. discolored abdomen and hind limb issues could be a digestive problem. It could have a gut impaction from eating too much of something. I would call a vet and see what they might suggest. It’s hard to diagnose the problem over the Internet. hope she gets better.
MY HAMSTER HAS BEEN SICK FOR A FEW DAYS. . .SHE DID HAVE A BIT OF DIARRHEA, BUT SHE IS NOT EATING OR DRINKING, IS VERY SLOW MOVING AND SLEEPING ALOT!! SHE CAN NOT OPEN HER EYES. . .WHAT COULD POSSIBLY BE WRONG???
It could be a lot of things but it sounds like the flu. You should follow these steps on treating a sick hamster. More than anything, you need to keep it hydrated. If you have to, use a water dropper to get some water down. Think about calling a vet if your little pet doesn’t start drinking soon.
Hi. My hamster was preg. and gave birth to cute pups. 😀 but today, one of the baby hams. has a wound on its neck. the baby hams. is 3 or 4 wks. old. HELP! idontknow what to do.
Hmm? for starters, I would read this post on raising a baby hamster. the wound could be a scratch mark or a bite but it’s hard to tell. You have to be careful when treating babies because early on, if you handle them, the mother might get stressed and end up killing her babies. You might want to consult a vet if the wound doesn’t heal on it’s own.
Our hamster seems sick. It isn’t eating much and it is lethargic. When I pit it in its’ ball it seemed just to fall around on it’s side-kind of going in circles. This is very unlike him. He is normally very active and loves to be in his ball. He has one eye that looks a little matted. Do you think this is a cold or something more serious?
It’s hard to tell but to make it feel more comfortable, see this post on treating a sick hamster. It’s all about giving him a low stress environment for him to fight off an illness. If he doesn’t get better in a week, you should consult a vet. Keep him hydrated.
my hamsters butt is bloody its never don that before what is wrong
Is the blood in the stool of your hamster or is there a some sort of cut in/on its backside. Blood in the stool can be a sign of a serious problem but some blood on the backside might not be as serious. I would clean up your little pet and observe it. If the condition doesn’t get better soon, call a vet and ask them for an opinion.
my hamster was chewing on the bars of her cage and I just touched her nose to make her stop. when she dropped down and I looked at her she looked like she had hurt her mouth and her nose was bleeding. what could have happened?? could she have broken her teeth?? I did look and her teeth are fine but after when she went to eat she would only eat the soft peanuts. will she be able to eat if its her mouth that she hurt?? How long will it take for an injury involving the mouth and nose to recover?? I feel so bad for it. I need to know she’ll be ok
Just like humans, hamsters can easily get nose bleeds. I wouldn’t be too hard on yourself, it’s not like you hit her. Her teeth are probably sensitive right now and need to rest. Give her some time to heal and in the mean time, feed her soft foods that won’t hurt.
my hamster fell down from my second floor to my first,at first we thought she was dead but when i went to pick her up she moved around and now she seems fine just scared.is there anyting i should look for to see if she has broken bones or anything? i am very scared she is dying,
That’s is a big fall and it is possible that your hamster sustained an injury. You might also have gotten really lucky though too. Check to see if it is limping or has trouble breathing. these are signs of a broken leg or rib. Also check to see if there is any blood coming out of its mouth, ears or eyes. Additionally check to see if there is blood in the urine or poop. These are all signs of an internal injury. lastly, if your hamster appears aggressive, that is a defense mechanism and might have an injury.
If something is wrong, call around to find a vet that can treat your hamster. They might be able to offer you some solutions and also pain medication to help relieve any pain it might have. What you can do to help her is to remove the exercise equipment, confine her to one level of her cage and make things nice and soft for her so she is comfortable.
Going forward, avoid falls by blocking off gaps and stairways. Also don’t let your little hamster run freely in areas that you can’t hamster proof. I hope your pet is alright
You should always do a health check on your pet to make sure their is no problems.
1. Start by checking the ears you need to look for anything coming out if that is the case you have a problem and you should see a vet.
2. Next you need to check the teeth if they are getting long or not staying together you should get a chew block so your hamster can chew on that and should improve his teeth and make them healthy.
3. After that you need to check the eyes if they are red,swollen,watery,gooey or they are unable to see your pet has an eye problem, seek a vet for help.
4. Next step is to check the body for lumps bleeding or swollen you should seek advice if you from a vet for ways to help your pet.
5. Nearly at the end. check the nose it should not be runny crusty or dry, if the case see a vet.
6. Finally check the bottom if it is wet or runny you have a problem you should seek advice from vets to help your loved pet.
My pet fudge is healthy and I will look after him using this check.This check was given to me by pets of home for a Syrian Hamster but some of this check will still work on other pets s0o I would suggest to do some further research to find the best health plan for your pet.
That must of hurt the poor thing, keep an eye on your hamster if you see anything strange or a sudden change in your hamsters behaviour take her to your local vets for some more advice.It is possible it has picked up a injury hope the best for her,good luck.