11 replies to this topic

[CheeryCin]

Hello all!

My female WW dwarf hamster has just recently turned 1 year old this month. Only just recently, I’ve started experiencing a super intense musky and almost sour scent that can be smelled throughout the majority of the house including main floor, hallway, and downstairs, especially in my room upstairs. Even her bedding and sand bath smells the same. I am currently using Kaytee Clean & Cozy bedding in her bin cage. The scent immediately came back a few hours after cleaning up her cage. I’m not sure if this is normal as I’m reading that dwarf hamsters shouldn’t be smelling this intensely in heat compared to Syrians or it should be hardly this noticeable. I’m not sure what to do. Would appreciate any feedback. Thanks all

[nebit]

I would be concerned about a possible health issue- female dwarf hamsters shouldn't smell, and certainly not this strongly. Did you do a complete clean on her cage, so you are sure it's not that she hoarded something that is now spoiling? Is she having any other symptoms- like weight loss or gain, new lumps, tender areas, or discharge? Is she drinking large quantities or are you find large wet spots in the cage? My concern is either A. She's developed diabetes, and the smell is from the excess urine. A diabetic hamster often exhibits weight changes, and also drinks a LOT. or B. She has a serious infection in her genitals that needs to be treated ASAP. Either way, it sounds like a vet visit is probably needed.

[Lillias]

Since this is a recent issue and it sounds like you've had her awhile, I would look for any signs of infection; such as vaginal discharge or weird-looking urine.

[Kikya]

Hello all!

My female WW dwarf hamster has just recently turned 1 year old this month. Only just recently, I’ve started experiencing a super intense musky and almost sour scent that can be smelled throughout the majority of the house including main floor, hallway, and downstairs, especially in my room upstairs. Even her bedding and sand bath smells the same. I am currently using Kaytee Clean & Cozy bedding in her bin cage. The scent immediately came back a few hours after cleaning up her cage. I’m not sure if this is normal as I’m reading that dwarf hamsters shouldn’t be smelling this intensely in heat compared to Syrians or it should be hardly this noticeable. I’m not sure what to do. Would appreciate any feedback. Thanks all

Definitely not normal for a dwarf. My guess would be diabetes or a possible bladder infection. If you put her in an empty bin until she pees, you can see if the pee is discolored and if you can get some Keto-Diastix testing strips, you can dip it into the fresh pee and see if her glucose is high.

 

Did you smell the peed on bedding? Maybe take it outside, away from the cage and if you see if you still smell that strong smell. My guess is that you will and it's in her urine.

[CheeryCin]

I would be concerned about a possible health issue- female dwarf hamsters shouldn't smell, and certainly not this strongly. Did you do a complete clean on her cage, so you are sure it's not that she hoarded something that is now spoiling? Is she having any other symptoms- like weight loss or gain, new lumps, tender areas, or discharge? Is she drinking large quantities or are you find large wet spots in the cage? My concern is either A. She's developed diabetes, and the smell is from the excess urine. A diabetic hamster often exhibits weight changes, and also drinks a LOT. or B. She has a serious infection in her genitals that needs to be treated ASAP. Either way, it sounds like a vet visit is probably needed.

[CheeryCin]

I did a complete clean out. I removed all her bedding, toys, took out her sand bath, and washed anything that I could including her wheel. Didn’t find any signs of blood or anything in the bedding. & I tried putting back some fresh new bedding to see what was going on. I didn’t find a lot of wet spots. When I smelled the pee, it smelled normal to me. However, when I picked up the unstained new bedding, omg, it was awful! Very sour and intensely smelled. I’ll take her in to get checked out too! I wasn’t sure if this was normal behaviour or just her going into heat! Because this is a first!

[CheeryCin]

Definitely not normal for a dwarf. My guess would be diabetes or a possible bladder infection. If you put her in an empty bin until she pees, you can see if the pee is discolored and if you can get some Keto-Diastix testing strips, you can dip it into the fresh pee and see if her glucose is high.

Did you smell the peed on bedding? Maybe take it outside, away from the cage and if you see if you still smell that strong smell. My guess is that you will and it's in her urine.

[CheeryCin]

Thank you! Oh gosh, I’ll have to check for those. I did try to smell her pee and it seemed normal. However, everything else, bedding, toys, wheel were all awful! I have since washed and taken everything out except the bedding. The new bedding immediately turned sour within hours. But by last night-today, it seemed to have stopped? So I’m a bit confused as to what is going on. I’m looking to get her checked at the vet asap as I was sure if this was normal “heat behaviour”.

[nebit]

A female dwarf should not have noticeable heat smells, and it would occur long before 1 year of age. Something is definitely wrong. 1 year is, however, when we start to see more issues with reproductive infections and tumors in females, which can sometimes have intermittent symptoms, depending on the underlying cause.

[Kikya]

Thank you! Oh gosh, I’ll have to check for those. I did try to smell her pee and it seemed normal. However, everything else, bedding, toys, wheel were all awful! I have since washed and taken everything out except the bedding. The new bedding immediately turned sour within hours. But by last night-today, it seemed to have stopped? So I’m a bit confused as to what is going on. I’m looking to get her checked at the vet asap as I was sure if this was normal “heat behaviour”.

That's weird that it would go on intermittently. Are you sure she doesn't have anything in the room the cage is kept in that might smell? Have you smelled her outside the room the cage is in? To see if a smell if coming from her? I know when I am in my hamster room it can be hard to identify the source the smell since the whole room kind of smells like hamster. One time when I was a kid, I spilled some milk on the carpet and I "cleaned" it up but I didn't realize what would happen to the milk. It stunk the whole room up until I told my parents and we took a carpet cleaner to it.

 

It's more likely an infection or something coming from her but just in case. Either way definitely not normal.

Edited by Kikya, 11 July 2022 - 02:55 AM.

[CheeryCin]

That's weird that it would go on intermittently. Are you sure she doesn't have anything in the room the cage is kept in that might smell? Have you smelled her outside the room the cage is in? To see if a smell if coming from her? I know when I am in my hamster room it can be hard to identify the source the smell since the whole room kind of smells like hamster. One time when I was a kid, I spilled some milk on the carpet and I "cleaned" it up but I didn't realize what would happen to the milk. It stunk the whole room up until I told my parents and we took a carpet cleaner to it.

It's more likely an infection or something coming from her but just in case. Either way definitely not normal.

[CheeryCin]

Yeah I’ve been going around smelling up my room like crazy these few days. & Trying to wipe everything down. It seems like the odour has even stuck onto some plastic bags or items in my room. It’s sort of like this skunky smell. But I’m still stumped on how it can be smelt house-wide when it’s never been like this throughout the other months?? & Previously her 1 day old fresh bedding immediately smelt very sour like sour milk and putrid recently. It seems like it’s “fine” now but that intense odour seems to come back/can be smelt very intensely at night particularly, is what I noticed.

On the initial days I smelt her, I smelt that faint bad smell on her ham parts. But when I picked her just last night, she smells normal. The surroundings and house tho, not good! 🤢Honestly I’m confused as to what’s going on and hoping that the vet will have something to say about this tonight!