Coloured Poop?!

[Sarah]

Has anybody's hammys got coloured poop?! http://petshub.com/ubb/eek.gif my hammy got green coloured poop today! yesterday he was just fine.. he's still fine today with exception to the coloured poop..
He hasn't been given anything out of the ordinary to eat so wats been causing it? Could it be the Kraft cheese singles i've fed him? please someone help! SOS!

[Yinx]

Sometimes, when I feed my hamsters vegetables, their poop will turn greenish too. Don't worry abt the colour - it's all got to do with the type of food they eat. U should only worry when the poop has blood in it!

[Sarah]

oh dear.. really is it so? the poop looks really awful. i thot my precious hammy contracted some stomach sickness or the food didnt quite agree with him. but my hammy isn't eating veggies..mayb an occasional grape but not veggies. he eats carrots daily but his poop din turn green like now.

my hammy's poop only has his fur on it...hehe..

Btw isit poosible for a larger n very much older male to mate with a smaller n younger female? i havent introduced them yet, but i did try to let them smell each other n perhaps get use to each other's scent without any form of contact or interaction. the female once squeeked when i placed the both of them near, but the male was pretty interested in her, he got pretty excitied when he got a whiff of her scent.

i also tried interchanging them in each of their own indiv tanks. i placed the male in the female's tank minus the female n the female in the male's tank not overnite but just for awhile. both tanks are not cleaned yet. do u tk this might help them gradually accept one another?

[Yinx]

Hi Sarah,

Yes, it is possible to introduce a younger female to an older male for breeding purposes.

However, u should introduce them on *neutral* grounds. This means u cannot place either one of them into each other's tank. This is because they would have already marked their territory & would treat each other as aggressors.

To introduce them properly, clean either one of their tanks thoroughly & add in clean shavings. Then, introduce the 2 of them at the same time. To distract them, place food around the tank. Watch them closely for fights.

If they end up fighting, separate them immediately. Then, maybe u'll have to get some chinchilla dust & sprinkle it on both hamsters & around the tank (to remove their individual scent). Re-introduce both of them into the tank again.

Hope it works!

[Sarah]

hmmz.. yeah y din i tk of using chinchilla dust to rid of their indiv scents?

i might try out introducing them one day..im pretty fraid of them fighting n hurting each other. bcoz the old male has been bitten one by a winter white hammy on his nose n his nose bled profusely as the winter white refused to let go. my heart really went out to him when i saw him bleeding..dowan to c the same thing happen to it. its pretty traumatising for him as well as for me.. http://petshub.com/ubb/smile.gif
let u know abt the results when i intro them
thanks again!

[Sarah]

is it also true that older hammys dun drink much? coz mine sure doesnt compared to the younger female whois lapping up water like crazy!

[Yinx]

Hi Sarah,

Ur hamster *might* be diabetic. I refer u to the following info gathered from Complete Hamster Site (www.hamsters.co.uk) :

'Diabetes is most often seen in Dwarf Campbells Russian Hamsters but can affect other species. Unfortunately many of the early Albino Campbells were found to have the disease but from the cross breeding of colours it can occur now in any colour. Reputable breeders have worked hard to eliminate diabetes and it is not a common problem.

Hamsters that develop diabetes will show symptoms of excessive drinking, excessive urinating and wasting. Other symptoms may include low body temperature, shaking and trembling and at worst a comatose state.

Veterinary treatment should be sought immediately. A pedialyte solution in the water bottle will help to avoid dehydration.

In some cases the feeding of a sugar free diet will help. If your vet recommends a sugar free diet this can be achieved by feeding a good quality seed mix, alfafa, fresh vegetables such as carrots, turnips, potatoes, broccoli, cauliflower daily and some boiled egg. Commercially processed food treats should be avoided because of the molasses and corn sugar they contain and fresh fruit should be avoided because of the frutose.'

[Yinx]

One last thing :

'Diabetes can be passed genetically to offspring and so any diabetic hamster should not be bred from'.

[Sarah]

oooh..nono my female hammy isnt lapping up water THAT crazily n she doesnt show those symptoms the website listed.
so i hope she is alrite..she just drinks more then the older male hammy. For instance when she scampers past the nozzle she sniffs at it n licks to drink.

thanks for ur concern! http://petshub.com/ubb/smile.gif

[Yinx]

Hello Sarah,

No problem. Just thought I'll share the info with u, as one of my Campbells is diabetic. But otherwise, she's in the pink of health (I have to restrain myself from giving her yummy hamster treats, tho').

[Sarah]

oh yeah, talking abt those hamster treats? like yogurt drops n all? doesn't it stick to our hammy's cheek pouch? these treats r sticky rite? looks like hershey's kisses! http://petshub.com/ubb/smile.gif

[Yinx]

Yeps, those treats do turn sticky when exposed to heat, but they r safe for hamsters' consumption.

Although the instructions on the box say u have to feed the hamster 4-6 drops daily, that's way too much! Depending on the size of the drops (different brands have different sized drops), I often feed my hamsters half a drop each.

My hamsters love 'em, but I thk veggies make for healthier treats (tho' I am sure my hamsters will strongly disagree!) http://petshub.com/ubb/smile.gif

[Sarah]

hello!
i had successfully tried to house my small n big hammy together..

but i noticed that the smaller female hammy will often roll over on her back n show her teeth to the older male at times when he goes near her or tries to sniff her. at times she's real naughty n goes in front of him n does that baring her teeth thingy.

the male doesnt seem too bothered abt her doing it tho' or isit mayb he cant c too well? hmmz.. i really duno y she does that.
the male sniffs her behind at times.. is he developing an interest in her?

[Sarah]

hello!
i had successfully tried to house my small n big hammy together..

but i noticed that the smaller female hammy will often roll over on her back n show her teeth to the older male at times when he goes near her or tries to sniff her. at times she's real naughty n goes in front of him n does that baring her teeth thingy.

the male doesnt seem too bothered abt her doing it tho' or isit mayb he cant c too well? hmmz.. i really duno y she does that.
the male sniffs her behind at times.. is he developing an interest in her?

[Sarah]

Originally posted by Yinx:
Yeps, those treats do turn sticky when exposed to heat, but they r safe for hamsters' consumption.

Although the instructions on the box say u have to feed the hamster 4-6 drops daily, that's way too much! Depending on the size of the drops (different brands have different sized drops), I often feed my hamsters half a drop each.

My hamsters love 'em, but I thk veggies make for healthier treats (tho' I am sure my hamsters will strongly disagree!) http://petshub.com/ubb/smile.gif

[Sarah]

there's once when my hammy was clearing his cheek pouch? i saw this treat i gave him all mushy with nuts stuck to it.. so i was just wondering if i shld stop giving him. he lurves them tho' i stopped giving him for quite some time now. now he is crazy over cheese! but at least he knows when to stop, he eats a bit then leaves the rest behind.