water bottle & teeth woes

[hitbystars]

so the original owner of Peanut wasn't really good with her... she had a food bowl, water bowl, pine bedding (urine cakes all over the bottom), a jar to sleep in, & a small tube to occupy herself with.

I adopted her after the original owner abandoned her, & the sister picked her up.. she couldn't afford it, so I took her in.

I bought her a new wheel, aspen bedding, hamster food, etc..

but since she wasn't used to these things growing up.. she doesn't know how & won't use the chew sticks... I think I'm going to take her to the vet to get them filed. Does anyone know how much that might cost?

I also bought her a water bottle holder and she doesn't drink as often as she did when she had the bowl. I don't want to switch back to the bowl since she throws bedding in there and it takes up a lot of room... but what do I do?

[Sparky2006]

Prehaps you could show her how to use the water bottle/ wheel. If she has used the water bottle before, dont worry, she knows. Unless you see something wrong. wheel, some pets just dont use them, other do, sometime it takes a while for them to figure out they like it. I dont know how much the trim will cost, but its best too, thats whay she wont chew much, is she eating?

[TiaMaria]

Honestly, I'd just give her time. After a while she will catch on properly.

[hitbystars]

She knows how to use the wheel... she doesn't know how to use the chew sticks or water bottle.

I'm afraid she is going to dehydrate herself because she only uses the water bottle a few drops at a time.

She does eat normally though.

[babybluesmommy]

Maybe you could try giving her water with a dropper until she catches on??
Poor dear...what a horrible life you rescued her from.

[Sparky2006]

She only drinks a couple of drops at a time. Thats fine, she knows how to use it, so dont worry, jsut leave it be, if you see something physical happen (weight loss, hair loss or whatever) theres no need to worry.

[JaneG]

If you're worried about her becoming dehydrated you could give her some cucumber, but be careful not to give her too much because she might end up with diarrhea.

[pixibubbles]

it's easy to check if a hamster is dehydrated... just pull the skin on the back up gently... if it snaps back hammie is fine... if not then worry.

Don't do this when she has just woken up as hammies are a little dehydrated then anyway... wait until she's fed and watered and begging to play. as a note it takes a healthy hamster about 4 days to dehydrate to the point that you need worry.

[Sparky2006]

Oh yeah, i forgot that trick.

[PetLuver21257]

Neither Kiba or Opie chewed on their chew sticks. Their teeth never/haven't gotten long because they chew on their food (Critter Cubes and dog treats).

[pixibubbles]

one of my rescues never had a working wheel so never learnt to use it. he would just sit and clean in it lol. he wouldnt touch chew sticks or toys either but could shred a loo roll inner in about 10 minutes. now as effective as chews but better than nothing.

what if you rubbed his fav food over his chew stick then gave? dunno if you could trick him lol

a lot of people on here give their ham hams dog biscuits... dunno if they would do anything for teeth...

as to water... hold bottle with end really close to nose... even brush it to nose... it works with poorly hammies.

[hitbystars]

awwww well tonight I caught her drinking from the water bottle just fine :D

She looked so cute.. she was sitting/standing there with her two paws on the end of the nosle :D

She spent a long time at it though.. about 2 minutes (clock is sitting ontop of the screen lol).

[TiaMaria]

That's good to know! :) I'm glad you know she is using it!

[pixibubbles]

pheww.. good little hamster... now just work out the wheel too lol

[Sparky2006]

Yeah, they dont drink alot, but when they do, they gulp it down (but when i watch em, i usally scare them and they run away (accdently, like moving! lo0l), com back and dont carry on drinking LOL)

[hitbystars]

She knows how to work the wheel you guys... She just didn't grow up with one.

http://i4.photobucket.com/albums/y113/pinkchrome/peanut/879845389003.jpg

(she stopped to see what I was doing lol)

[PetLuver21257]

Aww, cute pic, but that wheel is bad. She could get her foot stuck and it could injure her badly! Get either a wheel with no spaces, or a wheel that has vertical AND horizontal bars.

[Sparky2006]

Yeah, bad wheel :) PLease replace

[TiaMaria]

Any wheel can be dangerous to your hamsters it all depends on the circumstances. There is no really good safe wheel anything can happen with small creatures.

[hitbystars]

yes yes bad wheel x10, no need to repeat. I put toilet paper rolls weaved inbetween them to try & cut down on danger possibilites inbetween now & getting a new wheel.

Now she just doesn't have anything to grip onto, so she'll have to get used to it again lol. She'll slowly walk grabbing ahold of every bar, now shes kinda confused.

[Sparky2006]

Silen spinner=safe :)

[hitbystars]

What about the.... white part? Thats the only bad thing I've heard about it.

[TiaMaria]

The Silent Spinner isn't safe, there have been a few who have said there hamster has hurt or killed itself on it..

[Sparky2006]

How? I'd like to know how. My gerbils chewed the back off, so i think its not safe from them, not the other way round! Lol

[hitbystars]

apparently they climbed on the white part of the wheel, & their legs got caught and broke in it.

[TiaMaria]

apparently they climbed on the white part of the wheel, & their legs got caught and broke in it.
Exactly..no wheel is safe..PLAIN AND SIMPLE!

[hitbystars]

Just remembered---

is the "white part" of these silent spinners the back plate of the wheel??

I remember my ex boyfriend pushed me into an asile at petsmart and one of those wheels fell and split apart on the floor.

In other words, they seem pretty durable as well :p

[Sparky2006]

My gerbils kept getting the white part with their teeth, picking it up, and knocking it over LOL so it isnt heavy.