Hello all! It has been a while since I have posted on here and I apologize for the wait. However, because of the time that I have been absent, there are a few updates I have on Chip’s wellbeing. Recently, Chip’s old age has been showing more and more.
He has been sleeping a lot more and has had a lot less energy. He doesn’t run on his wheel as much as he used to and his appetite has decreased. Chip has also become calmer when he is being held. When I am bonding with him, I will hold him and he will be content to sit there and cuddle. His favorite spot to sit is right in the crook of my elbow, or in the cup of my hand. Yesterday, he even fell asleep on my hand. Because Chip has always been an energetic hamster, him snoozing while being held is pretty out of character.
Chip’s Nail Issue
This happened a while ago, but Chip also had a problem with his nails. His nails were growing way too long and were beginning to bother him. I have never had this problem with a hamster, so I wasn’t sure what to do about it. I researched the problem, and tried multiple methods. The thought of clipping Chip’s nails made me nervous, so I made that a last resort. First, I tried a sand bath to help file his nails. He already has a sand bath in his cage, so all I did for this method was hide some treats in the sand to promote digging. This made no difference at all, so I had to move on to plan B. For plan B, I disinfected some grainy rocks and put them in high-traffic areas of his cage.
Again, this didn’t make a difference at all, so my last option was clipping his nails. I was really nervous about this because I had never cut a hamster’s nails before, so I had no experience. Chip is also a dwarf hamster, so keeping him still and cutting a tiny nail without hurting him was going to be difficult.
Chip’s Nail Solution
I got Chip out of his cage, and put him in a small playpen. He was quite energetic and wouldn’t sit still, so I gave him a treat to try cutting his nails while he was busy eating. That method didn’t work as well as I had hoped so I tried modifying it by putting him in a sideways mug so one of his legs was sticking out the side. Using this method, I was finally able to clip the nails on his back feet while he was busy eating. Once that was over with, I gave him a break for the rest of the day because he was becoming quite restless. Then, I had to find a way to cut the nails on his front paws.
The next day, I woke him up while he was sleeping so he would be more cooperative and have less energy. I try to avoid waking him as much as possible, but at the time, it was my best bet. After a lot of trial and error, I was able to find a position that worked for Chip. I would hold him in my hand and cup my fingers around him. Then, I would gently hold one of his front paws in between my index and middle finger. When his nails were finally taken care of, I gave him a few treats and let him rest because things like this can be very stressful for the hamster, especially if it is their first time. After his nails were trimmed, Chip was in a better mood and he felt more comfortable.
Chip’s Eye Issue
In the past few days, Chip has also been having a problem with his right eye. It has been noticeably more squinted than his left and sometimes, there is a clear fluid leaking out. I am not very worried about this yet, because something similar has happened to his eye before. About every other month, one of Chip’s eyes will have some white puss around the edges of his eye, but it will be gone the next day. The issue he’s having now, however, is a bit more concerning because today is the fourth day it has been like that.
I did a bit of research and the conclusion that I have come to is that Chip has sticky eye. Sticky eye is caused when a hamster’s eye weeps while it is sleeping and then dries a bit to become crusty or gooey. It sometimes glues the hamster’s eye shut. This condition is mostly found in older hamsters, but can also be found in younger ones. Because Chip’s eye isn’t protruding or red, I am assuming that it isn’t another sickness or bacteria. The most common treatment for this is holding a cotton swab soaked in warm water to the hamster’s eye to attempts to moisturize and unglue the eyelid. I gave this a try last night and it improved his eye, but not completely. I am going to continue doing this because Chip didn’t seem to mind it too much, and I hope it returns to normal soon.
Any questions or comments?⬇️ Please leave a comment down below! ⬇️