The Large Syrian Hamster Intake
Today's post is about the Syrian hamster rescue that took place on the 13th December 2018. 4 cohabiting Syrian hamsters were being given away. The hamsters were clearly too old for it to still be considered safe for them to be sharing accommodation - Syrian hamsters are strictly solitary.
Some of the information contained within this post may be distressing to some readers; we've ensured the post is separated into labeled sections with clear warnings wherever appropriate.
For inquiries about adoption, please email us or contact us via our social media pages! Details and links will be enclosed at the end of the post.
Some of the information contained within this post may be distressing to some readers; we've ensured the post is separated into labeled sections with clear warnings wherever appropriate.
For inquiries about adoption, please email us or contact us via our social media pages! Details and links will be enclosed at the end of the post.
The Rescue:
Contains distressing content!
Upon our arrival, the hamsters were already screaming and fighting. There was a lot of blood and severe injuries already visible. Sadly, there was also a fatality; one of the Syrians had been brutally killed by his cage mates within the time it took for us to arrive - we were able to take his body home for a proper burial as his current owners were unable to "discard" of the body.
To compensate for the deceased hamster, we were then offered another hamster. Supposedly, this hamster was the Mother to the cohabiting hamsters. As Dad was also present (we were unable to take him despite pleading with his owner), it suggests they'd likely attempted to breed despite their lack of experience and knowledge with Syrian hamsters. We accepted the offer, meaning the rescue was for 4 live Syrians and sadly 1 departed.
We separated all hamsters into their own individual carriers and set off home. Once home, the hamsters went straight into quarantine and we carried out thorough well-being assessments on all the hamsters.
Scrooge:
Meet the Hamsters:
Scrooge:
Scrooge was the hamster who'd sustained the most injuries. The worst injury was on his rear, it was a large wound and was the result of repeated bites to the same area. He was introduced to Metacam/Meloxicam (NSAID) to help relieve some of the undeniable pain and inflammation around the area. We also applied topical Savlon (antiseptic cream) directly to the injuries to help prevent infection.
Warning: graphic image!
Nazareth:
Despite preventative measures, the wound on Scrooge's rear became infected. He was introduced to a course of Noroclav: an antibiotic containing Amoxicillin and Clavulanic acid.
Fortunately, Scrooge recovered brilliantly from his trauma. His infection cleared and his wound healed beautifully. As of Today, Scrooge remains the most cautious of the hamsters, however, he is a gentle soul who is truly grateful for being rescued.
Scrooge is now available for adoption.
Nazareth:
Nazareth arrived with a very noticeable facial injury and some smaller bite wounds to his upper torso. His facial injury consisted of a tear which disconnected his lip from the surrounding tissue.
Warning: graphic image!
It was decided that the best option for Nazareth would be to ensure that his pain levels were alleviated as much as possible whilst leaving the injury itself to heal on its own. Scarring was inevitable, but the vet feared intervention could cause further damage. Nazareth was introduced to Metacam/Meloxicam (NSAID) to help relieve some of his pain whilst he healed.
Nazareth healed better than we could've ever predicted, he has minimal facial scarring and his other wounds healed perfectly. He's turned into a cheeky chap who loves socializing
Nazareth is now available for adoption.
Ebenezer:
Ebenezer sustained the least injuries of the cohabiting hamsters. He sustained a noticeable bite wound on his back.
He was administered oral Metacam/Meloxicam (NSAID) to help alleviate pain and inflammation surrounding the injury. Topical Savlon (antiseptic cream) was directly applied to the wound to help prevent infection.
Ebenezer healed within no time and his goofy personality soon began to blossom. He can be jumpy initially, but he loves to come out and explore his surroundings.
Ebenezer is now available for adoption.
Mary:
Mary had been used for unethical backyard breeding. We were concerned that she could've been pregnant again. Fortunately, she hadn't sustained any injuries, but we became almost convinced that Mary would surprise us with babies.
Mary was demonstrating some restless behavior and had been gaining weight.
Remarkably, after Mary was monitored for an extended pregnancy watch (based on the average gestation period), she finished without any babies.
Mary now lives in a suitable enclosure and has a very big personality. Her humans are truly wrapped around her little fingers.
As we have become completely besotted with her, she is staying as a family pet.
Joseph:
Joseph was the deceased hamster. There was barely an area of his little body that wasn't injured. It was clear that he had been killed due to inappropriate cohabitation with other Syrian hamsters. It's very distressing when we knew how preventable his death was.
Syrian hamsters are strictly solitary once sexually mature, and the consequences of cohabitation are often fatal.
Studies have shown that cohabiting Syrian hamsters, even those that "get along", can produce symptoms of stress and have a deleterious effect on adults and survival of pups. Other studies suggest "cohabitation altered the predicted trajectory of rhythm onsets in 34% of individuals, representing 58% of pairs, compared to 12% of hamsters single-housed as ‘virtual pair’ controls. Deviation from the predicted trajectory was by a change in circadian period (τ), which tended to be asymmetric—affecting one individual of the pair in nine of 11 affected pairs—with hints that dominance might play a role.".
It is even reported that Syrian hamsters who share a small caged environment who've appeared to have established a hierarchy, will often merely stay together through fear. Each individual dare not provoke a large fight purely because of the inability to escape should the fight not go in their favor.
Studies have shown that cohabiting Syrian hamsters, even those that "get along", can produce symptoms of stress and have a deleterious effect on adults and survival of pups. Other studies suggest "cohabitation altered the predicted trajectory of rhythm onsets in 34% of individuals, representing 58% of pairs, compared to 12% of hamsters single-housed as ‘virtual pair’ controls. Deviation from the predicted trajectory was by a change in circadian period (τ), which tended to be asymmetric—affecting one individual of the pair in nine of 11 affected pairs—with hints that dominance might play a role.".
It is even reported that Syrian hamsters who share a small caged environment who've appeared to have established a hierarchy, will often merely stay together through fear. Each individual dare not provoke a large fight purely because of the inability to escape should the fight not go in their favor.
With all of that in mind, we believe it would be appropriate to enclose the following images: injuries Joseph sustained and his living environment.
WARNING: VERY GRAPHIC CONTENT!!
Adoption Details:
Syrian hamster enclosure must be a MINUMUM of 80 x 50 x 50 cm (L x W x H) and a wheel which is 28cm in diameter. We will ask for proof.
All residents who are adopted out must be returned to us should you no longer be able to house your pet. We fully understand that circumstances can change and we will accommodate your needs to ensure that your pet is suitably rehomed.
We do not have a set adoption fee, but we do ask for any donation towards the rescue.
You will be required to fill out an adoption questionnaire.
Alternatively, you can get in touch via email: bacchusresidents@outlook.com
You can also keep up with our residents on Twitter.
You can donate to us via our Amazon Wishlist, or via Paypal.
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