# quick help please hamster



## Bullymastiff (May 6, 2010)

Hi 
I got my daughter a hamster a week ago. A female 8wk old. We have just done a woodshaving and bedding change. She was out on the bed whilst we did it. Upon going back in shes scratching herself along the bars like shes itchy, rolling about and now what looks like 2 wet patches of fur either side of her like her hips area. A bit worried shes going crazy. Nothing happened to her when out this started when I put her in. Bedding and shavings same as what we gave her last week


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## rose (Apr 29, 2009)

They do have glands I think on their sides? I thought I read somewhere about shavings not being ideal for hamsters, I had hamsters as a teenager and always had shavings for bedding, but I'm sure I read it's not now recommended. Sorry cannot really help, take it all out and see if she stops itching?


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## Lil Miss (Dec 11, 2010)

sounds like shes scenting, marking the area as her own. the wet areas on her hips are most likely her scent glads

on a side note wood shavings really souldnt be used with hasters, there are many much better, cheaper, alternatives out there

wood shavings are very dusty which can effect the respitory tract, and contain phenols which effect the liver/kidney


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## Bullymastiff (May 6, 2010)

Thankyou for the replies, shes settled down now. I didnt know they had scent glands on sides, I had a hamster when I was young but that was about 20 years ago! I will look into alternatives to woodshavings thanks. Also shes making her nose bare from chewing the bars...any ideas on that? As I dont believe they are supposed to live in plastic/glass tanks...looks like I need to do some more research!


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## Bullymastiff (May 6, 2010)

Lil miss what do you use as substrate for your syrians please?


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## rose (Apr 29, 2009)

Bullymastiff said:


> Thankyou for the replies, shes settled down now. I didnt know they had scent glands on sides, I had a hamster when I was young but that was about 20 years ago! I will look into alternatives to woodshavings thanks. Also shes making her nose bare from chewing the bars...any ideas on that? As I dont believe they are supposed to live in plastic/glass tanks...looks like I need to do some more research!


As she grows you will see a small patch/area either side of her lower body where the fur looks different, that's her glands.


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## Phoenix24 (Apr 6, 2013)

I kept hamsters for years on woodshavings (the larger flakes, not the saw dust) with no problems for hammy - however the dust was affecting my mum so I switched to wood pellets (the 'natural' cat litter kind, also used as tortoise litter and many pet stores use it for their birds too). I think the key issue is that most wood based litters are made from pine, and the oils in the wood can be an irritant (though like I said, I never had any issues). I can't even imagine any alternatives - newspaper isn't much good as it gets soggy and leaves print everywhere, and hammy just tears it up anyway.

Hamsters have scent glands in two dark spots above their hips - which are more prominent on the males and often confused with something more nasty - but they are not cancerous! And yes they produce oils that make the fur look greasy.

Hamsters love to chew the bars, there is little you can do. You can provide as much alternatives to chew on as you can fit in the cage and they will still prefer to chew the bars. But providing a few toilet rolls for example will give hammy somewhere to 'tunnel' through, and I used to give my hammy those really, really hard dog biscuits (the small, rock-hard type) which were good for teeth and a healthy source of protein (hamsters are omnivorous - they don't just eat seeds, but eat insects and will also eat meat, though no one will recommend you feed hammy meat).

The plastic/glass tanks are ok but not the most ideal as they aren't well ventilated, and can mean hammy gets hot and the tank too humid. Hammies like it dry. But I have wanted to try those gerbilariums you can now buy from the likes of pets at home - they have a tank at the bottom and a barred cage at the top - gerbils like to tunnel at the bottom so I can imagine a hamster would too.


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## Lil Miss (Dec 11, 2010)

i use aubiouse, used to use megazord, both only come in large sacks though, so probably not ideal for just one hamster unless you have some where you can store it, they are both wonderful beddings too.
just on a side note was are you using as nesting material? most people are fooled by pet stores and pretty marketing ads to buy the fluffy cotton wool type nesting material, but that is the worst kind of nesting material you can buy, it is a death trap waiting to happen, hamsters can easily become entangled in it, cutting off the blood to limbs, or even strangling them selves, and if they eat it it gets stuck in their guts causing blockages and knots in the intestines, leading to a very large vet bill or/and death.

as for the bar chewing. what cage is she in? a hamster needs a cage of atleast 80cm x 40cm, too small a cage can lead to boredom and bar chewing, most cages sold in pet stores are much too small.
what wheel has she got? most wheels supplied with cages as standard are much too small leading to reluctance to use them due to back pain leading to boredom, and if they do use them, they cause pain as the back is forced to arch while running which can also lead to long term spinal issues, a wheel needs to be at least 8" in diameter for a syrian


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## Phoenix24 (Apr 6, 2013)

Lil Miss said:


> the fluffy cotton wool type nesting material, but that is the worst kind of nesting material you can buy, it is a death trap waiting to happen, hamsters can easily become entangled in it, cutting off the blood to limbs, or even strangling them selves, and if they eat it it gets stuck in their guts causing blockages and knots in the intestines, leading to a very large vet bill or/and death.


I lost one of my hamsters because of that so-called safe bedding. Afterwards I switched to the stuff that's more like shredded kitchen paper. I can't believe they still sell it after all this time!


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