Why is My Hamster Walking Funny? Symptoms and Possible Treatment
Hamsters can do a lot of tricks, from climbing to back flips, speed racing, rolling, and more. However, even with all the mischief, there is one thing that a pet owner should never take lightly. If your hamster starts walking in a peculiar way that raises concerns about its health, you have every reason to panic.
So, why is my hamster walking funny? If your hamster is walking funny, there may be several reasons why it is doing so. Some of these reasons are falling injuries or vitamin C deficiency which causes scurvy, age, and stroke. Take your pet to a veterinarian as soon as you realize the walking problem.
To get the exact reasons, you need to check some symptoms and gather knowledge on how to remedy them. Read more as we broaden this topic.
Why is My Hamster Walking Funny?
As mentioned above, there is more than one reason your pet might be walking funny. These walks might be symptoms of an underlying disease or injuries sustained in the hamster’s mischief. To find the answer to the question, why is my hamster walking weird, read below. You will also find symptoms and the possible problems they might be representing.
Symptoms | Problem |
Limping Swelling Not using certain leg | Fractured or Broken leg – This can happen when the hamster is playing on the exercise wheel or climbing the cage and getting stuck on the way down. |
Hind legs are barely functional Wobbling Hopping Hunching | Scurvy – Scurvy mainly happens due to a lack of vitamin C in your pet’s diet. |
Rarely walking Waddling Laying legs spread Can’t climb Shaking | Old age – These symptoms mostly happen to hamsters two or more years old. Like humans, old hamsters reduce movements and rest often. |
Reduced movements Waddling | Dehydration – Severe dehydration in hamsters can be due to diarrhea from protozoal infections. Unfortunately, diarrhea is one of the many hamster diseases that weaken your pet, affecting their cheerfulness. |
Rocking while standing Swaying while walking Waddling Running in circles Hopping | Stroke – The cause of the stroke might vary, though, for pets, it can be high blood pressure during their active hours. Hamsters can recover from this condition by themselves though it’s best to help in their recovery to speed up the healing process. |
Falling Waddling Loss of balance Wobbling | Vestibular system – Vestibular system helps to keep balance in humans and pets. The system failure occurs in case your pet has an ear infection. |
What Do I Do When my Hamster is Walking Weirdly?
If your pet hamster has any unusual behavior, the first action should be consulting with a vet. The good news is that your vet will quickly diagnose the disorder and advise you accordingly. Below are some measures your vet will advise you to take, depending on the diagnosis.
- Dehydration – For a dehydrated hamster, give it water with small measurements of sugar and salt added to it. You can also use dehydration solutions like Pedialyte and administer them using a syringe.
- Old age – For an old hamster, there is less to do in terms of getting back into shape. However, keep its diet healthy and regularly clean the hamster’s cage and beddings. Because of the reduced activities in the old hamster, play with your it regularly and encourage it to use the exercise wheel.
- Scurvy – Scurvy is a dietary-related issue and should be treated by improving your pet’s diet. Vitamin C is necessary for the growth of body tissues and crucial for blood clotting in pets. Hamsters need to consume Vitamin C regularly because they don’t store it in their bodies. Give your pet foods like cantaloupe, broccoli, and vitamin C supplements regularly for an improved diet.
- Fractured or broken leg – Hamsters are small and delicate, and their wounds should be treated by a professional. However, it’s up to you to get the pet back in shape once it recovers. Regularly tend the wounds and clean where necessary until the pet has fully recovered.
- Stroke and vestibular system – These two conditions should also be handled by a professional to give your pets a chance to recover. Hamsters sometimes recover on their own within three weeks, and you should remove all toys until they recover. The vestibular system is treated using cabergoline which stops activities at the pituitary gland.
How To Protect Pets from Above Conditions?
Hamsters are very active pets which puts them at a high risk of injuries. This means the pet’s parents should provide the best possible diet and safest playing environment. If you are at a point where you are wondering- why is my hamster having trouble walking? You might already be late. Below are some precautionary measures you can take to prevent your pet from developing the conditions we have talked about.
- Place the cage on a level surface to avoid toppling and injuring the pet
- Don’t leave the hamster alone in the yard or house where they can get injured
- Always include foods rich in vitamin C to prevent scurvy disease
- Keep your pet well hydrated always
- Regularly take your pet to a vet, especially in the early signs of a certain condition like walking funny
If you make it a habit to spend time with your pet, you’ll always notice when they have an issue. Unfortunately, they do not exhibit clear signs of pain, so you may never know unless you are a keen observer. Sometimes they will be behaving okay, yet they are in pain. Now, this is where weird walking styles come in, and it doesn’t have to be the legs hurting.
As we said earlier, it may even be an ear infection triggering an imbalance in your pet. Luckily, responding to the problem early enough prevents severity. You do not have to wait until your hamster can’t walk anymore to contact your vet.
We will share a video of a hamster severely affected by a stroke. It should challenge you to remain vigilant and avoid getting to this stage.
Video of a Hamster Suffering From Stroke
FAQ
When the issue concerns the health of the beloved pets, there can never be enough questions asked. Since they are active pets engaging in various new activities daily, many new questions are asked. Below are frequently asked questions with their most credible and well-researched answers.
1. How Do You Know If Your Dwarf Hamster Is Dying?
A hamster’s health can deteriorate constantly or instantly when it is sick. Your hamster’s walking style may change over time, making you wonder, why is my dwarf hamster walking funny? At this stage, it’s best to take your pet to a vet to get it checked out. Agitated breath and faint heartbeats are some signs of a dying hamster.
2. Why Is My Hamster Wobbling When It Walks?
When your pet hamster has a balancing issue, it is commonly due to vestibular systems problems. This system is crucial for balancing and can show problems if your pet has an ear infection or brain tumor. A vet can treat this problem to help your pet regain its balance when it walks.
3. What Would Be The Reason For A Hamster Dragging Its Hind Legs?
Scurvy is the most common reason your hamster is dragging its hind legs. This disease causes the pet’s rear legs to cease functioning, and the hamster might get paralyzed. Constantly feed your pet vitamin C to reduce the risk of this disease. A bacterial infection called Campylobacter can also result in this condition in pet hamsters.
Conclusion
Hamsters are adorable animals that do a variety of cute stunts that amaze the pet’s parents. However, while doing these tricks, your pet might get hurt and develop problems. A common problem is your pet’s walking style changing to an unusual one. It is your duty to observe, and when need be, ask- why is my hamster walking funny?
The first step when you notice this change is to take your pet to a vet. These professionals will tell you what your pet hamster is going through and how you should help. Their recovery process should not be lengthy if the problem is not severe. You will only need to take good care of them and provide a proper diet for a speedy recovery.