My hamster looks sick?

Question

My hamster, Annie, is just sitting there with her eyes closed and when I try to give her her favorite treat she just sniffs it. Then, when she walks around, she's groggy and off balance, her eyes seem like their sealed shut and she can just barely open on of them a crack. What's wrong? And what should I do?

Answer 1

Occasionally a hamster may get a sticky eye where the eyelids are fused together and older hamsters may be prone to 'sticky eyes'. This is often because a hamster may have something it its eye such as a piece of dust or it could be because the hamster's cage is placed in a draught or could be a symptom of a cold or allergy. The closed eye should be wiped with a small piece of cotton wool soaked in luke warm water. This is usually sufficient to open the eye but if not the eyelids can gently be pulled apart.

If a hamster has recurring problems with runny or sticky eyes or the eye appears cloudy the hamster could have an eye infection. This can be treated by mixing half a cup of sterile (boiled and cooled) water with a teaspoon of boric acid powder (available from a chemist or pharmacy) and using an eye dropper to bathe the eye twice or three times a day.

Hamsters losing balance is normally atrributed to eye & ear infections or strokes, hence if the hamster does not show improvement within a couple of days veterinary advice should be sought as antibiotics maybe required.

Answer 2

Take her to the vet immediately.

Answer 3

Sounds like your hamster needs a trip to the vet. Illnesses in small animals can be life threatening if not treated immediatly. And the ones that come on with acute symtoms are usually secondary infections. Off balance sounds like an ear infection but I dont know a whole lot about hamsters. I raise rats. She definatly needs some antibiotics in her. Also alot of pets even if they have never ever bitten will bite out of pain. This is there way of saying dont touch me I hurt. My rat Sabbath had a uterine tumor. Although she died before I was able to put her to sleep she had never bitten me till one morning she bit down and wouldnt let go. I would definatly take her to the vet.

Answer 4

If you found that your hamsters act differently, weirdly or anything out of their ordinary behavior, it could a symptom that your hamster is sick. Usual symptom such as shaking, looking weak and tired for a long time, coughing, walking weirdly or anything abnormal should alert you for immediate action. The best advice is to go and see a vet. Some of the warning sign from a sick hamster:-

a**s smeared with droppings.

Their tail is wet (dangerous)

Noisy or heavy breath

Appearance of bald spots and sores

Unhealthy eyes