sick hamster, please help!

Question
I noticed a week ago that my hamster is having a hard time getting around(he falls to one side or the other),his back legs drag some times.Hes not using his wheel.sleeping at odd times.seems to be confused when he walks around his cage.and he bit me for the first time in two years.does this sound like a stroke?please let me know what i can do

Answer
Thanks for taking the time to ask all experts. Remember that hamsters only live two be 2-3 yrs old so there is some different suggestions for what may be troubling him.

First he may be just getting older and having pain in his muscles/joints causing him to have weak legs. But as far as the confusion I am uncertain if that is related to age.

Second there is cancer. Usually you see other signs besides weak legs are hair color changes or begins to fall out, loss appetite, and energy loss which can be precived  as confusion. In this case a vet is the only one to determine this and usually results in either euthanized or allowing the hamster to live out the rest of his time as comfortable as possible.

Third there may be injury that you dont know of. For example, falling off a wheel or something that has hurt his back or legs.

Forth there is stroke as you suggested. STROKES: Usually it is older hamsters that suffer from strokes; however, occasionally a younger one will be stricken. The first sign of an impending stroke is the hamster tires easily and may even collapse after using the wheel. Normally the hamster is paralyzed on one side, looses its sense of balance and sometimes tilts its head to one side. Keep the cage in a warm quiet environment. Until the hamster begins to recuperate, it may be necessary to hand feed and water it. It generally takes a couple of weeks before it is up and moving around. In some cases the head tilt is permanent. Even after recovery, it is recommended that the hamster be kept in an aquarium with no whee

Also there is CAGE PARALYSIS A disorder resulting from hamsters being confined in a cage that is too small and doesn't allow it sufficient exercise. The symptoms include the hamster appearing to be semi-crippled by dragging its back end around. There is, however, a very simple cure and an even simpler preventative measure a larger cage and more exercise. It is also thought that diets low in Vitamins D and E may be a contributing factor to this condition. Vitamin supplements may be beneficial.

Either way the only true way to know is to take him to a vet. You need to make sure it is a vet that is trained well in rodent care. Here are some links that may help you for treatment options other then a vet:)

http://www.hamsterific.com/IllnessGuide.cfm

http://www.geocities.com/Heartland/Park/5295/hamster.html