Hamster seems Not well

Question
QUESTION: My hamster Keeps making weird noises whilst on the most. Doesn't like to sleep him her bed, only sleeps in the wheel or under it. She will run round the cage (making the noises) for 5 mins then will pass out in the wheel mouth open, breathing fast still making the noises. i really don't know what to do. She has 2 other sister And They all seem completely Fine. Please Help Me

ANSWER: Hi Rachel

What type of hamster is this?  Is it a dwarf or Syrian?  If it is a dwarf does she live with her sisters?  If so, has there been any sign of them fighting at all?  Is she being bullied, chased etc?  How old is she?

The fact that she doesn't want to sleep in her bed isn't a concern.  Neither is the fact that she sleeps in her wheel or under it as sometimes hamsters behave like this.  However the collapse in her wheel is more of a concern as though perhaps there is a heart or respiratory problem. If she is elderly (around 2) then this could be age related, but sometimes they can develop problems for other reasons.  If she is young, then it could be a problem that she was born with and it is only now that symptoms are appearing, or perhaps she is having some sort of reaction to her surroundings.

Do you have a local vet that you could get her to?  It think it would be worth getting her checked out.

I hope you get on OK.

Regards
Sheila

---------- FOLLOW-UP ----------

QUESTION: Thankyou For your advise, For your information she is a russian hamster only 10months old, sorry but i forgot to put on it, all 3 of the hamsters did live together then they all started fighting so they all live on there own. Thankyou So Much for your help.

Rachel

Answer
Hi

As she is young I would definitely get someone to check her out if she is still behaving like this.  At this age she should be quite energetic and should not be collapsing, or gasping.  Hamsters can develop allergies to their surroundings and these can cause respiratory problems etc.  In these cases it really is a matter of doing some detective work to see if anything has changed - i.e. bedding, location of cage, cleaning products etc.  Also hamsters are very sensitive to any smells, air fresheners etc and these can cause breathing problems.  Another thing is an illness called aspergillosis - this is where a hamster has breathed in fungal spores that might have collected on damp bedding or uneaten fresh food that has gone mouldy.  This is a serious disease and does need urgent medication.  It might be worth having a good look at her cage to check that there is nothing that could be making her sick.  If all looks well, then I suggest seeing if you can get her checked out.

I hope she is OK.

Regards
Sheila