Raffy (Syrian Hamster)

[Member ID2]

How can his timing get worse when the clocks go back? Midnight will then be 23.00.

How was the hamsters timing when you had two Syrians? I find that here they often want to be the first one out and get up earlier.

 

[Maz]

Ha ha. I don't know - just because it gets dark earlier? They all seem to vary. Some of mine wouldn't come out at all unless cajoled or tempted at feeding time. Others woke earlier.

 

[Maz]

Ha. Raffy was up by 10.30 tonight.

 

[elusive]

He must have been raring to go!

 

[RainbowBrite]

Hurrah! How lovely Raffy was up earlier and you could spend some time together.

 

[Maz]

He was just normal, wanting to come out. But he did give me a few looks once he was out - a bit rebuffing type looks. You ignored me so I'll ignore you.

 

[Member ID2]

Hopefully that will be his new getting up time. Does Raffy also wash for ages first before coming to the door?

 

[Maz]

He normally does but not last night. He probably had his wash later. I doubt it will be his new time based on how he is. It's just because he missed coming out for a couple of nights. His habit is to get up later when the nights are darker earlier.

 

[Maz]

So Raffy was up at 10.30pm again but was playing hard to get. He was up but walked away when I offered him his tube to come out. Twice. So I closed the cage and went into the kitchen. Sure enough then he was pestering to come out

Hamsters are like toddlers sometimes

 

[RainbowBrite]

Raffy sounds like he was making sure you know who is in charge.

 

[Maz]

Raffy has eaten a slug. I saw him on the carpet seeming to eat something that looked like a bit of stick - he was chomping away at it. But it was actually a slug. I tried to stop him and he pouched the rest of it. Which is why I am up late waiting for him to depouch it. I think he has now but not sure where. He clearly found it a very tasty snack but there is a risk of worms so I’ll call the vet tomorrow to see if he needs worming treatment and when.

Before that he was looking very cute in his dig box

 

[Daisy]

I didn't think a hamster would eat a slug! I hope he will unpouch the rest soon so you can go to bed!

 

[Frida]

Yuk! I really don't like slugs. I can just imagine the chomping sound. I hope Raffy doesn't get ill from eating it.

 

[elusive]

Lovely photos of Raffy
Not such a lovely snack It’s surprising how many animals will eat slugs, I hope he has depouched it & not eaten much. They do carry a lot of things like lung worm & other things but hopefully Raffy won’t have ingested anything harmful.

 

[RainbowBrite]

Oh gosh, I also did not think a hamster would attempt to eat a slug. I really hope Raffy is okay. Hopefully he just chewed it and then spat it out.

 

[Maz]

Clearly he relished it. I also went ugh. I managed to stop him once and reached to get a tissue to pick it up and he was back onto it again! This time when I tried to stop him he pouched the rest.

It is not something I expected to find on the living room carpet either although we have had the odd one in the kitchen. This one must have come from the kitchen as it wasn’t far from the door.

If it wasn’t so icky it would be amusing as he seemed quite excited and determined to eat it. Obsessed in fact.

I had a go at getting him to depouch gently but wasn’t successful and didn’t want to push it. So not entirely sure if he had or not before he went back to his cage but I suspect not so will be having a poke around in there today. Although maybe he’ll just put it in his potty if he thinks it’s special

 

[RainbowBrite]

Sounds like he loved it!

 

[Maz]

Lovely photos of Raffy
Not such a lovely snack It’s surprising how many animals will eat slugs, I hope he has depouched it & not eaten much. They do carry a lot of things like lung worm & other things but hopefully Raffy won’t have ingested anything harmful.

Yes that was my concern as they can carry lungworm. Which is why I want to speak to the vet. If I can get hold of her today.

 

[Maz]

I've phoned the vets and they said just keep an eye on him in case he becomes unwell (I don't think he will as hamsters can eat various insects etc). And he may need worming treatment in a few days just in case. Have a telephone consultation with a vet tomorrow night to discuss that.

 

[RainbowBrite]

I hope that helped to reassure you. What a shock to have a slug in the living room! I actually thought a slug would not like carpet to walk on.