# Poor poor hamster :(



## Eden10 (Aug 11, 2012)

As most of you on here know, I work at a small chain pet store who treat their animals like most awful stores "business first, animal welfare last"

I've mentioned before how the hamsters get the worst treatment, they are crammed in 10gallon aquariums based on colour/fur type [panda bear, short hair, teddy bear etc.] all are Syrian hamsters tho [we did have dwarf, but they weren't selling]
The aquariums have nothing but bedding, food dish & water bottle...the hamsters go crazy with boredom...fighting each other, stress related behavior like constantly licking the glass & are DESPERATE to escape...many have succeeded & gone missing, they were able to chew the mesh tank lids & climb out so we have to keep bricks on the lids over the holes [yeh...looks real nice for customers  but bosses orders]

We hadn't had one escape for a long while until a week ago a black bear managed to get out & vanish.
Well I get to work this morning & go to the back room & there was the hamster in the middle of the floor stuck on a glue trap. Yes my work uses these awful things  my co-workers & I have saved many poor lizards from them...luckily they usually only trap insects.
I had thought the hamster was dead, but when I went over to her she started squirming...my co-worker & I got out the olive oil & spent forever trying to get her off...which was REALLY tough with her fur & fragile little feet.

Once off she seemed ok apart from missing fur & a limp in her front paw. I decided I would take her home at the end of my shift rather than leave her to stay in the back room until my boss felt she 'looked ok' & be put back out for sale. I put her in a tank with some towels, hidey hole, food & water.

She looked better when I got her from the back to take home, except super freaked out! Once home I set her up in one of my ratties travel cages [which is actually a hamster cage] warm bedding, food, water, toy & a lil cardboard box.
She drank water & took a little piece of shredded carrot from me.

Just checked on her like 15mins ago & sadly shes not looking good  shes curled up in the little box I gave her & hardly moving, I touched her & she didn't flinch...she is still breathing tho. Shes either just EXHAUSTED or could be in shock from her ordeal...who knows what she had been up to before the glue trap being loose all that time.

So heres to hoping she makes it! I planned to get her back to health, socialize her & probably adopt her out to a good home...maybe someone on here would like a cute little black bear hammy?
I named her 'Moon Bear'...keep your fingers crossed for the lil girl <3

After being freed from the trap...




Taken just a few mins ago...poor little thing :'(...hoping to see her greeting me at the cage door tomorrow.


Also...tomorrow is my last day at that job & I am on maternity leave...I don't plan to go back after my leave is up!


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## ratsaremylife (Nov 5, 2013)

Awe. Glad you saved her! Hopefully she gets better. Make sure you give an update tommorow! Good thing you don't plan to go back. I would hate that place.


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## Batman (Sep 11, 2013)

Awe poor little hammy good thing you saved her even if she doesn't make it at least her last night with some one who cared

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## Guest (Dec 10, 2013)

She is probably exhausted and the stress from being trapped there could have taken a toll on her sadly. She has such a tiny little body and that is a lot of stress, who knows how long she was struggling on there until you found her. Maybe if she will let you, old her in a little blanket and kind of just soothe her. Maybe try to give her a special treat. Let her know she is okay and that you aren't going to hurt her. If she is too skiddish to have you pick her up maybe just talk to her softy and try to give her treats. Keep a little light on for her too if you can. They have good vision at night but with a small light it might offer her some comfort to be able to see clearly around her.

I don't know how you work there  it would break my heart every day. But at least there is one person there who cares about the animals. I think you might fall in love with her if she makes it through the next few days. Having you care for her while she is in such a fragile state will create an amazing bond. I really hope that she is okay. I'm sending good wishes her way.


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## Eden10 (Aug 11, 2012)

Yeh her skin must be so sore, we were as gentle as we could using the oil to get her off of the trap...but just seeing the glue pulling at her skin & fur was just agonizing to see! Those traps are just outright inhumane! My co-workers & I check them regular just incase we find a helpless critter stuck & that we're able to release but luckily we've only had to rescue a couple of lizards...one was a little house gecko that sadly didn't make it, the other was a good sized & VERY aggressive aligator lizard that made a full recovery & I was able to release it in a nature area. I just checked on lil Moon Bear & she moved from the box to another corner of the cage & again didn't move when I touched her or talked to her...but is still breathing. I hope she makes it! The fact she moved is good. I will leave her be for the night & let her rest...just hope if she does make it this whole ordeal hasn't made her super bitey & aggressive...I know hammies tend to be a little more highstrung than ratties. She was making an awful noise in the box on the way home & baring her teeth!


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## Guest (Dec 10, 2013)

Oh my  yea I think she is just scared and stressed out. I think once she adjusts to being home with you and realizes she isn't in any harm she might calm down. I see that there is still some oil on her right? Which is good because the oil will help soothe her skin that had fur ripped out and was stuck to the trap. Maybe keeping putting some more oil on her every day after giving her a little bath if she lets you. I really feel so bad for her and I hope the stress didn't take a toll on her. Poor baby.

I really applaud you for saving her and making the effort to bring her home and try to help her get better. 

I agree, the glue traps are TERRIBLE! Those animals suffer so much and then slowly die of stress or starvation. At least with the snap traps sometimes its quick but I still don't agree with them either because the snap could catch them on their leg and break it and then too will lay there dying of stress or starvation. I understand the need for "pest" control but there could possibly be some better ways.


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## Eden10 (Aug 11, 2012)

Well this is what I found this morning...

LOL 

I offered her some peanuts before I left for work, but she wouldn't take any from me just stayed on the bars of the cage...shes still very scared understandably. The cage shes in is very open, so I think tomorrow I will get her a nicer hammy cage with tubes etc. so she feels safer [plus those cages are fun ;D...i just know my daughter is going to want her in her room lol]

& yes I left the oil on her coat, I thought the same thing & its just olive oil so not going to hurt her when she grooms herself...most of it is off now, but her skin looks ok...just fur missing in some spots. I really don't think she will even let me touch her yet, let alone bathe her! She let me touch her yesterday, but I think she was just in shock & exhausted. 

Its going to take me some time to socialize her!


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## shelbygrace97 (Oct 2, 2013)

Oh my goodness! What a cutie! She looks so much better. It's a good sign that she's up on the bars  I'm so glad she's feeling better.


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## Eden10 (Aug 11, 2012)

Yeh I seriously didn't think she was going to make it thru the night! Such a lot for such a tiny creature to go thru...loose for over a week & then stuck on a glue trap & going from a tank in the back room, to a cardboard box, to a cage in a new environment! Obviously her paw must be feeling better for her to be able to climb the bars...I think she is VERY lucky! I'm so happy we were able to get her off that thing & glad she had the sense to not try & chew her way off else her face would have been stuck & she would have suffocated. I hope my co-workers continue to check the traps while I'm gone!


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## Eden10 (Aug 11, 2012)

Oh & you can see shes pretty thin for a hammy...somehow she must have managed to find water while she was loose (we've had some rain so that probably saved her) but yeh am sure she will fatten up in no time


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## ratsaremylife (Nov 5, 2013)

She's so cute! I would take her if I could. You'll most likely et to attached. I know I would... Any animal I save does not leave my house.


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## Eden10 (Aug 11, 2012)

I'm not sure yet if I will be keeping her...only because we have quite a few pets & we have a baby on the way. I am located in Northern Cali if anyone reading this thread happens to be interested. I will post an adoption thread once I know shes properly recovered & started to make some progress socially...wouldn't want to give someone a nasty biter...unless of course they have experience with hammies/bitey small pets & happy to work with her. I am going to give her a few more days before I try handling her.


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## Guest (Dec 11, 2013)

Oh my gosh!! YAY!!


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## Guest (Dec 11, 2013)

Alright keyboard. Thanks for posting it before I was finished!!

Anyway! I am so happy to see she is doing well!! She is ADORABLE!! I would take her in a heart beat if I could, she is so precious! I really think you guys will have a close bond once she adjusts. That is so nice of you to get her a new cage with tubes and everything. You have an amazing heart!


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