Help me with my new hamster!

I just bought a new hamster home. He is very young and the first day he was really active. I have noticed he has a dirty butt and it looks a little wet. He is still drinking water and eating but he is not that active. I was wondering if he is ill or if he is not yet use to his new surroundings and new food. His eyes are still alert and his noes is not runny and his stools are sold. I need to know if he needs to see a vet or if he just needs time to adjust to his new home.

Answer #1

Hi buddy2007!

You asked the right person- I’ve had a hamster named Zippy for 2 years in March. He’s my little buddy.

In young hamsters, especially after enduring stress (such as moving to a new home), there is a condition called “Wet Tail” that they can contract. It’s basically a digestive disease that is often deadly, unfortunately.

Here are the symptoms:

Hamsters with wet tail are generally lethargic with a loss of appetite and generally stop grooming. They have a very fluid diarrhea, and develop a wet, soiled and matted area around the anus and tail. The diarrhea causes them to become dehydrated, so their eyes may appear dull and sunken. They may sit “hunched up” and be irritable because of the abdominal discomfort. In serious cases, blood may be seen in the diarrhea or around the anus, and/or the rectum may protrude out of the anus because of the constant straining.

If his eyes are bright and he does not have diarrhea, his tail and dirty butt could just be from his young age and lack of grooming skills.

However, wet tail is lethal if untreated for 24 hours after the symptoms begin. It kills with a quickness because the hamster gets dehydrated. Your vet would need to prescribe antibiotics and you’d have to feed him water with a baby dropper.

If he starts to act lethargic, irritable, or has persistent diarrhea, take him to the vet ASAP.

Good luck.

(Here’s a picture of my hamster, Zippy).

More Like This
Advisor

Pets and Animals

Pet Care, Animal Behavior, Veterinary Medicine

Ask an advisor one-on-one!
Advisor

Best Pets Helpful

Pets, Pet care, Animal welfare

Advisor

petterr.com

Pet Adoption, Animal Welfare, Pet Care

Advisor

KittyBest

Pet Supplies, Animal Nutrition, Cat Care

Advisor

Barking Dog Blog

Dog behavior, Training tips, Pet care

Advisor

Best Protection Dogs

Security Services, Pet Services, Animal Training