Eyesight deteroration ? In 18 month Roborovski

[Taz and Rio]

I have 2 Roborovski hamsters, both from the same litter but they live seperatly and have done for roughly 12 months. They are 18 months old. Recently I think Rio may have developed problems with his eyesight. Their wages are on 3 levels and they have both been more than happy with this set up for the past 12 months. Over the past couple of weeks Rio has nocked his ladder and house off the top level which has never happened before. When we give him treats through the bars, he seems to respons better to tapping rather than sight (more so than before). We have not taken him to the vets because visually, until now, neither of his eyes look milky, wet or glazed and he is active, eating and drinking as normal.
Tonight, the lower lid of his eye looks a little more pinky than usual and his eye not completely open. There is not crust or secretions. I would rather not stress him out with a visit to the vets if theres any helpful advise we can try at home first. He is reasonably good when been handled but would apprecite advice if acting sooner is better, or if waiting and watching closely to see how it goes is advised.
TIA,
Taz and Rios Mom

 

[Socks' Mum]

It won't do any harm to speak to your vet who might ask you to send in a photo or video. As he is getting older, you could try putting things on one or two levels with a shallower ramp in case he has any arthritis or sore hips, which they can get as they age. Is he still running on his wheel? He sounds very sweet The vet might give you a trial of antibiotics medication to clear up any infection in his eye if the vet thinks he might have an infection, or he might ask you to bring him in for a check. It shouldn't stress him out too much, as long as the vet you see is experienced with hamsters

 

[Taz and Rio]

It won't do any harm to speak to your vet who might ask you to send in a photo or video. As he is getting older, you could try putting things on one or two levels with a shallower ramp in case he has any arthritis or sore hips, which they can get as they age. Is he still running on his wheel? He sounds very sweet The vet might give you a trial of antibiotics medication to clear up any infection in his eye if the vet thinks he might have an infection, or he might ask you to bring him in for a check. It shouldn't stress him out too much, as long as the vet you see is experienced with hamsters

Thank you for your response. Its really helpful he has a satellite type wheel which he still uses daily and seems to mobilise perfectly fine. He just seems to struggle to find you when ur at the cage. We have removed the top level ramp and will call the vets to get some advise of the back of yours. Thanks again!

 

[Maz]

Hi. I think at 18 months, it would be better to adjust his cage and reduce levels as he's at risk of falls, particularly if he's having eyesight issues. Do you have a photo of his cage set up please and we could suggest what might be a good way to achieve it so he has more enrichment at floor level to make up for not having the levels. He could be losing his sight, but if one eye looks a bit pink then yes he could have an infection and need some antibiotics.

It can be difficult taking a robo to the vets as they are so small and get scared easily. And my fear was they might run off the vet table or something. What I used to do was: Take the robo in the pet carrier. And also take a low sided storage box (like a rub bin). It was about 50 x 30cm I think and sides were about 10". I had a piece of hemp mat in the bottom of it (a piece of blanket or towel would do though temporarily) and I'd take a carrier bag with a flying saucer, a toilet roll tunnel, a treat stick and a bit of food. The pet carrier is a guinea pig sized one so it fitted a fleece house inside. So when I got to the vets, I put the storage box on the vet table, with the mat in the bottom. Put the saucer, tunnel and chew stick and a handful of food in it. Then lift the hamster out of the pet carrier inside the fleece hide (they tend to go in it inside the pet carrier) and put that down in the box and the hamster would venture out of the hide and go for the food and chew stick and could run around in the box. So the vet could get a good view of him that way, and it was easier for the vet to scoop him out of the larger box and hold him over it while examining him. Then once he was down in the box again after his slightly stressful experience, he would then have a nice time eating and wheeling and get over it!