hamster alfie

Question
my hamster is about 2 and a half years old..she had her leg amputated about 3 months ago but has been since then..everything has been the same til today..she seems slow and doesn't even try to run out of the cage as she usually does when i open it..this happened almost over night..what's happening?


Answer
Hi Shari

I'm sorry to hear about your hamster.  2 and a half years old is very old for a hamster and it could be that she is just suddenly feeling her age.  Usually around this time they do start to slow down.  However there are other possible reasons for this too.  Illnesses can appear suddenly with hamsters and they can progress at such a rapid speed.  Remember that a day in her life is a month or more in yours.

It is very difficult to know what is wrong with her.  Is she still eating normally?  Has there been any increase in the amount of water that she has been consuming?  What is her body shape like - has she appeared to lose some weight recently, but looks a 'pear shape'?  Elderly hamsters are very prone to getting abdominal tumors and they can grow unnoticed for a long time before they suddenly start causing problems.  Sadly there is little that can be done when a hamster gets one of these.

If you want to let me have more details I might be able to suggest what is wrong with her.  However, I would be tempted to monitor her over the next day or two and if she seems to be getting worse, then seek veterinary advice so that she doesn't suffer at all.  I would also make sure that her water/food supply are closeby and that she doesn't have to climb anywhere in her cage (I usually remove platforms etc when a hamster is ill so that they don't hurt themselves).

Regards