How treat your sick hamster

1. 1. Check your hamster's symptoms:
   • Is your hamster sleeping longer than usual? Keep in mind that old hamsters naturally sleep longer.
   • Has your hamster lost its appetite?
   • Does it no longer groom itself?
   • Is it irritable?
   • When awake, is it slow moving, or has has a hard time getting around?
   • Has your hamster lost any of its fur, or has bald spots? Keep in mind that this is normal for older hamsters.
   • Does it have a runny nose, teary eyes, and/or wet bottom?
   • Hamster droppings should be rod-shaped. Watery droppings indicate too much fresh fruits and vegetables. Hard, dry droppings indicate not enough.
2. 3
   Find out what your hamster has and how to cure it:
   
   
   • If your hamster has a cold, he will have a stuffy nose, sniffles and irritability. Give it cod-liver on some bread and it should be fine.
   • If it has teeth problems, it won't do anything really noticeable but you should look in their mouth occasionally! Dry milk helps almost all dental problems.
   • If your hamster has wet tail it will have a wet bottom and will be slower and more cranky. Act immediately, as this can be deadly. Wet tail comes from dirty cages, so you should keep cages very clean. To treat, get a broad spectrum antibiotic immediately.
   • If your hamster has diarrhea, stop feeding fruits and vegetables until he is better. It is usually caused by intestinal or stomach blockage. The best way to avoid this is to provide some alfalfa as part of the diet.
   • Constipation - this is caused by lack of water in the diet. Make sure fresh water is available at all times. If your hamster does become constipated, give him some carrots or other fresh fruits or vegetables (Plus, give him/her more water.)
   • Runny eyes, teary eyes - this indicates foods stuck in the food pouch. This occurs if you feed you hamster too much soft fruits and vegetable. Avoid this by giving your pet small pieces and watching to make sure he doesn't hoard it. If your hamster does get food stuck in his pouch, use a medicine dropper to flush the pouches.
3. 4
   Find out how to prevent it (this isn't treating, it's making sure it won't happen again) and your hammy should be all set:
   
   
   • Colds: Make sure you wash your hands and dry them with a clean towel. Keep the cage away from drafts and never give your hamster a bath.
   • Teeth: There really isn't anything you can do except make sure they have a chewing block. If dry milk doesn't work see a vet which is the best choice anyway.
   • Wet Tail: keep the cage clean and it shouldn't be a problem.
   • Diarrhea: Don't give it more then one soft treat a day.
   • Constipation: Make sure there is always water available
   • Runny Eyes: Make sure they eat soft foods right off. Check their pouches occasionally to make sure nothing is stuck.

Information was taken from http://www.wikihow.com/Treat-Your-Sick-Hamster

How to Train Your Hamster

Hamsters are good pets but they are sometimes naughty, scared, bored, etc. This page will tell you how to train them, and make them the best pet they can be!

[1]When you bring your hamster home, leave him or her alone for a couple of days so he/she can get comfortable with its new habitat. This will teach him that you won't push him into something he/she doesn't want to do. Also, make sure that your hamster's food dish is filled when you put him in the cage. Don't leave him/her in his ball (if you have one) too long, or he/she might go to the bathroom in the ball and it will go through the cracks!

[2]Put a sunflower seed or a hamster treat in your hand and then lay it flat in the cage. Wait patiently for your hamster to climb on your hand and then take the treat, do this for about an hour. Your hamster, however, might grab your finger instead and bite it. Now this time, when the hamster climbs on your palm, slowly lift him out of the cage and stroke his/her fur. This teaches him that you love him/her and he/she can trust you. Eventually he will climb on your hand and will be waiting for you to pick him/her up.

[3]Teach your hamster some tricks. This will not only give you a bond, but it will make your hamster respond to you better.

• Start simply with "stand". Hold a treat over his head and wait for him to stand on two legs. Say "stand" over and over. He will get on two feet and take the treat. After a while when you say "stand," he/she will do it on it's own. Don't forget to reward him or her!
• You can do the same thing with other tricks like "paw," only put the treat in front so he will put a paw forward to get it.
• For "turn" or "roll over," put the treat on his back side so he will turn around to get it. Then do the same thing as "stand". Say it and repeat it. Don't use treats until after the trick has been performed and now you have a trained hamster!

[4]Train him about what not to do. If he/she chews on something he/she not supposed to, say assertively "No". Every time he stops when you ask, give him a treat or love. Whenever your hamster does what you ask, give him/her a reward! Try not to make the reward a treat all the time because too many treats is a bad thing!

[5]If you want to be a good owner then get a box a little bigger than the size of a sticky note then fill it with sand have your bedding be level with the box so he will be able to climb onto it then they will be able to dig and will love you for it.

[6]Try Jump Put a treat up above the hamster and go up with the treat when she is standing say jump again and again

[7]Try giving the hamster a carrot as a treat. Most hampsters like carrots. (Some hamsters even like Honey Nut Cheerios! But regular Cheerios are fine, too. If you prefer, anyway.) Do not give carrots to you hamster often, but only once in a while. Your hamster will appreciate a new treat.

This information is taken from http://www.wikihow.com/Train-Your-Hamster