Why is my senior hamster suddenly shaking and wobbly on its feet?

Those symptoms tend to happen in very sick hamsters, usually due to severe dehydration. most hamsters do not recover from turning that ill but if you want to give her a chance to survive you will have to take her urgently to a vet in order to attempt supportive treatment.

Based on what you are describing it does sound as if Juggie is having some seizure like activity. The cause of the seizure could be from something metabolic (like a too high or too low blood sugar) or he could have a primary neurological disorder. You would need to take Juggie to the vet to determine what is going on and to get some medication to stop the seizures. Keep in mind also that the life span of a hamster is only about 2 years so, if this is close to Juggie’s age, a terminal disease process may be more likely. I hope this helps. Thanks for using Boop by Petco. Best of luck.

I would make sure bubbles has a large enclosures with plenty of toys to play with. Sometimes hamsters can have a lot of built up energy due to limited space. If he is eating,drinking and defecating normally I would not be concerned. However if he continues to have odd behavior or starts acting ill I would recommend taking him to a vet for an exam

There are some environmental things that can make hamsters shake, including temperatures, as you mentioned. Ideally, around 70-75 F is a range to keep hamsters in. Also, making sure their cage is not near a window or door to avoid excessive heat and drafts is a good idea. Too little bedding can also contribute to shaking - ideally, hamsters would have at LEAST 3-4 inches of bedding to dig/burrow into. Please avoid cedar and pine shavings as they can be irritating to a hamster's respiratory tract (lungs). Being sick can also make hamsters shake. Unfortunately, shaking is a vague sign, so there are numerous causes - a common one is weight loss associated with disease as they can become skinny which makes it hard for them to keep warm as well. I would recommend making any of the environmental changes above, and if there is no improvement in a couple of days, having Bebe evaluated by a veterinarian. They will be able to see if Bebe is thin, and perform a full physical exam. Depending on

I am so sorry to hear that tour Syrian hamster is not well. It sounds like he is possibly in pain and may have an infection. Unfortunately with prey animal species like hamsters, they do not tend to show signs of being unwell until they are actually very sick. They tend to hide signs their body is not well longer, then other species. For this reason I would advise taking your hamster to your veterinarian. It is very likely they will be able to provide medication, such as antibiotics to try to help him recover. The vet will also be able to provide medication for pain relief and healing. Best of luck to you both and please feel free to ask as many questions as you may have here on the forum. We want to support you through this time.

Poor Ham. She sounds very sick. I am concerned that she could have an infection, cancer, or a problem with her heart. The fact that she is gasping for breath is extremely serious and she should be examined by a vet as soon as possible. A vet can determine if her condition can be treated, otherwise she may need to be euthanized.

I am worried that Milo is very sick. Certainly with small animals this could be a sign that he is going to pass away soon. Sometimes a veterinarian may be able to figure out what is wrong which may save him, but this doesn't always happen. I would recommend to take him into the veterinarian's office asap for an examine. If it is determined there is no hope, they can relieve his suffering painlessly. I'm sorry Milo is so sick.

Poor Diana! If this behavior continues, you should have her checked out by a vet. I am worried that she may have a tooth issue like malocclusion or be a working on the start of an upper respiratory infection that could lead to pneumonia. Both of these conditions are common in hamsters and could explain her symptoms. Good luck!

I'm sorry your little hamster is not feeling well. These little guys can be delicate! There are a couple of things you can try at home- give her a little bit of syrup or honey water if she has not been eating to make sure her blood sugar is not too low. Make sure she is not too cold- like near an air conditioning vent. You can use a warm water cotton ball to remove the stool piece on her rear end so it is not stuck. But overall, she looks like she is very ill and needs to see a vet- I'm not sure what is going on- these are non specific signs of pain, illness (like upper respiratory infection) etc and your little friend needs a diagnosis before we can get her recommended treatment

He could have had a stroke or these signs could be compatible with an inflammation of the middle ear (causing vestibular signs). I would recommend a check up to confirm or rule out these clinical suspicion and give appropriate treatment. In case of an otitis antibiotics may be needed. Please do not hesitate to contact us again on the forum or by requesting a consultation (where you can post pictures ) if you have any more questions or to discuss it any further.