syrian hamster

[hammieheaven27]

I'm worried. My syrian,on of her teethz is a little longer then the other. prolly from chewing on the cage bar... it didn't break off but it is a little shorter. she hasn't been drinkin out of her water bottle. barely ne water is gone from it. i have decided to get her a new water bottle in a day. also her fur is not as shiny as it used to be. she is about a year old now. could it be from dyhidration or is she sick. her normal habits are the same..

Also i gave her a small chunk of cucumber and she's eating it, and i put a small cup thing with water in it in the cage. ne thing more i should do?

[flowerpage]

Sounds like you're doing ok hammie. And it sounds like she is fine. Just keep an eye on her. Check her at night, see how active she is. What kind of water bottle were/are you using?

[Chaos]

She's needs the longer tooth trimmed to the right size. A vet will do this. She'll probably need to have it done every once in a while for the rest of her life.

[hammieheaven27]

she eats fine.. but she keeps chewing on that darn cage! i put her in her ball. but i doesn't work. how much is the teeth trimming? i doubt i can take her to the vet for that... ne other suggestions? like the hard honey treat sticks? my water bottle has a metal spout that dispenses water but pressing the ball in the metal spout.

[o0sapphirerat0o]

no, if not trimmed (and not growing properly, chewing will do nothing to help) the tooth will over grow and potentially kill the hamster, slowly and painfully.

[hammieheaven27]

won't chewing wear it down so it won't keep growing?

[o0sapphirerat0o]

not if it is not lined up properly with the other teeth, if it is to long now, then it probably is not lined up properly, she won't be able to eat hard food, and will die, either from the tooth ovre growing or not being able to eat.

[Chaos]

I would switch her to a bin cage to prevent her from chewing even more.

[hammieheaven27]

I'll definetly do that...(get a plastic bin)...

[hammieheaven27]

er... wat happend to tia maria? not that i don't appreciate the other pets hub memberz advice also.. lolz

[lilforjc]

hammie-look on the thread my turn and you'll be filled in on what's up with tiamaria...

[hamstermoo]

i would think that filing it down while the hammy is asleep would work just as well. if you pick it up while its sleeping (it might stir, but just pat it back to sleep) and then carefully pry the mouth open and file away.

[hammieheaven27]

um she won't just stir but totally go crazy, when i had her in her old bar cage.. when ever i walked near the cage she would wake up, so how would i be able to pick her up, pry open her mouth and file it down, when i can't even pick her up when she's awake, i was able to pick her up earlier, when i got her, but then she started biting, she's been chewing on her hard honey treat chew thing, and sum pieces of wod, you think is she continues her tooth will file down itself, cuz sumtimes when she is started she makes this like grindin sound from her mouth, she's like wearing down her teeth a bit when she does that, or dats was tia told meeh when i posted a thread askin if the pecular noise from her mouth was normal.

[hamstermoo]

oh wow; sounds like she's a light sleeper

[hammieheaven27]

yah th fer the advice ne ways! i appreciate it!