What is wrong with my Robo Dwarf Hamster?

Question
I just got my hamster three days ago. Today when I woke up he was sitting in his cardboard TP tube, not running around and such. It was the 3rd day and I was told he could be picked up, so I when to pick him up. I held him for a while and he seemed alright. After a few minutes I put him in his cage. A few minutes ago I found him laying oddly outside the tube, breathing (possibly) slowly. I when to touch him to check on him and he just layed there, breathing with his eyes closed. He has crawled back in his tube and is just sitting there with his eyes kind of squinted. I love animals and I want to do anything I can to not loose him. I have had plenty of small animals before and this is my first Robo Dwarf Hamster. NOTE: The lady working said he had been moved two times before, I feel that information is necessary. Please help me as fast as you can, I cannot get ahold of the Vet!

Answer
Hi Christian

Thanks for your question - I'm really sorry to read about your hamster.  This is definitely not right.

It is hard to know for sure what is happening - it could be that he suffers from some genetic problem - such as heart problem.  I had a baby hamster who was fine for a couple of days and then collapsed - he was given steroids and he was much better for a few more days, and then suddenly died.  It is possible that he was born with a condition or didn't develop properly when growing and the symptoms have just appeared. Sudden collapse following exercise usually indicates a heart problem.

One thing that hamsters can suffer from when they are moved from one place to another is wet tail.  The stress of being moved around into different environments (to these tiny creatures our world can be a very frightening place and they can feel very threatened)can cause wet tail.  The usual signs, however, are diarrhoea or very loose stools. If you suspect this then you urgently need to get him on rehydration fluids and a probiotic.  You can give the oral rehydration powders that are sold for humans - dilute according to the instructions and try and give some through a dropper.  Also fill his water bottle with the solution.  He would also need a probiotic either in the form of Avipro which is sold for animals, or if you can't get this acidophilus is fine - this is sold for human consumption and puts friendly bacteria into the gut.  Add this to his water (empty a capsule into a bottle of water - you can't overdose on this#, and again give him some through a dropper and also in his water bottle.    Make sure he has a bland diet - just dried hamster food, perhaps a little bread, raw porridge oats etc until you see some improvement the you can add a little fresh vegetable #not lettuce as this causes diarrhoea#.  When treating a hamster with wet tail it is important to keep washing your hands as it can be transferred to any other hamsters you may have.  Also, his cage will need cleaning out a lot.

Another thing that it could be is a condition known as aspergillosis.  This is a respiratory condition.  If there is uneaten food, soiled bedding etc. that isn't cleaned regularly it is possible for fungal spores to collect on it.  These spores are also attracted to any damp areas of the cage #or indeed external surroundings).  If a hamster breathes in one of these it can cause respiratory failure - the hamster often has to lie on its side in order to breathe.  This is a very serious condition, and the prognosis is bad without immediate veterinary help in the form of antibiotics - and even then there is a good chance the hamster won't survive.  Therefore, it is important that cages are in dry areas of the house, ideally any beds in the cage are of natural materials rather than plastic and the cage is cleaned regularly and any uneaten fresh food is removed daily.  If he has been moved around a couple of times you don't necessarily know what his surroundings were.

If you can get him to a vet I would recommend it.  If you don't know of any, it is worth phoning one or two to see if they have a small animal specialist there, and also check that they offer a reduced fee for a hamster - most do, but it always worth checking beforehand so you don't end up with an unexpected bill.

I hope you get on OK.

Regards
Sheila