hamster hurt his foot on tube

[suicidaldream]

my hamster got his foot stuck in his tube as he was going down. he was hanging there and i just happened to see that he was coming down so i went over and and held him so he wasn't hanging and he scrambled loose at that point. unfortunately he was bleeding but i think maybe just his nail pulled off. he seems to walk ok & is so far acting normal. he does pull at it. i put peroxide on and will keep doing so. anyone have any other suggestions? i changed that particular tube but they're all made the same. thanks.

[Revenge]

first of all what kind of cage is it and what type of hamster is your little guy?

[Revenge]

is it dwarf or syrian?

[suicidaldream]

it's a large syrian. the cage is a sam cyberspace. we added on to it and he was stuck on his way down from the add-on. i'm so glad i saw it happen! i never expected this could happen. i think he lost part of his nail & that was what caused the blood. he seems ok. dont see swelling. he's acting normal.

[jennawing]

I would try to feel of his foot- and compare it to the other one- just to be sure it is not broken. A lost toenail looks worse than it is. Peroxide is good- if it looks like an open sore, a little Preperation H on it will help it heal and reduce swelling.

You might want to assess what it is about the tubes that are causing the problem. If he is a large Syrian and having to struggle to make it through the tubes, I would consider removing them or moving him into a larger cage where tubes are not required. Hamsters can suffocate in tubes- even if they have airholes- among other injuries or stress-related injuries from getting stuck and frightened.

I hope that your hamster is ok.

[suicidaldream]

i don't think it's broke & if it is, i'm sure there's nothing a dr could do as small as a foot is. he's not struggling in the tubes, he's actualy quite proficient. i believe his nail just got caught in one of the grooves. it was a short tube so no risk of suffocating. is prep h safe since he might lick it?? thanks!

[jennawing]

Yes- my vet prescribed it to finish closing a surgical incision on one of my hamsters- where she had chewed hte stitches out- it worked amazingly well. They won't like the way it tastes, anyway.


Maybe his nails are too long and that's why it got caught? OR... just a freak accident.

You're right- a vet cannot help a broken hasmter foot. It is just recommended to remove hte wheel, feed extra calcium for a few weeks, etc. The only REAL danger (besides sore hamster for a few weeks) is the initial possibility of going into shock. I am sure you are past that danger now.

[suicidaldream]

where would he get extra calcium? through veggies? long nails possibly, im not certain what long is, but more likely a freak occurence. i feel pretty confident he's ok now.

[Revenge]

How well is the cage working for your hamster is it losing its fur when its in the cage? and have you thought of giving him something to swell the blood off.

[Revenge]

when its foot was bleeding?

[suicidaldream]

he's not losing any fur. the cage is small & we are fixing that by getting an add a port & connecting a 2nd cage. the bleeding wasn't too bad. i just put peroxide on it & continue doing so. 2 toes r kinda dark, but he's walking fine. as long as they dont get infected i think i'm in the clear.

[jennawing]

He can have a little bread soaked in milk- or a milkbone. :) Glad he is doing better.

Have you considered connecting his cage to a plastic bin to give him lots of room? I keep my hamsters in bins now after my hairless got stuck in a tube (she wasn't that big then, just the no-hair thing means she's a little sticky LOL) If you are interested, I'll show you pictures and share how I vent the tops.

[Revenge]

Good idea for the plastic bin but what would he use it for then?

[suicidaldream]

how would i connect them? i think i've seen pics of the bins on here. i want him to have room, but what do u add to keep them from being bored? how hard is it to make the lids?

[Revenge]

Probley not that hard at all if you think of what lid coverings your wanting to use

[hamstermoo]

my hamster lost a nail and it was bleeding like crazy at first, but then it stopped, and it hasn't grown back since

[Revenge]

thats the samething that happened with my sisters mouse

[Revenge]

except it was a sick albino