Saffron

[Maz]

That is always a favourite with my hamsters too Also chicken and pumpkin. One is Hipp, the other is a different brand - can't remember which is which! Does she have a sticky eye as well? She looks very sweet there.

 

[Eriathwen]

She does, yeah.. shes had that almost as long as the hair loss. She's had antibiotics for it which did nothing, I've tried wiping it for her but it's still sticky.
The socket/eyelids seems a little swollen which is what made me worry there may be a brain tumour, I was hoping to get a bit of weight onto her before stressing her out with the vets, but im going to have to bite the bullet I think. Its only ever been the ones side which is odd.

 

[Socks' Mum]

Perhaps a tooth related issue? I'm glad I don't have teeth that grow all the time. She's so tiny, I can't imagine how a scan would be possible. What vets do is amazing though.

 

[Maz]

It could be tooth related or a tumour. I think if it was a tumour the eye would change quite a bit. I had one hamster who had what were thought to be secondaries in the brain after a tumour was removed elsewhere. He had a slight swelling around the eye area and the eye went a bit white in the middle a bit like a cataract. And started to bulge out. It did go down again after antibiotics so I had hoped it was just infection but it was thought to be a brain tumour and any infection secondary, as it just came back again and the head swelling never did go. It wasn't a lot, but noticeable.

But then it could present differently in different hamsters. I suppose it would need x rays to see if it's a tooth issue or not.

 

[Socks' Mum]

Would an x-ray be possible in an older hamster? I suppose it would be done under light gas.

 

[Maz]

I have never had an x ray done on a hamster but I think most vets would want to give a whiff of anaesthetic, yes - to ensure the hamster didn't move while the x ray was being done.

 

[ilguy]

I'm glad she's responding to the chicken, hope the vet trip goes well. Saffron is such a little cutie

 

[Eriathwen]

So, this is an update I put off because I wasn't expecting it, but unfortunately Saffron didn't make it to her appointment and passed away at home. I found her agonal breathing and very unsteady, she had made a little hole next to the entrance to one of her food stores and lay down in there. I went to grab my phone to rush her in to be put to sleep, but by the time I got back to her cage, she had passed away.

She may have been a difficult, opinionated little lady her entire life, but she was still very much loved and I miss her terribly. However, I am glad that she is no longer having to deal with whatever physical issues she was having, as well as the psychological ones causing her neurological aggression.

 

[Maz]

I am so sorry Eriathwen. It sounds like she didn't suffer and it was fairly quick, but you must miss her. It's a shame she had these issues which were probably genetic. Play well over the Rainbow Bridge Saffron.

I hope it hasn't put you off hamsters Mine have all been friendly!

 

[Eriathwen]

Thankyou, yes it certainly was quick bless her. Which I suppose is a good thing, as much as it sucks for me that she's gone, for her it was probably for the best, with not liking being moved about and handled, vet trips were always a bit stressful for her.

Oh im not put off at all, I had actually decided last month that, since moving my remaining "bedroom guinea pig" into the piggy room so he had company again, that I would like to have a Syrian again as I now have space for a syrian sized cage.

Of course now I also have dwarf hamster space as well and I would most definitely like another dwarf too.. I dont plan on rushing into things and I wouldn't want to get them at the same time either so that they each got the time to bond with me etc but there will definitely be a new little patter of feet in the upcoming months.

 

[Socks' Mum]

Sorry to hear little Saffron has passed. Nestle well at the bridge little one Looking forward to hearing about how you get on when you are found by a new hammy

 

[ilguy]

I'm so sorry to hear she passed. I hope she got to enjoy the chicken in her last few weeks since you figured it out. I will miss seeing her updates, hope she is having everything she wants at the rainbow bridge.

 

[Eriathwen]

I finally got round to cleaning her cage today, disinfecting it with F10sc just in case whatever she had was contagious, which I don't think it was as there is also 2 gerbils in the room who are absolutely fine and I wasn't exactly sterile in hygiene between both enclosures.

I sat looking at it empty and figured what harm could it do to have a look online to see if there's any little hams in rescues nearby. Absolutely floored to find that there isn't a rescue in 100 miles with a hamster!

Anyway, I need some cat litter at the weekend, maybe there'll be somebody in the adoption section at pets at home that I can oggle at usually it's Syrians or gerbils though. But you never know.

I consoled myself by setting the cage back up with clean items and fresh bedding, I cant stand it empty, I keep going in the room and saying hello to the gerbils and the empty cage.. at least when it's full I can pretend Saffron is just ghost hamstering as usual silly I know but hopefully that will help with the little stomach drop I get when I realise she's gone.

 

[Maz]

It's so hard isn't it? I have the same problem round here - the nearest rescue is a long way away and they often don't have any syrians or robos - and I'm allergic to russian dwarf hamsters!

I'm sure a hamster in need of a home would love to be with you and it will help fill that hamster hole. A female Syrian might be a completely different experience! But it is likely to keep you on your toes

 

[Eriathwen]

I'd love a female syrian, although I must admit I've been a bit apprehensive getting one for a very long time. When I was a teenager I had one called Crunchie, my only ever female syrian, and unfortunately I had to have her put to sleep as she injured her spine climbing the bars before I knew they needed bigger cages. I've since had this worry in the back of my head that I cant provide what a female syrian needs, but she was such a lovely girl. Maybe when I set up my syrian space it's time to try again!

 

[Maz]

I think a hamster will choose you If there are some for adoption.

 

[Socks' Mum]

Pets for Homes usually has a number of "lost interest" ads, but it may vary depending on where you live. You have to be careful the person isn't a backyard breeder though, with breeding stock in a shed outside, trying to sell their stock as adoptions.

 

[Eriathwen]

I got Pasha and Orsa from Pets4homes, at the moment there's 10 ads within 50 miles, all but one syrian are from breeders, I cant remember the last time I saw a real advert on there for a dwarf.

I had a quick look on gumtree too but no joy there either although I did find an ad for Royal crown Derby paperweights of a gerbil and hamster which were kind of cool looking..I had no idea those were a thing!

 

[Socks' Mum]

The paperweights are beautiful That's difficult. Somewhere there must be a hamster needing a fantastic home

 

[Maz]

I had to google Royal Crown Derby paperweight Hamster Amazing! I also had no idea about that.