My hamster is dragging one of his back legs after he rolled off the platform in his cage. What should I do?

Question

His cage is Cambridge Hamaster Cage, which has 3 levels. He doesn't climb the bars and not even run on the wheels for months. He's not a big Syrian so I thought he's got enough exercise by walking up and down the cage. He's like a furry humpty-dumpty. I seen him fell off from the top platform (which isn't that high) and landed on the thick woodshavings once months ago. Seen him fell off his back and rolled down from the 1st floor of his cage and landed on his back a few times, doesn't seems bothering him too much. Don't know what he's been doing during the night, he seems dragging one of his back legs recently. Only when he's walking on the woodshavings and stepping from the platform onto the ramp, not very obvious when just walking on the plastic platform. I've removed his wheel few days ago, since he hasn't been on the wheel for months anyway. Should I also remove all the plastic platforms until he walks normally again??? Please help!

Answer 1

Lots of hamsters do not run wheels they hate them so no probs on that .



The suspected injury thing , and not using the wheel.



I suspect it has hurt itself in or on the wheel and that why it stays clear of it , possible broken toes or bones from a wheel or a badly dislocate hip or joint..

If it is more than a month ago that it stopped being active then the break / injury will have healed and you have a lame hamster.. if it is eating and drinking OK then it is managing and it could live to 18 months to 3 years old.



Leave the toys in the cage as hamsters like to rub up against things they have scent marked and sometimes they just like to lay in them rather than play with them.



Check the rear end of the hamster, is it dry beneath its tail or has it got wet tail. (a dark wet area and it smells evil , not that clean musty smell you normally find)



Like I have said on prevoius posts I farmed hamsters and other small mammals by the thousands for 16years. So my advice is if it has got wet tail have it put down humanely ..nothing cures wet tail in a hamster over about 4 months old.



If it has wet tail from shock of cold / draughts , handling , injury or disease it will have gone too far by the time you see and smell it...its kidneys are starting to fail and it will be in pain.

Hamsters are naturally incontinient and wet tail is the result of an illness injury or infection that makes it worse.



A vet might sell you some antibiotics to try and add to its water for a cure it but they rarely work. I had a couple of vets who used telephone to ask me for help etc in diagnosing and helping out WRT small rodents at their surgery .



Should you have your worst scenario ....before you get another hamster wash out everyting in hot soapy water , rinse it off , disolve any urine scale with lemon juice over a couple of sessions , use a bit of wood to rub it in and start breaking it up , don't use a sharp implement , when its all off re wash the cages and all gear , rinse and then spray them with a solution of baby bottle sterilizer ( correctly diluted MILTON ) leave it on for an hour or so then rinse off and let it dry over night before getting that furry replacement.



regards

David

Answer 2

GET OFF THE COMPUTER AND TAKE HIM TO THE VET!

Answer 3

It would be best to get him to a vet.



My brother had a hamster years ago, which lived in a rotastack cage. It only had two levels, and the hamster still managed to fall down and break his leg, so he had to be put to sleep.



If it's been going on for a few days, it would probably be worth taking him to the vet to be absolutely sure.

Answer 4

i had the same cage and my hamster died from a fall. he was ok for a few weeks but tyhem one morning i found him lying on the bottom floor shivering but sweating witha bloody leg. Take him to the vet now before he has another serious accident. Oh and buy a new cage !

Answer 5

well not wanting to sound funny but, i would take him to vets to be checked out i know when my pet ferret had a fall he dragged his leg it was nerve damage but he pulleed through ok so may thats what, has happened to hamster but i reallly would take him to vets and if you cant afford it u can get help with pdsa

Answer 6

He might have broken a bone! or hurt his back or hip. What may seem not far to you might be to your hamster. I broke my ankle on a bird bath I jumped off of it was a foot off the ground but I still broke it. It was not how high it but how I landed.



Get a vet to look at him. If you cannot get a vet then go to a pet store they should have someone on staff who can check him.

Answer 7

i think you should take your hamster to a vet to have it checked over and that will give you peace of mind if you cant afford a vet then take it to the pdsa they will check it over for a small donation i hope this helps

Answer 8

take it to the vet, my chinchilla did this and when we took it to the vet we found out it had broken its leg by getting it caught in a bar as it jumped, the poor thing had to be put to sleep because it had caused to much damage,

Answer 9

SPINAL INJURY ! HAVE THE POOR THING PUT DOWN! FEED HIM 20 TABLE SPOON OF SALT!

Answer 10

its prob broke it. my friends daughter was playing wi her hamster, she said she dropped it on the floor, its back leg was then draggin so she took it to vet, it now has 3 legs and moves faster than b4.but i think she thought she could bend it like her dolls legs and snapped it. hope ur hammy is ok.

Answer 11

Take him to the vet

Answer 12

i asked question about this 2 weeks ago and i took the advice to take him to vets and was very sad as he had to be put to sleep, get him to the vets to be on safe side. good luck. but mine had broke his back bless him.

Answer 13

If he had a soft landing it shouldnt be broken more likely to be a sprain. Anything that doesnt resolve more or less straight away needs a vet.Good luck

Answer 14

Take him to the vet. Something could really be wrong, and it is better to be safe than sorry.

Answer 15

take him to get his broken leg fixed

Answer 16

yes i would.

just observe him.

if you really care that much, take him to the vet.

Answer 17

You should have taken him to the vet as soon as it happened.

Answer 18

take him to the vet

and obverse

lol

Answer 19

He might of fractured or broken his leg.Take him to the vet!!!!

Answer 20

take it to the vet!!

Answer 21

flush him all the way to hamster heaven

Answer 22

did you manage to record the event? jeremy beadle might give you £200 for it...

Answer 23

It's a hamster... one up from a mouse...