Hamster drinking a lot of water

[tshirtsuntan]

We have a Syrian hamster, he's male,just under a year old and very lovely. For the last ten days or so he is drinking a LOT of water, a whole (hamster size) bottle roughly every 24 hours. He is also weeing a hell of a lot! Apart from this he seems fine, active, eating, playing ,running about in his ball. Any ideas? Could a hamster be diabetic?? Should I take him to the vets? Any ideas/experience of this would be great, thanks.

I don't know but I had a (male) guinea pig who did this, and it turned out to be bladder stones, stones in urethra (sp?) as well. A lot of guinea pigs get this, and I think rabbits. Unsure about hamsters. It's because their kidneys cannot properly filter out the calcium that is in tap water in the UK. Are you in a hard water area? (Does your kettle get a lot of lime scale?)

I have since had others with the same problems. My guinea pigs drink bottled water with low calcium now (Deeside from Waitrose). But I would get him checked out for stones, maybe X-rayed. Of course this may not be what is wrong, like I said this was a guinea pig. I would google for any hamster health forums there may be online.

I found this, and if you look down the page you will see that hamsters can get diabetes, I don't know if the details fit with what your hammy is doing? -

hamsterhideout.com/forum/topic/10605-a-z-guide-on-common-hamster-ailments-and-illnesses/

Thanks for your replies, he has no other symptoms at the moment and is his usual self, I think I'll give the vet a call and see what they suggest, don't want to lose him my ds would be heartbroken

Diabetes is very common in dwarf hamsters and the books advise not to give fruit or sweetened treats. Not sure about syrians, but your hammy's symptoms sound a lot like our diabetic dwarf Chinese hamster's symptoms. I asked a vet friend about it & there's not much they can do. Some hamster websites suggest a high protein, low carb diet can help.

I usually feed him the dried mixed food with occasional apples/carrot/ monkey nuts for variety. How is your hamster with the diabetes? Is it life limiting in any significant way do you know? Thanks for the info.

He gradually faded away, I'm afraid. They don't survive diabetes for the long haul.

See a very asap - definitely not normal. Hope it all works out ok.

A vet! Not a very!