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Original poster

Our gorgeous little hamster has just been pts due to wet tail...do we get another one?!!

23 replies

whispywhisp · 29/11/2009 17:36

Margaret, our lovely little hamster, got wet-tail. She was very poorly and went down hill with it so quickly. I couldn't see her suffer and knew she didn't have time on her side for anti-biotics to work so the vet and I decided to put her down. My kids are heartbroken, especially my eldest DD who is 11.

Do we get another one? How common is wet-tail?

OP posts:
Saucepanman · 29/11/2009 17:45

Oh lovey, this was me a year ago We haven't got another yet, partly because dh said I wasn't allowed as I cried for a week when our hamster Indy died, and then I fell pregnant and decided to wait a while.

Wet tail v common unfortunately, probably nothing you could do. Ours had anti-Bs and was taken to a hamster specialist but it was to late, and it can recur so much and they are so small, sometimes it is just too much for them. How old was Margaret?

Anyway I would get another one, as long as the kids are aware it could happen again, and that hamsters don't last very long anyway. I still tear up when I think about taking him to the vet, you know how scampery they are and he was just lay on a muslin cloth on the passenger seat not moving. T'was awful, my sympathies xx

shockers · 29/11/2009 17:59

My hamster had to be put down because of wet tail
If you get another one then make sure you thoroughly sterilise everything that has been in contact with your poor late hamster.

Original poster
whispywhisp · 29/11/2009 18:29

Hi and thanks to you both.

I'd love another one but I don't think I could bear to see another one become so poorly and so quickly too.

She was only about 4mths old. We'd had her just four weeks. She was so lovely. So friendly and loved to climb into my hand.

She was fine earlier in the week. I cleaned her out on Monday evening and all was fine. Then by Wednesday morning her cage really started to smell quite bad so cleaned her out again and noticed there was loads of diarrhoea everywhere. I got her to the vet and they suggested I tried anti-biotic drops in some honey for her. I asked how long that'd take to work and they couldn't guarantee it would work but said atleast 24hrs...I asked how bad she was and they said she'd be lucky to make another night. I decided there and then not to go with the anti-biotics. I wasn't going to let her suffer and I'd hate to find her dead in her cage the following day, which the vet said would probably be the case.

I still look over in the corner of the lounge where she lived in her cage. I can still hear her whizzing round in her wheel. It's sad....

OP posts:
shockers · 29/11/2009 18:50

I only had mine for about 5 weeks too. The vet reckoned she'd come with it from the pet shop. Funny how attached you get in that short space of time....

Saucepanman · 29/11/2009 18:55

whispy I really do feel for you, and tbh when Indy died I said I couldn't get another, but a week later I missed him so much that I started thinking about it, and I will have another one day.

kingprawntikka · 30/11/2009 08:34

We have had six hamsters and non ever got wet tail so I think you've just been really unlucky.

Blondeshavemorefun · 30/11/2009 13:05

aww rip margaret

blondes loves hammies and we have had them for 10years, tho obv not the same one

we normally have 2 hammies so if and when one dies, it kinda makes it less painful seeing the other one run about, and then we get another baby hammy asap as surviving one pines

we have never had wet tail, though i have known a few hamsters who have

so sad that caught it so young - makes me think the pet shop is to blame

i remember indy (hug) and how upset you were

people just dont reliese how attached you get to a little furry animal

Saucepanman · 30/11/2009 17:25

Hi Blondes, I knew you would be on this thread soon enough! You were a big comfort to me last year (can you believe it has been a year?)

Was at garden centre on fri, pining after their hamsters, but I cannot be cleaning one out with morning sickness!

Any decisions made whispy?

herbietea · 30/11/2009 17:32

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn

teameric · 30/11/2009 17:36

sorry to hear about your poor little hammy.

bibbitybobbityhat · 30/11/2009 17:43

Oh God, I remember Indy too! . Your dh was a bit impatient with you iirc.

I was Eeekamoose and you were someone else weren't you Saucepanman?

Whispy, what a terrible shame. Poor little Margaret. I think you should leave a suitable period of mourning and then get another one - perhaps after Christmas - from a different pet shop. And be very careful about cage hygiene as someone else said.

R.I.P. little thing.

prettyponies · 30/11/2009 17:48

disinfect the cage and rinse with boiling water. Replace hamster.

You don't just get one hamster, you sort of have a series of them...

Saucepanman · 30/11/2009 17:55

Yes bibbity, that was me- was previously called thritbies. DH could have been more sympathetic, and up to when I got pg was still saying no more hamsters- I had asked for one for my birthday and mother's day. And our anniversary

Blondeshavemorefun · 30/11/2009 21:45

time really does fly -a year eh

but least you have a baby instead of a hammy

Original poster
whispywhisp · 01/12/2009 09:48

Hi all.

I'm still tempted but I know I will sit and worry and watching all the time in case the new one becomes poorly too.

I did wonder if the wet-tail might've come from the pet shop (Haskins down in Southampton) because she became poorly so soon after bringing her home - we only had her 4 wks.

I don't know whether or not to complain? The cage we bought for her was broken too (bought from same place) which we didn't realise until we were home and because we live a good half hour away I didn't go back to get a refund/exchange.

I would hate to have another hamster that went down with the same thing which is really my stalling point.

She was absolutely adorable. She was tiny when we first had her and in the four weeks we had her she'd doubled in size.

I still look over in the corner of the lounge where we kept her expecting to hear her rummaging around in her food bowl or see her little head poking up over the bottom of the cage looking at me waiting for me to poke my finger thru so she could have a nibble. So sad.

OP posts:
Blondeshavemorefun · 01/12/2009 11:24

i would def go into shop and tell them

unfort most pet shops dont give guarantees for pets once they leave their shop - though 4weeks isnt long

def get another one - hammies do give great joy

Original poster
whispywhisp · 01/12/2009 11:59

I've just emailed the store to complain - lets see if they reply.

OP posts:
JollyPirate · 01/12/2009 12:04

whispywhisp - amazing how hamsters rapidly endear themselves to you. I am one of those who could not ever imagine becoming attached to a hamster.... then we got Dora (the Explorer) who was named by my DS. Iy's the most apt name for her because she just LOVES to get out of her cage for an explore - very very tame and utterly endearing - I am well in love with her. Every evening there is this commotion as with every little sound she comes rushing to the sidfe of her cage and climbs to the door to be let out. For her own safety (from the cat - a real killer) she has a ball to explore the house in. I know I will be heartbroken when she eventually dies. Sweet gorgeous little animal so I am so for you. Hope you have better success with your next one.

Original poster
whispywhisp · 01/12/2009 12:09

Thanks jollypirate. Yes I fell in love with her straight away - not just because she was cute and cuddly etc but just because she had the most gorgeous pair of dark eyes and the loveliest of twitches with her whiskers! We'd only just started to get her to jump into our hands and climb up our arm....DD1 was completely devastated when we had her PTS...she was more upset about the hamster than she was when we had our lovely old dog put down last year....

I might get another one...I'm still thinking about it but I know I'll be on tenderhooks all the time because now I know how quickly they can become ill it's made me realise how quickly you can lose them without realising just how ill they are. Fortunately I looked at her every day and checked her cage regularly otherwise had she been in a room we don't use very much or simply ignored she'd have died on her own.

OP posts:
WhereTheWildThingsWere · 01/12/2009 12:18

It is much better to get a hamster (or any small furry) from a breeder, and they are likely to live much longer and healthier lives.

Small furries from pet shops are bred in Rodent farms (think battery hens but worse) it's a horrible trade and a crappy start in life, every time you buy a pet from a pet shop you are just supporting them. Try and find a breeder in your area if you can.

Sorry, rant over.

And sorry about your hammie too .

JollyPirate · 01/12/2009 12:21

I got Dora from Alphabet Hams near Salisbury. They are very tame as handled almost from birth.
Would second a breeder who will do all the taming for you so the hamster is human friendly right from the word go.

Original poster
whispywhisp · 01/12/2009 13:28

Never really thought about going to a breeder...thanks for that...food for thought! I can easily get down to Salisbury because that's not too far from where I live....

OP posts:
diddl · 01/12/2009 15:29

Could you get one from a rescue centre?

We´ve got 3 dwarf hammies!

Unfortunately, all ended up in a cage each due to fighting, so have turned out to be more expensive than bargained for, but can´t bear to rehome any!

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