Large Hamster Poo...

Question
Hi Sheila,

Thanks for taking the time to read this. My syrian hamster Miguel is 6 months old, incredibly curious, active and excited. He's always very energetic and seem pretty happy.

About two months ago this started:

He had really large poo - about 5 times fatter than regular size and quite soft and sticky, although his bottom is clean and the poo isn't runny.

We figured we'd fed him too much fresh food over the time we've had him but for three months he never displayed abnormal signs from this. I've been feeding him purely dry hamster mix only since then, perhaps a tiny piece of fresh veg once every week or two.

His poos have never seemed to return to being completely normal (small dry pellets) and there's even been one about 2cm long. They smell quite bad too when they are this big.

Like I said, all else is great.

Can you shed any light based on your experience?

Many Thanks

Amanda

Answer
Hi Amanada

This is quite unusual because most times their poo is fairly dry and a regular size.  However, I have recently heard of someone else with this too and they have been trying all sorts of treatments to try and sort it out.

I had a hamster who as a baby had wet tail, along with the rest of the litter.  He was nursed through it and didn't seem to suffer any permanent damage.  However, since then his poo has always been a bit wet, much the same as Miguel's.  He has been taken to the vet on several occasions and been put on antibiotics, and had his diet modified, but he still seems to suffer from this.  As with Miguel it is difficult to know why this is happening.  You could ask your vet to prescribe antibiotics in case he does have an infection, however, too many antibiotics in a hamster can also cause diarrhoea.

Have you tried putting him on a probiotic?  If not, it would be worth doing this and seeing if this helps him at all.  Probiotics help replace the friendly bacteria that are needed in the gut.  You can buy a pet version of this called Avipro (possibly from your vet or on-line).  A small amount of this can be added to your hamster's water and if there are any days where his poo is especially soft, then give him a little through a pipette.  It might be worth putting him on this for a couple of weeks to see if there is any improvement.  If you can't get this particular medicine, then you could give him some acidophillus - this is sold in health shops and you can buy it in capsules that you can pull apart - if you get this, empty a capsule in his drinking water bottle daily.  

Apart from this the other thing is a change in diet - but not too dramatic as any major changes can also cause diarrhoea/loose stools.  Cutting down on vegetables (as you have already done) is good - when you do give vegetables do not give lettuce as this can cause diarrhoea.  It is best to give vegetables that are quite fibrous such as cabbage, spinach, brocolli etc.  

If he starts to develop any other symptoms - dull, hunched, not wanting to be handled, or if there is any sign of a prolapse at the rear end, then it is important to get him to a vet.  However, if apart from his soft poo he is fine, bright and energetic as hamsters should be at this age, then perhaps it is just part of his constitution that he is like this.

Sorry I can't be more definite as to what is going on.  I do hope you get on OK.
Regards