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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

Urgent - can anyone help me to save DDs hamster?

55 replies

HipHipHippoo · 28/03/2019 20:44

Our hamster is only ten months old. Just went to get her out and she's laying on her tummy, whiskers are twitching and eyes are moving but her legs are flat out and she has a bump along her spine Sad She won't go in her wheel so she hasn't injured herself on there, could she have hurt herself climbing the bars in her cage and falling off? Is there anything I can do to help her? (Besides the vet tonight preferably I'm a lone parent and the DC have just gone to bed)

OP posts:
Wolfiefan · 28/03/2019 20:45

Have the children had her out? Could there have been an accident? Doesn’t sound good.

gubbsywubbsy · 28/03/2019 20:48

Sounds like she may have broken her back 😬... can you call the vet and ask for advice ? Or get someone to take her for you? I know the vet will come to you but obviously that may be expensive. Please don't leave her she may be in a lot of pain.

Loz90333 · 28/03/2019 20:48

Take her to the vets OP, disc could have gone in her spine and has paralysed her. Poor thing

Mississippilessly · 28/03/2019 20:49

It sounds like she has broken her back. Is the qhile cage barred? High enough for her to drop?

AhhhHereItGoes · 28/03/2019 20:51

Oh no.

Sounds like some kind of back/nerve problem.

I'd phone the vets and ask their advice.

Any family/friends who could either take DHamster or watch the kids whilst you do?

Veterinari · 28/03/2019 20:51

Please take her to the vet.
A hamster with a broken back would be just as painful as a dog or cat

Starlight456 · 28/03/2019 20:54

Poor thing . Yes to the vets.

TeddyIsaHe · 28/03/2019 20:54

Emergency vet tonight obviously? It’s expensive of course, but you can’t leave an innocent animal with a potentially broken back to suffer.

Shylo · 28/03/2019 20:55

There is very little that can be done for such small furry animals but I’d call the vet and seek advice

expatinspain · 28/03/2019 20:55

The vet is the only option.

Armadillostoes · 28/03/2019 20:56

Hi-OP. I am sorry but it sounds as though she is potentially seriously damaged her back, possibly broken it. She could be in real pain-as other posters have pointed out, a small animal won't be suffering less than a larger one. The hamster needs a vet. Could a taxi take her to an out of hours vet?

Original poster
HipHipHippoo · 28/03/2019 20:57

No they haven't had her out this evening and she was out and fine this afternoon while they were at school. The cage is three storey with tunnels connecting levels so no high drops.

Calling vet for advice now.

OP posts:
londonrach · 28/03/2019 20:57

poor hammy. Vet. Shes in pain

Wolfiefan · 28/03/2019 20:58

Are you absolutely sure?
Regardless it needs a vet tonight.

Thisisthelaststraw · 28/03/2019 21:03

Poor girl. Hope the vet can do something tonight Sad

coffeecoffeecofffee · 28/03/2019 21:05

That's so sad :( she'll probably have to be put to sleep unfortunately. The quicker you take her though the less pain she'll suffer.

Hamsters are pretty robust imo, mine does crazy acrobatics and daredevil falls and is still going strong.

I'd be debating a possible accident with the children.

TeddyIsaHe · 28/03/2019 21:09

Same here coffee.

Op how old are your children? Have they any unsupervised access at all tonight? I don’t see how a hamster could potentially break its back falling from a cage if there aren’t any high drops.

speakout · 28/03/2019 21:14

Poor thing.

AnnieOH1 · 28/03/2019 21:14

If you need a lift and are around the Sheffield/Derbyshire/notts area let me know. Poor baby.

chaoscategorised · 28/03/2019 21:16

If you're in Manchester and need a lift let me know. Poor ham :(

LucyAutumn · 28/03/2019 21:19

Poor hamster, I hope you manage to get it to a vet asap Sad

Tink2007 · 28/03/2019 21:21

😢😢

NotSureThisIsWhatIWant · 28/03/2019 21:33

Oh, poor little thing. I hope she doesn’t suffer too much. It does seem like a broken back. She might be in a lot of pain. Hope you manage to get to the vets very soon.

coffeecoffeecofffee · 28/03/2019 21:39

@TeddyIsaHe Exactly. Doesn't take much for kids to manhandle a small hamster or throw it around potentially.

Original poster
HipHipHippoo · 28/03/2019 21:44

I'm absolutely sure they haven't had her out. Her cage is in the kitchen where I was cooking and she was scurrying around fine then. We went out to walk our dogs and had all been in the front room all evening, then I went to get her out once they were in bed.

She managed to barge one of her doors open about 3 weeks ago while we were out and fell about two foot. I took her to the vet then and he said she was fine, that they're more robust than we give them credit for. Could it be a delayed injury from then, do you think? She's seemed fine since. I can be even more sure that the DC haven't had her out because after she escaped I started using cable ties on her doors and then removing them when we wanted to get her out as I was worried about her escaping again.

OP posts:
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