Hamster Health Check (Part VI)

Hamster Health Check

═════════════════════

Hamster Health Check (Part VI)

·                     Health Care

·                     UPDATE: Hamster Vital Signs

o                  Hamster Hematology 

·                     The weekly health check

1.                  General

1.                  Hamster Skeleton

2.                  Mouth and nose

3.                  Eyes

4.                  Cheeks

5.                  Fur

6.                  Nails

·                     *Grooming

·                     SPECIAL: Hamster Anatomy

>>>GO TO THE MAIN MENU>>>

═════════════════════

Health care

With proper care and diet, hamsters tend to be healthy animals. The most common health problem is called “wet tail” and appears as foul smelling diarrhea. It is usually related to the stress of moving to a new home or a sudden change in diet. Preventative medication is available and can also be used to treat it should it occur. It is best to pick up a small amount of food the hamster has been used to and mix it with any new food being introduced. Do not offer your hamster fresh veggies or fruit for about a week and then do so gradually and in small amounts. (6)

CHECK FOR YOUR NORMAL HAMSTER VITAL SIGNS (23):

Adult body weight: 95 - 150g (female); 85 - 130g (male)

Life span: 1.5 - 2 years

Respiratory rate: 35 - 135 breaths/minute

Heart rate: 250 - 500 beats/minute

Normal average rectal temperature: 102ºF

Hamster Hematology (24):

RBC 7,500,000/mm

WBC 7,600/mm

Segmented Neutrophils 21.9%

Non-segmented Neutrophils 8.0%

Lymphocytes 73.5%

Monocytes 2.5%

Eosinophils 1.1%

Basophils 1.1%

The weekly health check

Get into the habit of examining your pet carefully every week. It’s a good idea to weigh him too. Make this a regular thing and you’ll bond better with your pets. And you’ll catch any problems early – your Syrian hamster is nocturnal, so health issues might not be so easy to spot. (3)

General

Check that your Syrian hamster’s behaviour is normal – active and playful in the evening. Gauge how they walk, looking for limping, or signs of pain. A sick pet will be irritable and may bite more frequently. (3)

Hamster Skeleton (25)

Mouth and nose

The nose should be clean and dry – sneezing and runny nose are signs of cold or fl u. Check to ensure that your

pet’s teeth haven’t grown too long. See whether they’re misaligned or

Food and Water (Part V)

HAMSTER NUTRITION

═════════════════════

Food and Water (Part V)

·                     Food and Water

·                     *Cheek Pouch

·                     Hoarding

·                     UPDATE: Hamster Diet List

·                     UPDATE: List of Plants regarded as Unsafe

·                     Hamsters' Urine

·                     Lack of Food and Water

·                     UPDATE: Food and Nutrition Myths and Misconceptions

·                     SPECIAL: Nutritional Information of Sunflower Seeds and Meal Worms

>>>GO TO THE MAIN MENU>>>

═════════════════════

Food and Water

Good-quality food and fresh, clean water must be readily available at all times. The exact nutritional requirements of the hamster are not known. In the wild, they are omnivorous, feeding on plants, seeds, fruits and insects. Pet hamsters are best fed commercial rat or mouse diets containing at least 16% crude protein. These foods are usually available as dry blocks or pellets. These commercial diets can be supplemented with small amounts of dry, sugar-free breakfast cereals, whole-wheat bread, uncooked pasta, cooked chicken, tuna fish, cheese, fresh fruits and vegetables. The last 2 items must be thoroughly washed to avoid exposing pet hamsters to pesticide residues and possible bacterial contamination. (1)

Pet stores sell prepared hamster diets available in boxes or bags. These diets contain

large quantities of seeds and items rich in oils. Consequently, if improperly stored, they become rancid and lose their nutritive value. Furthermore, these oil-rich items promote obesity. These types of foods can be offered as a supplement to the commercial rat or mouse diets mentioned above. (1)

All food should be provided in heavy ceramic crocks that resist tipping. The sides of the crocks should be high enough to keep bedding and fecal material out of the food, or the crocks should be elevated slightly above the bedding. (1)

Water is most easily made available and kept free from contamination by providing it in one or more water bottles equipped with ‘sipper’ tubes. Make certain the ends of the tubes are positioned low enough to allow all residents within the enclosure (especially juvenile hamsters over 1 week old) easy access to them. Also make certain that very young hamsters are strong enough to obtain water from these sipper tubes. (1)

Average food consumption is 10 to 15 g of commercial pelleted rodent food per day for adult hamsters. Hamsters drink approximately 5 ml of water per 100 g of body weight per day. This rate of water consumption is similar to the gerbil, another rodent species indigenous to the desert. In comparison, rats drink 10 ml of water per 100 g of body weight each day.(14)

*Cheek Pouch

A unique feature of Syrian hamsters is the well- developed pair of buccal or cheek pouches beneath the skin on the lateral sides of the head. In the picture,

the cheek pouch has been reverted for examination. (2)

The pouches are used to carry food and nesting material. They also provide an easily accessible site for tumor transplantation and induction. The cheek pouches have