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Small pets

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Original poster

Elderly hamster

20 replies

Lovemusic33 · 11/03/2021 20:50

DD’s hamster is around 3 years old, in the last few months she has started looking a bit scruffy and skinny, but happily eating, drinking and chewing. The last few days I have noticed that she’s taking food into her bed and just lies in bed snacking (sounds like me during lockdown) instead of keeping her food in another corner, she’s a bit wobbly on her feet but still climbs/jumps off her platform. Her back claws have got really long and need clipping but I don’t want to stress her too much.

How do I know the end is near? How do I know if she’s in pain?

Also any tips on cutting her claws without stressing her? She is a nippy hamster as dd has never tamed her properly so handling her isn’t easy.

OP posts:
nicknamehelp · 11/03/2021 20:51

I think end is in sight 😞

Original poster
Lovemusic33 · 11/03/2021 20:55

I think so Sad

She seems happy enough but I have spoken to dd about keeping a close eye and the possibility of having her put to sleep if she goes down hill. Dd understands but would rather she passed in her sleep rather than at the vets. I really hope we find her gone in her bed in the next week or so rather than her getting worse and suffering.

OP posts:
willibald · 11/03/2021 20:55

That's pretty old for a hammy. Ours was nearly that age. When he started to get really unstable on his back legs we took him in.

NetballHoop · 11/03/2021 20:58

3 is a good age for a hamster. I wouldn't be clipping claws, and if she's taken herself to bed to snack I'd just leave her to it.

Maybe make some plans for what comes next and how you're DD will want to say goodbye

Original poster
Lovemusic33 · 11/03/2021 20:59

I’m unsure if she’s more unstable because her claws are so long, her front claws are fine but back ones need trimming. A while ago she had a bold spot and I thought it was the end but she perked up and her hair grew back. She’s a sweet little thing but hates being handled. She still comes to the bars to collect food from me. I think I will give her a clean out tomorrow and see how she is. I might have to take her to the vets without telling dd.

OP posts:
HundredMilesAnHour · 11/03/2021 21:01

If you want to trim her nails, the easiest way is to use cuticle nippers. Scruff the back of her neck but let her bodyweight rest on your thigh (assume you're sitting) so it's not uncomfortable for her. Then a quick nail snip and it's done. It takes me less than 30 seconds to trim the nails of my dwarf hamsters.

It sounds like she's moving towards the end of her little life but no signs of suffering yet. Always so sad to lose a little rodent but she sounds well looked after.

Original poster
Lovemusic33 · 11/03/2021 21:04

I think I will be more upset than dd, dd is a teenager but has ASD, we have lots of pets but the hamster was the first pet she got herself. I think if we wake up one morning and she’s gone it won’t be as upsetting.

OP posts:
willibald · 11/03/2021 21:15

We get ours from a breeder than they tend to last till near 3. They also come hand tamed but I absolutely adore hammies so I'm the one who plays with them most these days. We had another who also went till nearly 3 but he developed a growth on his belly so that made things simpler.

LDpuppy · 11/03/2021 21:17

We had our wee hamster pts about 3 weeks ago. He was almost 3. About 2 months ago his nails started needing clipped, then he started to slow down. Eventually he was sleeping more and more, not drinking and not eating. We knew it was time when he stopped snuggling into dd2.

V sad.

KAP232 · 16/03/2021 05:18

Hi, I just wondered how your hamster was going?

Original poster
Lovemusic33 · 16/03/2021 07:51

She’s still eating and drinking, I’m going to clean her out today, she seems to sleep more and takes a while to wake up, she stumbles around for a bit until she’s fully awake. I gave her some cucumber yesterday which she was really pleased with. Dd and I have decided to see how she is after being cleaned out and if she continues to get worse I will take her to be PTS.

OP posts:
Sooverthemill · 16/03/2021 07:54

Don't clean her out too much. You don't want to disorient her if she's getting a bit slow, just scoop out the toilet corner. I hope she stays well. I adore our 2 dwarf hamsters!

Original poster
Lovemusic33 · 16/03/2021 07:58

I haven’t cleaned her for a while because last time she refused to get out of her bed (the nest she makes in the corner), so I just clean around her. Dd said she was stumbling around last night so I think her days are numbered 😢

OP posts:
CovoidOfAllHumanity · 16/03/2021 08:14

Ours got thin and straggly before she died and much less active.
We figured out that she couldn't chew her food very well anymore and in her last few weeks we were feeding her porridge and veg purees like a baby.

She died peacefully in her sleep in the end.

willibald · 16/03/2021 08:15

Aw, it's so sad when they get old and scraggy like this.

Original poster
Lovemusic33 · 16/03/2021 08:16

I’m really hoping she just dies in her sleep, I don’t want to have to take her to the vets, she’s not a fan of being handled so would be very scared if I had to box her up and take her in. She’s still eating, her teeth look fine but her back claws are really long. I might put a stone in her cage to see if it will wear her claws down a bit.

OP posts:
willibald · 16/03/2021 09:02

@Lovemusic33

I’m really hoping she just dies in her sleep, I don’t want to have to take her to the vets, she’s not a fan of being handled so would be very scared if I had to box her up and take her in. She’s still eating, her teeth look fine but her back claws are really long. I might put a stone in her cage to see if it will wear her claws down a bit.
Use an oven mitt to put her in a box if you need to take her to the vet. Aw, I've always had very docile hammies that you can handle. They're such lovely pets.
user127820 · 20/03/2021 20:53

For the claws, try putting her in a sieve and cutting them on the other side. That way, you can't accidentally nick her toes. At this stage in her life, I would only do this if they're actually curling backwards though.

Yes, it does sound like she's reaching the end. Just keep her quiet and comfortable and feed her whatever she will eat. If she stops eating or looks very hunched up, she needs to go to the vet (hunching is a sign of pain).

Original poster
Lovemusic33 · 22/03/2021 18:59

Love the sieve idea, I will give it a go next time she’s awake, she’s sleeping a lot more but has also been active during the night, so far she’s still eating just not as active. I was looking back through my photos and worked out that she must be 3 years old.

OP posts:
Yellowfish2020 · 22/03/2021 19:10

No advice, but you sound like a really lovely owner and too often these 'little pets' are almost seen as disposable. Lovely that you're taking this care over her little life Thanks

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