roborovski

Question
One of my roborovskis(i have two)has got a lump on its side which the vet said could be a mammory tumour, she gave me antibiotics to put in the drinking water but to no avail.
When i came home today it was sat on its own with a bit of fur missing near the lump.
so now i have seperated them, but the healthy one is squeaking as if it's pining for the other.
Should i put them back together or leave them seperate


Answer
Hi Tracey

This is a very difficult question.  You might find you can reintroduce them as they have been apart for a very short time.  My suggestion is that you swap them over a couple of times today so that they are in each other's cages.  This way they will smell each other.  Then, under very close supervision, either later tonight or tomorrow, try them in together.  If they fly at each other or one is aggressive towards the other, then you will need to separate them permanently.  The healthy one might attack the one with the lump if they are giving off any sense of being ill - this is because in the wild colony animals recognize illness and can't afford to allow it into the nest - therefore they banish ill animals.  However, I have had a number of gerbils who have undergone surgery etc. and they have all got on OK after being separated for a few days - but in all cases I didn't just put them back together, but went through this process of reintroducing them to each other's scent first.

With regard to the lump - tumors are very common in hamsters - some are aggressive and the hamster deteriorates very quickly, however, sometimes they seem unaffected by a lump - the main thing is to check that it is not bleeding or weeping - if it does you must keep it clean and/or seek veterinary advice otherwise it will infect.

Good luck with this - hope you get on OK.

Regards