Old Jesse

[kaoskat]

I think Jesse may be going deaf with age. For the last few weeks or so, he hasn't been responding sounds much. I can tap on his cage and yell at him and he just keeps sleeping and when he's awake I can reach in and give him food and unless he's facing me, he has no clue I'm even there. Poor little guy is so ancient. He looks old and scruffy. He even shakes when he walks sometimes. When I look at him I get images of a little old hammy with a long beard and a little walking stick. It's gotten to the point where I'm checking on him several times a day to make sure he's still here. He always is. I just sit and watch him wander around his cage eating, drinking, sleeping, and running in his wheel, and treasure every second of it. I'm really going to miss him when he finally does leave me. He is such a great little hammy.

-kkat

[kellyandpiggies]

awwww.. he sounds so very sweet Kat.. Is it unusual for them to go deaf? I've never had a hammy beofre

xx Kelly xx

[kaoskat]

You know I'm not sure. I've never had a deaf hammy before, but then Jesse is only my second RCD and my first, Astin, never went deaf. Alot of animals lose their hearing when they get old though so it wouldn't surprise me for it to happen in hammies too. According to my research RCDs typically live from a year to a year and 6 months and Jesse is a year and 9 (almost 10) months, so he's far from a young hammy.

[kellyandpiggies]

Yeah have heard that too, but never of little critters going deaf.. you got a unique little fella!

so far so good then, he is doing well!

[bevs]

That's the thing with hammies, they don't last long. I think the longest I heard of was 2 years. Mine never went deaf though. Hope he keeps on doing well. x x

[claire]

Hope he continues to do well Kat

Love
Claire
x

[gothchick1515]

One of my Syrians was 5 when he left me i was utterly amazed and so was the vet at his age i dont no how he did it i was only 8 when i had him hehe x

[bevs]

5 wow :o

[gothchick1515]

I know lol he was practically bald and never listend so may have been deaf and bumped into things so maybe he was loosing vison to and in the end had a tumor so we had to put him to sleep, x