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)
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
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%
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)
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)
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| Hamster Skeleton (25) |
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
