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| Hamster News 10/05/02: Update: Aspergillis fungus can cause Wet Tail!!! Aspergillis fungus (see below) has now been found to cause Wet Tail, a serious illness known to Syrian hamsters. The symptoms of Wet Tail (chronic diarrhoea, messy tail and bottom, very pale and soft droppings, hamster is weak and hunched over) can only be seen 7 days after the hamster has obtained the illness: prevention is the best cure! 09/26/02: The importance of disposing rotting food from your hamster's cage Leaving rotten food in your hamster's cage can cause the harmful Aspergillis fungus to grow on the rotten food or in the area where your hamster urinates. The fungus appears as either white or black. It is dangerous because it releases spores which affect the hamster's breathing, and causes it to become constantly tired, develop diarrhoea or have itchy or inflamed skin. IT IS OFTEN FATAL! If your hamster has a bladder infection, it is much more likely to develop this disease. Also, there is more risk of this fungus growing if your hamster stores its food in the same area that it urinates. ALL food (especially fresh) that your hamster stores in this area should be removed the day after it has been stored. 01/04/02: Hibernation: don't be fooled! Hamsters in hibernation are sometimes mistaken for dead, as their bodies are cold and still and their breathing slow. If you suspect your hamster is hibernating, cup it in your hands to warm it up, or put the cage in a warm area (out of direct sunlight). In a few hours your hamster should come out of hibernation, although it may be a bit lethargic. Leave the cage where it is so that your hamster has time to recover. 12/19/01: Fluffy Bedding- an overlooked hazard! Fluffy bedding, or cotton wool-like bedding, can become wrapped around a hamster's limbs and can cut off circulation. When digested, it can block stomachs and will not dissolve due to the type of plastic they are made of. Be aware that this type of bedding is not safe despite the manufacturers attempts to claim that it is so. They are usually packaged in plastic bags and are sold in most petstores (unfortunately). You can do your part to stop the sale of this harmful product by talking to the owner of your local petstore and informing them that the product is a hazard to hamsters; they may not even be aware of the potential risk the product has, so you'll be doing them (and many hamsters) a favour. Please see the Equipment page for suitable bedding materials for hamsters. OTHER HARMFUL PRODUCTS |
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