My hamster might have wet tail?

Question

my hamster is really ill i think caz ushally he wants 2 come out n play n he is there at the cade door up n awake bt he is sleeping all the time he is never up n evertime i wake him up with noses n he comes out he bits me n my friend came over n we were looking at him n she said he might have wet tail beacuse of all the stuff around his bum we agve him a bath with specal shampoo n everthing n he was ok bt the next day he want back 2 normal i am gona tell my mum n dad n take him 2 the vet bt i really need 2 no if it is condagous 2 other animals n if the simtims sound like wet tail i am looking after my friends guiny pigs n if they have it n i dont no n they die i will never 4give my self n if my hamster is in pain n i dont do anything i will never 4give my self eather i really love him he is the world 2 me its kinda dumb a hamster bt i really love him so please please help me

Answer 1

The symptoms of wet tail are wet poo around the fur of the hamsters bum, lethargy (a hamster that is sleepy and lazy 24/7), not eating much, wetness around the area of the bum.

Plainly put, a hamster should not have wet p**p at all. It should be fairly firm and shaped like a pellet,

Luckily wet tail is easy to treat, but it is also a fast killer of hamsters so if your hamster has wet tail he needs to be treated as follows IMMEDIATELY:

Obtain a wet tail medication from a pet store and follow the directions precisely on the bottle. Petsmart sells something called Dri-Tail. It is in the small pet section usually near the water bottles and feed. An associate can show it to you, make sure you are getting the correct treatment. DRI-TAIL. (Do not let anyone besides a vet tell you how to cure your hamster while you are obtaining his treatments...retail store associates may not have the most qualified knowledge to give you.)

Dri-tail is best administered into the hamsters water by following the directions on the bottle.

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Secondary treatment supplements-

you can do other things to ensure your hamster will heal faster and make him more comfortable. do not do these treatments without Dri-tail. they alone will not cure him!!

1. add PLAIN cooking oats into his feed. this helps a lot.

2. keep the cage dry and immaculate!

3. do not handle him as much- let him de-stress while he is sick.

4. always wash your hands before and after handling

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To prevent wet tail in the future...

1. feed a minimum of fresh veggies. carrots and other "dry" vegetables are great for hamsters. lettuce and other wet veggies can be too loose for their system and give them wet tail. only feed a small amount of veggies. you are better off providing hamster feed, yogurt drops, and other pet store bought supplements.

2. keep his cage clean! A hamster walking around in his own droppings and pee can easily obtain wet tail from the bacteria infested moisture in the environment. Do a full cage clean AT LEAST once a week. Do spot cleaning every day. If the water bottle has spilled...if there is a big spot of pee...clean it up.