How can I help my hamster?

Question

We have had my hamster for a while. He's quite old now. His companion has already died. About a month ago, we noticed these black scabs on him. They have grown, and spread. His skin feels very rough and scaly, and he is balding. He doesn't eat or move around much anymore. There is no question that he is very sick, and dying.

My parents are not going to take him to a vet. First of all, he is very old. Secondly, the vet will cost more than a batch of new hamsters. I realize this seems cruel, but the bottom line is he is old and dying and we're letting nature take its course.

Is there anything I can do to make this quick and painless for him? There is no way I am going to kill him. But I just want him to be at peace, and to be comfortable. Any suggestions?? PLEASE don't make any rude comments.

Answer 1

Ah, I know how hard this is..

Pamper him.  Easily said and done.  

>Let him walk around on your bed (he might not have the strength to move a ball),

>give him plenty of things to make a nice, cozy nest for him (unscented tissues are probably best)

>Give him plenty of food (and mix perhaps a couple treats in his food bowl)

>Keep his cage clean (dirty cages make hamsters sick, so the cleaner it is for him, the easier it'll be to live in until his day)

>Just hang out with him.  Give him attention and watch him, after all, love is probably the best thing you have to offer right now.

When he finally is gone, I'm sure you'll feel that you gave him a very relaxing departure.  I know I always felt best when I knew I made going easy for him rather than just letting them go.  I always missed them, but you are right.  

Vet bills are quite costly.  Hamsters can only go to exotic vets, which are $40 just for an office visit and up to $80 more for medicine which will be stressful for him (holding him down and forcing an eye dropper full of bad tasting liquid down his throat).

Answer 2

Ha, did he live a meaningful life? If so the time has come to bury the little guy, sad to hear the life of an organism just like we come to an end.

Answer 3

I'm so sorry to hear about your hammy.

Just spend time with him.

I think it's cancer but I'm not sure...

Answer 4

Take him to the vet and have him put to sleep. Thats a quick way. But I really think you should let nature take its course. And let him die on his own.

Answer 5

Im sorry...I remember having pets like that when I was younger and unfortunately they get old and sickness is something that happens as part of that natural course. You can put him to sleep at the vet's but I would recommend just letting "nature take it's course"as sad as it is. Don't worry about the scabs...it's just a way of his body getting older, it does not mean that he is in pain. It's like humans getting wrinkles or age spots.  Just play with him carefully, give him enough water, food. Im sure he's had a happy life and all you can do is just be there.

Answer 6

That same thing happend to my old hamster, porkchop. I loved him to death! He had white flaky stuff that looked like dandruff and when ever i use to pet him fur came off easily, I played with him alot and eventually all his hair came off, but over 2 or 3 days of him being "naked" all his hair came back over night, it was kinda creppy, but I was happy :D but sadly he died about a month later, he was almost 4. So your hamster still as some time so love it more than ever.  I'm sorry, but I dont know how to keep him out of missery, you should let him die in peace by himself, dont try to make this process faster, he will go when hes ready. And whenever i held him my mom made me wash my hands, so i would do that just to be safe. good luck and I'm sorry.

- Anne <3

Answer 7

You are being a terrible person for doing that to something you love! I have a 4 year old guinea pig, Muffin. And Muffin is quite old, but sooooooo healthy! If she ever got to be like that, I swear to the good Lord, I would just have her put down. Even if it meant no dinner for the rest of the week. Same with my other guinea pig, Punkin.  your hamster sounds in really bad shape, mash up an entire tylenol and put the powder in his water. He will die, but it is better than letting him suffer. you either go put him down, or you do what I said. your choice. But you will pay for letting a creature suffer.

Answer 8

Well its kinda natural for him to be that way and there is really nothing you can do it sounds like he or she is ont here last legs and you just have to wait to see what happens.

Answer 9

aw i'm sorry.

i had 3 hamsters.

the only thing you can do is love him with everything you have

wrap him in a towel and just hold him on your lap, don't need to touch him...just keep him out of his cage

try feeding him romaine lettuce and chopped carrots.

he'll love it.

Answer 10

awwww i have gone threw hamsters so i completely understand

just let him be and love him, thats the only cure.

im so sorry :(

i had my hamster for 5 years. everyone was amazed cause they usually only live for 1-2- or 3 years.

Answer 11

Im not sure if its the same as my hamster, but it sounds like the same symtoms. She had cancer, and had to be put down coz she was suffering. The same will probs happen to yours, so take  it to the vet or it will suffer.

Answer 12

I would try to make your hamster as comfortable as possible and always be at its side. I remember when my hamster died. It was late in the evening and I got back from a friends house and i saw my hamster outside just lying there. I could see him breathing and I thought he was sleeping. I decided to go to bed and I realized that it wasn't normal for him to be lying out there. When I got up teh next morning he was in the same spot.. except dead....

Answer 13

Short of putting him down, there's not much you can do beyond treating it well and letting nature take its course.

Answer 14

hey, sorry to hear about your hamster. the most you can do for him is love him and make sure he's as happy as a hamster can be. one of my hamsters died last year. 1 day he seemed ok in the morning and in the evening i went to give him a hug and he was dehydrated and his eyes were all sticky. i was up all night wiping his eyes clean with a cotton bud so that he could see(i didnt want him to die in darkness) i found a syringe from a neurofen packet at gave him mushed up digestive biscuits with water. then he had 2 syringes of clean water and i put him to bed, the next day i saw him. he'd held on for the night and i gave him 2 syringes of food and water. i had to go out for a few hours because me and my parents went to rescue our lovely greyhound. anyway i went back to his cage in the evening and he was dead. i know i couldnt have done anything else for him apart from make him comfortable. he wouldnt be put to sleep in the wild so nature took its course.

i hope your hamster dies as painlessly as possible.

Answer 15

you could release him into the wild, this way you won't have to see him die.

Answer 16

uhhh. that's so sad i wish there was some you can do other than just let it die but everyone has their time to go. just keep your little furry friend cozy and comfortable till he dies don't abandon him just cuz he's dying. it's really sad when your hammie's die i never got over it when my hammie died. so i hope you do everything to make him happy when he dies.

i'm really sorry

        Annie