Hamster wont open his eyes

Question
Hi - our hamster is quite old (nearly 3) and usually quite active, but over the past couple of days he hardly gets up and seems to have trouble opening his eyes.

Should we maybe clean them with a little warm water?

Also he has really REALLY large testicles - is this normal?

Thanks

Answer
Hi Dan,

Try dampening a piece of cotton wool and gently wiping the hamster's eyes.  He may have something in them, such a piece of dust or bedding.  Since you said that your hamster is very lethargic lately, that indicates that he is sick.  I would advise that you take him to the vet as soon as possible.  Once ill, hamsters (especially older hamsters) can deteriorate rapidly.

A male hamster's testicles tend to get larger as they age.  If you think they're abnormally large, however, you may want to ask the vet to take a look at them, for possible tumors or abscesses.

If you have any other questions, please feel free to ask :)

Kelly