Why is my hamster walking slowly

I got my hamster a little over a week ago. His first 2 days he seemed in good health, used his wheel a lot and explored. The third day he bled for his butt. We took him to the vet. It was either from the stress he suffered in the pet shop (they dropped him, and had him in a cage where he could smell the previous hamster so he ran around in circles and hissed).

Since we got him home from the vet he's stopped bleeding and we don't see any diarrhea. We thought he had Wet Tail, but fortuneatly he didn't.

However he almost never wakes or does anything.

I stay up the entire night sitting in the room he is in and listening. He comes out for food and water between 00:00 and 02:00 AM. Then he walks around a bit, and then he goes to sleep again. And he sleeps pretty much the entire day.

I feel like he's okay since he's eating and drinking, but clearly he's not completely well. Have anyone else expereinced this?

(too old to reply)

Bit of advice please.Our Syrian female (who we believe to be about 9 months old) has becomereally slow moving and lazy the last week or so.It has been extremely hot here over the last week or two and she has beensleeping out of her house a lot but we have noticed that she has not beenchewing on her cage (which she usually spends most of her time doing) andwhen she moves she is very slow - almost like she can't quite get the energyup.We have watched her moving around and she is so slow - really lethargic.She seems to not be quite as agile when getting in or out of her house andtoys too - although this could be because she has no energy maybe.Don't know if she has been in her wheel as she usually runs in the middle ofthe night.Could this be down to the really hot weather, or could she be unwell?She is drinking (maybe not as much as usual, it's hard to tell over a week),but she is definately drinking. She seems to be eating fine too.We have been a bit eager with her chocolate treats and she is possible a bitoverweight - could this be it maybe - she is on a diet from now any way!Can anyone offer any advice?ThanksKeith

We have just been watching her and she seems to really be struggling to movearound. Don't think she is in pain as she is silent but she just climbedout ofher house and almost fell over - it was like watching a drunk.Just been reading about hamsters having strokes - this sounds very familiarto how she is acting - anyone any experience of this?

Post by Keith WroblewskiBit of advice please.Our Syrian female (who we believe to be about 9 months old) has becomereally slow moving and lazy the last week or so.It has been extremely hot here over the last week or two and she has beensleeping out of her house a lot but we have noticed that she has not beenchewing on her cage (which she usually spends most of her time doing) andwhen she moves she is very slow - almost like she can't quite get the energyup.We have watched her moving around and she is so slow - really lethargic.She seems to not be quite as agile when getting in or out of her house andtoys too - although this could be because she has no energy maybe.Don't know if she has been in her wheel as she usually runs in the middle ofthe night.Could this be down to the really hot weather, or could she be unwell?She is drinking (maybe not as much as usual, it's hard to tell over a week),but she is definately drinking. She seems to be eating fine too.We have been a bit eager with her chocolate treats and she is possible a bitoverweight - could this be it maybe - she is on a diet from now any way!Can anyone offer any advice?ThanksKeith

I just want to be sure that there is no possibility of her being pregnant?My hamster acted similarly and she turned out being pregnant.

Definately not - she hasn't been with other hamsters in 8 months or so sincewe got her.

Post by Kory PostmaI just want to be sure that there is no possibility of her being pregnant?My hamster acted similarly and she turned out being pregnant.

We are going to try and get her to a vet tomorrow - best to get her checkedout.It is like she has no energy and can't even hold herself up - she climbs andjust seems to fall and steps out of her house (about 2cm high off the floorof the cage) and after pulling her front half out of the door the rest ofher just seems to fall out - then she picks herself up and very slowly goesabout her business.She looks really sad and miserable.I was reading about strokes in hamsters and the symptoms they describe seemto be what she has been acting like. She is just very uncoordinated andclumsy all of a sudden - like she is drunk.I will post an update when we have been to a vets.

Post by Keith WroblewskiBit of advice please.Our Syrian female (who we believe to be about 9 months old) has becomereally slow moving and lazy the last week or so.It has been extremely hot here over the last week or two and she has beensleeping out of her house a lot but we have noticed that she has not beenchewing on her cage (which she usually spends most of her time doing) andwhen she moves she is very slow - almost like she can't quite get the energyup.We have watched her moving around and she is so slow - really lethargic.She seems to not be quite as agile when getting in or out of her house andtoys too - although this could be because she has no energy maybe.Don't know if she has been in her wheel as she usually runs in the middle ofthe night.Could this be down to the really hot weather, or could she be unwell?She is drinking (maybe not as much as usual, it's hard to tell over a week),but she is definately drinking. She seems to be eating fine too.We have been a bit eager with her chocolate treats and she is possible a bitoverweight - could this be it maybe - she is on a diet from now any way!Can anyone offer any advice?ThanksKeith

Just be sure that they are not getting any drafts.

Both of my Syrians have been acting the same way when I've seen them

God only knows what they're like after I sack out ;)It's been quite hot/humid here (PA) too. I do have a fan running neartheir aquariums to provide moving air in my non-A/C apartment.signman

Post by Keith WroblewskiBit of advice please.Our Syrian female (who we believe to be about 9 months old) has becomereally slow moving and lazy the last week or so.We have been a bit eager with her chocolate treats and she is possible a bitoverweight - could this be it maybe - she is on a diet from now any way!

Hi AllWent to the vets this evening after work.Well there was us thinking she was overweight. Turns out she has alump/growth near her kidney on her right side. He poked and prodded her fora while and didn't cause her any discomfort so luckily she is not in anypain from it.He has said that without xrays etc (which may not show anything useful) itis hard to know exactly what it is. He has guessed that it may be a cist onher kidney or ovary or an unknown growth. From what he felt he said itfeels like the growth is no longer attached to anything and is movingaround - hence her imbalance. It is quite large he said so is making itmore difficult for her to climb, jump etc.He has advised us to treat her as if she is disabled and make things easierfor her (single level cage, bigger and easier to get in house) and see howshe goes. Because she is not in pain he has told us to monitor her for amonth and if she gets worse (shows signs of pain etc) then we should takeher back. He said if she remains the same he would like to see her in acouple of months just to make sure she is not in any pain.So there we are! Hope se is OK.

Post by Keith WroblewskiBit of advice please.Our Syrian female (who we believe to be about 9 months old) has becomereally slow moving and lazy the last week or so.It has been extremely hot here over the last week or two and she has beensleeping out of her house a lot but we have noticed that she has not beenchewing on her cage (which she usually spends most of her time doing) andwhen she moves she is very slow - almost like she can't quite get the energyup.We have watched her moving around and she is so slow - really lethargic.She seems to not be quite as agile when getting in or out of her house andtoys too - although this could be because she has no energy maybe.Don't know if she has been in her wheel as she usually runs in the middle ofthe night.Could this be down to the really hot weather, or could she be unwell?She is drinking (maybe not as much as usual, it's hard to tell over a week),but she is definately drinking. She seems to be eating fine too.We have been a bit eager with her chocolate treats and she is possible a bitoverweight - could this be it maybe - she is on a diet from now any way!Can anyone offer any advice?ThanksKeith

Post by unknownHi AllWent to the vets this evening after work.Well there was us thinking she was overweight. Turns out she has alump/growth near her kidney on her right side. He poked and prodded her fora while and didn't cause her any discomfort so luckily she is not in anypain from it.He has said that without xrays etc (which may not show anything useful) itis hard to know exactly what it is. He has guessed that it may be a cist onher kidney or ovary or an unknown growth. From what he felt he said itfeels like the growth is no longer attached to anything and is movingaround - hence her imbalance. It is quite large he said so is making itmore difficult for her to climb, jump etc.He has advised us to treat her as if she is disabled and make things easierfor her (single level cage, bigger and easier to get in house) and see howshe goes. Because she is not in pain he has told us to monitor her for amonth and if she gets worse (shows signs of pain etc) then we should takeher back. He said if she remains the same he would like to see her in acouple of months just to make sure she is not in any pain.So there we are! Hope se is OK.

Post by unknownHi AllWent to the vets this evening after work.Well there was us thinking she was overweight. Turns out she has alump/growth near her kidney on her right side. He poked and prodded her fora while and didn't cause her any discomfort so luckily she is not in anypain from it.He has said that without xrays etc (which may not show anything useful) itis hard to know exactly what it is. He has guessed that it may be a cist onher kidney or ovary or an unknown growth. From what he felt he said itfeels like the growth is no longer attached to anything and is movingaround - hence her imbalance. It is quite large he said so is making itmore difficult for her to climb, jump etc.He has advised us to treat her as if she is disabled and make things easierfor her (single level cage, bigger and easier to get in house) and see howshe goes. Because she is not in pain he has told us to monitor her for amonth and if she gets worse (shows signs of pain etc) then we should takeher back. He said if she remains the same he would like to see her in acouple of months just to make sure she is not in any pain.So there we are! Hope se is OK.

HelloGlad to hear that the vet has some positive news for you.Tony

Post by unknownHi AllWent to the vets this evening after work.Well there was us thinking she was overweight. Turns out she has alump/growth near her kidney on her right side. He poked and prodded her fora while and didn't cause her any discomfort so luckily she is not in anypain from it.He has said that without xrays etc (which may not show anything useful) itis hard to know exactly what it is. He has guessed that it may be a cist onher kidney or ovary or an unknown growth. From what he felt he said itfeels like the growth is no longer attached to anything and is movingaround - hence her imbalance. It is quite large he said so is making itmore difficult for her to climb, jump etc.He has advised us to treat her as if she is disabled and make things easierfor her (single level cage, bigger and easier to get in house) and see howshe goes. Because she is not in pain he has told us to monitor her for amonth and if she gets worse (shows signs of pain etc) then we should takeher back. He said if she remains the same he would like to see her in acouple of months just to make sure she is not in any pain.So there we are! Hope se is OK.

Post by Keith WroblewskiBit of advice please.Our Syrian female (who we believe to be about 9 months old) has becomereally slow moving and lazy the last week or so.It has been extremely hot here over the last week or two and she has beensleeping out of her house a lot but we have noticed that she has not beenchewing on her cage (which she usually spends most of her time doing) andwhen she moves she is very slow - almost like she can't quite get the

Post by Keith Wroblewskiup.We have watched her moving around and she is so slow - really lethargic.She seems to not be quite as agile when getting in or out of her house andtoys too - although this could be because she has no energy maybe.Don't know if she has been in her wheel as she usually runs in the

Post by unknownof

Post by Keith Wroblewskithe night.Could this be down to the really hot weather, or could she be unwell?She is drinking (maybe not as much as usual, it's hard to tell over a

Post by Keith Wroblewskibut she is definately drinking. She seems to be eating fine too.We have been a bit eager with her chocolate treats and she is possible a

Post by Keith Wroblewskioverweight - could this be it maybe - she is on a diet from now any way!Can anyone offer any advice?ThanksKeith

It's good to know that she isn't in any pain but she just isn't a happyhamster any more.She is sleeping a lot (guess the growth in her is taking her energy) and sheis obviously not running around etc (doubt she is using her wheel at all andprobably won't again unless she improves).Will she be OK if she doesn't get any exercise in her wheel and sleeps mostof the time? I know she is ill and the vet said act like she is disabledbut can't help thinking she is just not happy - she looks really miserable.What can we do to cheer her up?

Post by unknownHi AllWent to the vets this evening after work.Well there was us thinking she was overweight. Turns out she has alump/growth near her kidney on her right side. He poked and prodded her fora while and didn't cause her any discomfort so luckily she is not in anypain from it.He has said that without xrays etc (which may not show anything useful) itis hard to know exactly what it is. He has guessed that it may be a cist onher kidney or ovary or an unknown growth. From what he felt he said itfeels like the growth is no longer attached to anything and is movingaround - hence her imbalance. It is quite large he said so is making itmore difficult for her to climb, jump etc.He has advised us to treat her as if she is disabled and make things easierfor her (single level cage, bigger and easier to get in house) and see howshe goes. Because she is not in pain he has told us to monitor her for amonth and if she gets worse (shows signs of pain etc) then we should takeher back. He said if she remains the same he would like to see her in acouple of months just to make sure she is not in any pain.So there we are! Hope se is OK.

Post by Keith WroblewskiBit of advice please.Our Syrian female (who we believe to be about 9 months old) has becomereally slow moving and lazy the last week or so.It has been extremely hot here over the last week or two and she has beensleeping out of her house a lot but we have noticed that she has not beenchewing on her cage (which she usually spends most of her time doing) andwhen she moves she is very slow - almost like she can't quite get the

Post by Keith Wroblewskiup.We have watched her moving around and she is so slow - really lethargic.She seems to not be quite as agile when getting in or out of her house andtoys too - although this could be because she has no energy maybe.Don't know if she has been in her wheel as she usually runs in the

Post by unknownof

Post by Keith Wroblewskithe night.Could this be down to the really hot weather, or could she be unwell?She is drinking (maybe not as much as usual, it's hard to tell over a

Post by Keith Wroblewskibut she is definately drinking. She seems to be eating fine too.We have been a bit eager with her chocolate treats and she is possible a

Post by Keith Wroblewskioverweight - could this be it maybe - she is on a diet from now any way!Can anyone offer any advice?ThanksKeith

Hi Keith,I just read about your ill little ham. Maybe you can cheer her up alittle by giving her something to do that is not as exhausting for heras running or climbing seems to be at the moment. Try wrapping littlesnacks (her favorite food, sunflower seeds, peanuts, whatever) in softpaper or toilet paper and hide it for her to find and unwrap, forexample. You can also give her one of those millet cobs (I do not knowif "cob" is the right English word for it) you can buy for birds. Mosthamsters like those rather well and will enjoy themselves for hoursgetting the little grains out and gathering them to their house.I hope she gets better soon,Capella

Post by unknownIt's good to know that she isn't in any pain but she just isn't a happyhamster any more.

Post by unknownWill she be OK if she doesn't get any exercise in her wheel and sleeps mostof the time? I know she is ill and the vet said act like she is disabledbut can't help thinking she is just not happy - she looks really miserable.What can we do to cheer her up?