[tinypixiexoxo]

Poor Jigglypuff is going through some aging woes that I have witnessed before in my decade of dwarf love...

She does not understand the use of her critter bath because she urinates and poops in there, then rolls right after. So, her tail, behind and back 2 legs are urine soaked!!

I give her chances to take powder baths multiple times a day, but she doesn't quite get what she's supposed to do in there.. And she rolls so quickly after she "goes" that I can't stop it..

So, my specific questions are 1) How can I teach Jiggles to use her bath house just for bath, and not potty (because when she uses it as both, it defeats the purpose)

and 2) How can I get her urine soaked backside to be all fluffy again??

Sometimes after a good bath, she's all fluffy again. But once she urinates, it's over.

3)Perhaps it's an aging hamster problem??? That she cannot control how she urinates, and thus pees on herself??

She apparently is in no discomfort because she asks for out to play just as often as she did before her.. issue.. and it has gone on for over a month, so I know it's not wet tail (which is not common in dwarves anyway).

Help, advice, comments welcome! Just want my doodilypuff to be happy and fluffy again!!

 

[Jess]

Maybe you could try using a different conatiner and put it in a different spot in her cage? Some of them are absolutely determined to pee in certain spots and containers, and there isn't much you can do about it. So maybe switching things up would help?


That's the only thing I can really think of... I never gave my dwarf hammies dust baths LOL.

 

[tinypixiexoxo]

I've moved the dust bath around in her cage, and also kept it out, only letting her use it when she comes out... I'm not sure where she goes in her cage without the thing, but perhaps it would be worth exploring, so I can see where she does prefer to "go".. Thanks

I never used to give them dust baths, mainly cuz I never heard of it.. But the past few dwarves I have had, I've used them.. They like it, but I see them roll around in the corner of their cage with or without the dust.. probably more of a luxury than anything I just wish Jiggles would use it for what it's for!!!

 

[Elliriyanna]

well the problem is closed containers they want to potty in. What I do with my Kodi is give him an open dust bath. Put a shallow container with about an inch of sand in a corner and they should roll but not potty if they still do try moving it into the middle of the cage

 

[tinypixiexoxo]

Like a tupperware?

 

[Elliriyanna]

I use a food dish lol

Tupperware should be fine as long as they dont chew

As for her back side the sand will help. Also is she grooming herself?

 

[tinypixiexoxo]

Okay first I need either a bigger cage or another critter trail or 2...

 

[jeff jey]

Thtis is unusal, ive never given myn a dust bath, so i cant really say much, but yeah, i hope she is cleaning herself.

 

[tinypixiexoxo]

It's certainly not mandatory for hamsters... It's just sometimes I wonder why my hamster isn't as fluffy, and this is a good way to restore soft fur.

Jiggles..She's doing alright. I do think it's just aging plumbing problems on her part.

I'm def figuring out how to pay for another 2 critter trails, because if Jigglypuff gets a bigger house, so does Panda!

That way also, I will be able to fit all of their toys without worrying about running space. I also like Elliriyanna's idea of putting the open bath in the middle of the cage. anything in the corner IS trouble!

Panda is so hilarious though, she's much younger than Jiggles, but mostly full grown.. but poor thing can't figure out how to climb out or into her house, or out of a low tupperware container.. she can't even climb up her bars! Nothing's wrong with her legs, and she runs on the wheel all night long.. Hopefully when she gets a critter trail house, she will learn how to climb better. As for now, she's my "special" lil girl Jigglypuff, in comparison, is like spiderman becuase she can climb up, into, onto or down into anything.. even in her .. middle age.. she is quite the little athlete!

 

[Elliriyanna]

Could I recommend a bin cage? I have 3 and they are super cheap and totally customizable one is designed for mice the other 2 connected for Sadi ... They are bigger and cheaper they'd need 3 crittertrails each for a decent home and with a bin you can connect the crittertrail to it

 

[tinypixiexoxo]

interesting... how did you connect the critter trail to the bin? Are you just talking like normal storage ones or like what? This is a good idea!

 

[Elliriyanna]

what you will need

clear plastic bin ( with solid top the clear ones are much harder to cut)
1/4" hardware cloth
1/4' inch nuts and bolts
utility knife

First trace the part of the lid you want to cut out in marker on each lid

cut out traced section in one big piece

From here it gets a little more difficult
Next you want to make holes about i every 6 inches to attach your hardware cloth to You can use a 1/4' drill bit for this. The mesh easily cuts with scissors as for lining up the holes you can tape the mesh in place and use the actual mesh as a guide

To connect the crittertrail to it simply cut a square out in the side of each bin about an inch bigger than the tube on each bin ( try to line them up as closely as possible) this can be difficult as the bin will want to crack. I've heard a heated utility knife is slow but works

Then cut a square out of the leftover material from the top again about an inch bigger on each side. then trace the entrance to the tube on each panel ( you will need one for each side hole in the bin) and simply cut out the circle Then just duct tape the tube and panels in place


PS if you want to add more ventilation just cut out the sides and do what you did for the top

 

[tinypixiexoxo]

Jiggles not doing so well today, She couldn't stand upright to get her water so I had to put a little dish in her cage.. she's still peeing on herself, and she looks thin :/

 

[Elliriyanna]

How old is she?

 

[tinypixiexoxo]

She was born in November 2010 so she is not yet a year old :c

 

[Elliriyanna]

She shouldn't be acting old or anything its not due to aging most likely.

 

[Lacrima]

It sounds like she has a Bladder infection, she needs to go to a Vet asap. Chances are when she rolls, it affects her bladder and then she can't help but urinate on herself. If she is not drinking well and is moving as if it hurts to do so, she may have an infection in her bladder or kidney. She needs anti biotics made for small animals to help get over it. Dwarf Hamsters can live anywhere between 1-2 years and she is still young.

 

[tinypixiexoxo]

Thanks Lacrima. Even though not everything adds up, I really think I should take her to the vet. I will def. let you all know what happens and what it might be when we return.

 

[tinypixiexoxo]

She is diabetic. She is on a holistic herb medicine that just SMELLS SOOO BAD and she has learned how it tastes..

I thought I'd bathe a tiny mealworm in it to help her eat it, but the medicine KILLED the mealworm!! And needless to say, she did not eat that worm.

Having a heck of a time getting jiggles to drink the medicine though. I was provided with the smallest syringe (is that what it's called?) but Jiggles squirms!

She has hardly any flesh for me to pinch on her neck, but when I do that is the only way I can shove the thing in and give it to her. I sure hope this isn't causing her any more pain/dammage than she was in already!

And the fact that she had her blood taken.. Poor Jiggles.

The peeing problem is off and on. Until I get my paycheck and get her a bigger cage, I will continue to clean out her wet spots. I need to order a big bulk supply of bedding. I really like carefresh and sunseed.

 

[Elliriyanna]

The scruffing irritates them more than anything sometimes you gotta do what you gotta do to make her feel better. It wont hurt her as long as you do not do it any longer than needed and support her bottom if you can