HELP SICK HAMSTER

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Kataust1405

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I have been away from home for 3 nights popping in each evening to feed my boy and I've come home tonight and he is totally out of it he won't eat his favourite treat when I put it infront of him, he won't move when touched, he looks like he's on drugs and is not reacting to anything what is wrong with him?!
 
I'm sorry to hear this, I'm not sure. Is he warm and can you tell if he has been drinking? I would suggest trying to speak to a vet.
 
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Really sorry to hear this. Could you try giving him a bit of sugar water? Or honey if you have it. How old is he? It's possible he just pined - I had an older hamster who went a bit like this after we went away for a week-end. He looked terrible but came round again. It's also possible he may have got too cold if there was no heating on? And could be close to going into torpor. Hence the sugar water to boost blood sugar and keep the room warm. Also could he be dehydrated? Is his water bottle working? If he hasn't improved by the morning then yes you'd better get an emergency vet appointment.

If he doesn't seem unwell he may be in a huge huff! But you say he's totally out of it which sounds like he maybe unwell.
 
Hank said:
I'm sorry to hear this, I'm not sure. Is he warm and can you tell if he has been drinking? I would suggest trying to speak to a vet.
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I rang the vet. £280 for a visit right now so I'm going to have to wait til the morning. He is behaving so strangely for him. He's usually so energetic. I've seen about topor but it can't be that as he is totally upright and awake but just vacant and not really moving much. I am now trying to warm him up. I can't really tell if he is drinking but he has plenty of veg that provide him with fluid.
 
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Try giving him a bit of sugar water on a teaspoon - will he take it from a teaspoon? If not, do you have a small syringe and you could try and get him to take it from a syringe. Or runny honey if you have some. Posted at the same time - see my post above.
 
Maz said:
Really sorry to hear this. Could you try giving him a bit of sugar water? Or honey if you have it. How old is he? It's possible he just pined - I had an older hamster who went a bit like this after we went away for a week-end. He looked terrible but came round again. It's also possible he may have got too cold if there was no heating on? And could be close to going into torpor. Hence the sugar water to boost blood sugar and keep the room warm. Also could he be dehydrated? Is his water bottle working? If he hasn't improved by the morning then yes you'd better get an emergency vet appointment.

If he doesn't seem unwell he may be in a huge huff! But you say he's totally out of it which sounds like he maybe unwell.
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He's 6 months old and usually so active. I can try the sugar water if he would take it... His water bottle is working altho he hardly uses it anyways.
I am now trying to warm him up but unsure if it would be topor as he is fully awake?
 
Maz said:
Try giving him a bit of sugar water on a teaspoon - will he take it from a teaspoon? If not, do you have a small syringe and you could try and get him to take it from a syringe. Or runny honey if you have some. Posted at the same time - see my post above.
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He's had about 4 pieces of sweetcorn now would that qualify for enough sugar?
 
Sorry I edited my post again :-) It might be he was just on the verge of going into torpor rather than gone into it. I'd still try sugar water so he gets sugar in the system quite quickly. Or runny honey if you have it.
 
When you say he doesn't use his water bottle much, is that because he has a water bowl as well?
 
He doesn't have a water bowl but honestly the 6 months we've had him I've seen him use his water bottle about 5 times. He must drink overnight when we are asleep. But he has a lot of veg which I feel provides his water?
He just ate some sweetcorn would that be enough sugar or do I need to try him with honey?
 
He is now sat in his house not coming out but looking around. He is so out of character. I really am worried he unwell 💔
 
Sweetcorn wouldn't give enough sugar really if he was on the verge of torpor or coming out of it. Just put two teaspoonfuls of sugar into a cup of boiled water and let it dissolve. Then tip half of it away and top up with cold water (so basically it's one teaspoon of sugar then). And wait for it to cool a bit more until it's tepid. It's quite easy - unless you don't have any sugar :)

If he's very young he may have just "gone off" a bit with being left for three days.

Yes you don't often see them drink or use the bottle and it will be mainly at night, but they can only survive about two days without water. Does he have plenty of food in his hoard?
 
Edit - I just saw you were popping back in the evenings to feed him so he wasn't exactly left for three days but he will have noticed the silence in the house at night possibly and it has started to get cold at night recently - more noticeable if not warm during the day either.

It's good he's actually eaten something.
 
He has a bowl of food and we give him veg each night. I am now doing the sugar. I just turned the light on and he was laying down on the floor of his cage. I touched him and he walked into his house. So strange. I will let you know how I get on with the sugar but I will definitely be taking him to the vet tomorrow.
 
Hello I've just tried the sugar water he won't take it off the spoon. When I go back to the cage he is in a ball like he is sleeping then when I wake him he's sort of normal again. Maybe he's exhausted? I might try putting some sugar on sweetcorn and see if he'll eat that.
 
I've put 2 pieces of sweetcorn coated in sugar on a spoon and he's eaten it now gone back to his house. I will see how he is in the morning. Thank you so much for your help 🙏
 
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I hope he's ok. The lying down almost sounds like he's either too hot or just unwell. It's possible he's coming out of torpor. Keep the room warm overnight (not too hot - about 20 degrees).

Do you have a nightcam? It would help to know if he comes round in the night and uses his wheel.
 
When you say he has a bowl of food, do you remove his hoard? It's always best to leave their hoard unless it's been pee'd on, and then if you have to remove it, put some new food back in the same place. They can get quite anxious if they're cleaned out a lot or their hoard removed. Sorry if you already know that.
 
Good morning I just want to say thank you so much for your help. Houmous is back to his normal self this morning. You helped so much and made me at ease and it was like having a vet on my phone! Thanks for your expertise!
 
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