Hamster Pouches

Question
I'm not sure if there is something wrong with my daughter's hamster. His pouches seem so swollen and hard and they just don't seem to be getting any better. Is this normal? What should I do??

Answer
It could be that you mistake the cheeks themselves for being hard, when in reality the hamster may have items stored in his pouches making them feel hard and bumpy. Hamsters may keep items in their cheeks for any amount of time, and when my hams are awake I usually see them with full pouches more often then not. If your hamster seems to be having trouble removing the food from his pouches, he may have a condition known as impacted cheek pouches. A vet will be needed to remove the impacted food and flush out the area. If you have never seen your hamsters cheeks unstuffed in a few days, or if he seems to have trouble eating or hoarding, please take him to a vet to see if his pouches are impacted. You will not be able to unpack them at home safely.