*non Guinea Pig Question* Hamster Help

[Jesse's pigs]

I realise that this is a guinea pig forum and I wouldn't regard it as urgent but for those who also own hamsters I'm just curious. My hamster Fred (first male hammy ) is healthy and doesn't seem in pain. However, recently we've noticed that on occasions he's eye seems half shut? The picture shows what I mean. He doesn't seem bothered but should I be worried? Thanks for help. I'm under the impression that it's just from where he's been sleeping in his house- it always seems to sort itself out. He does have quite bulgy eyes.

 

[pnwgranny]

I am not sue about your hamster but mine, Enzo, occasionally scratches his eye and it looks like that.

 

[Wiebke]

I realise that this is a guinea pig forum and I wouldn't regard it as urgent but for those who also own hamsters I'm just curious. My hamster Fred (first male hammy ) is healthy and doesn't seem in pain. However, recently we've noticed that on occasions he's eye seems half shut? The picture shows what I mean. He doesn't seem bothered but should I be worried? Thanks for help. I'm under the impression that it's just from where he's been sleeping in his house- it always seems to sort itself out. He does have quite bulgy eyes.

View attachment 59397

View attachment 59398

Please have him see for an eye injury or infection.

 

[Julie M]

Cody gets that too occasionally. I asked about it on a hamster page and was told that as hamsters age they might not be washing themselves as much. (You know when u wake up some mornings with sleep in your eyes) I bathed his with cooled boiled water on a cottonwool pad.

However is it happens all the time it there is a noticeable discharge/ any redness or swelling. I would see a vet.

 

[Shelboner]

I had the same problem with my gerbil. And she became very ill. And I found out she was allergic to pine! In most sawdust. Maybe try different bedding with dust extracted? Care fresh is good for small animals and it stops any smells. And has no dust in it. But I wouldn't ignore this eye problem he might be having a reaction to something try different bedding see if that helps. My gerbil is on sand and tissue. The sand is called caco it's pretty awesome stuff

 

[Freela]

It does look like some kind of irritation or injury, I would get it checked out just to be safe. Our hamster does walk around with squinted eyes when she first wakes up, but she's squinting on both eyes equally and show other signs that she has just woken up (rumpled ears, a general bemused, "Why did you wake me up?" expression.) His ears look like he's pretty awake there, and the fact that it's one eye makes me suspect something irritating it, whether an infection or a scratch or something.

 

[Ever]

My gerbil has this, but is very active and doesn't show any signs of illness. I'd recommend just waiting for any other odd symptoms, such as runny nose, not wanting to eat, or overall laziness. When my gerbil gets this (which is quite often), I actually just spread her eye open with my finger. It seems to be sealed shut with eye goopies.

 

[Critter]

One of my hammies had this but only in one eye and only for a few days before it sorted itself out. The advice on the hamster forum was to leave it as it's common and generally means nothing. However it would still be worth taking him to the vet just to rule out injury to the eye.

 

[Alycat]

My hammies have all looked sleepy when first waking up. If the eye gets right back to normal pretty soon then it may just be that. If the eye stays like that for a while or you see signs of irritation then take him to the vet.

 

[flowerfairy]

Nothing to do with your question but hamsters love to burrow so a nice deep layer of soft bedding eg fitch under an open bottomed house works well for them.

Mine have wooden houses but cardboard would be fine. You can get fitch from the manufacturer in huuuge bales or in 10kg bales from amazon.

Hope Fred's eye is ok and is easily sorted. He is a lovely looking hamster.

 

[Jesse's pigs]

Nothing to do with your question but hamsters love to burrow so a nice deep layer of soft bedding eg fitch under an open bottomed house works well for them.

Mine have wooden houses but cardboard would be fine. You can get fitch from the manufacturer in huuuge bales or in 10kg bales from amazon.

Hope Fred's eye is ok and is easily sorted. He is a lovely looking hamster.

Sorry a very late response but yes he is quite a handsome little fellow and has such a gentle nature. And thanks for the tip I've been ding that now and he has enjoyed digging and burrowing.

 

[Julie M]

Aww he's so cute.

 

[Betsy]

One of my Rainbow hammies (think it was Pippen but it could well have been Harry or Bob!) used to suffer from sticky eye as he got older when he woke up. As he wouldn't let me bathe it with cotton wool I would gently open it for him. He used to let me do that. How old is your hammy?

 

[Jesse's pigs]

One of my Rainbow hammies (think it was Pippen but it could well have been Harry or Bob!) used to suffer from sticky eye as he got older when he woke up. As he wouldn't let me bathe it with cotton wool I would gently open it for him. He used to let me do that. How old is your hammy?

I won't lie I don't know 100% how old he is as we rescued him and I believe he was about 9 months/ a year. He has to be nearly 2 or 2.

 

[Betsy]

Quite old for a hamster then. Maybe he is suffering from sticky eye too? Will he let you open it gently for him? If you're not sure best to take him to the vet.