Heat mat suitable for a hamster?

[Dadie]

Any ideas?
Cheese is a very old russian dwarf hamster (got him 2nd hand when Lauren was 3 just after her birthday and she will be 6 in June)and I think he needs some extra heat as he is on his way out...
Have him on baby food as well as his dwarf hamster mix and lowered his water bottle.
His cyst is not looking too bad but he is getting slow and losing weight and very grumpy at being handled now.
I would just like to keep him comfortable in his last few days and have him back on the metacam, but, its a real puzzle how to keep his bed warm without being unsafe due to chewing.

[unicorn]

You could set a hot water bottle under his cage, aim a spot lamp into the cage so the heat is coming off the bulb, fill a plastic bottle with warm water and place in his cage, I doubt he will chew it enough to burst it if so old and tired.

[Dadie]

I know what I want to do......pts.....but his little owner hasnt come round to that yet.So I will try a wheat filled heat pad..dont think they go as cold as a hot waterbottle under the cage.Didnt quite have my brain switched on as I was only thinking of putting it in the tank!ThanksxxxxThe only bit of him working really well is his sharp teeth..ouch!

[demac-artist]

get a whiskey bottle that is flatish, the small ones, and fill with warm water then put bedding ontop put a sock around it

[Dadie]

Was reluctant to use a hotwater bottle as when they get cold they seem colder and suck out more heat than most other heat pads....
Which in Cheeses case wouldnt be good as he needs all the heat he can get!
So far tonight he has had a wheat filled neck wrap under his cage(not much use as made cage wobbly)..a clicky hand warmer (didnt stay warm after an hour)and a sticky heat pack for backache (use once but up to 12 hrs heat which is doing fine but needs air to activate so cage elavated on books)..so I hope he is going to be ok!...or at least comfortable as his next dose of meds isnt until 9am....unless he dies in his sleep..which would be sad but a blessing in a way...and yes he usually sleeps at night as Ionas room is usually lighter at night (everylight on possible at night)than in the daytime!

[stewart4364]

Use a heat mat and thermostat similar to the ones used on vivariums. The mat is set under the cage and the heat is then transferred through the base -- if it is a wire base use a piece of glass or perspex to prevent the heat map being chewed and also make sure that all electric cables are well clear of the cage otherwise it may be roast hamster for tea. Unfortunately I think your poor hamster is past its sell by date and will soon be on its way to hamster heaven --their life span is fairly short. Hope you can get something worked out. The other way to keep your hamster warm is to put it either beside or on a radiator. I have a hospital cage which I use for any bird or animal which is a bit under the weather -- the hospital cage is on all the time ready for any emergency.

[Dadie]

He is well past his death date...I have had the kids warned he is old since October when he 1st got the cyst.But he seems a bit brighter today and I bought him a microwavable heatpad in heavy plastic from PAH today and acouple of jars of babyfood as he seems to cope better with soft food and babyfood is quite high in calories. But I haveno illusions of a recovery......he will not be around much longer but as long as he is not in pain or distress he will get treated and the best care possible.

[stewart4364]

Try some orange juice in a pipette -- I had a chipmunk which was poorly and the orange juice worked wonders.

[Dadie]

OK Just done the big weekly check of him after metacam (easier on both of us that way) and he isnt too bad considering..his cyst has been flushed out of waxy/cheesey orange sebum (sorry if you are eating)by bathing yesterday as he wont keep himself clean anymore ...thinking a chinchilla sand bath will help with greasy fur there...and the odd bath wont hurt!
But he has granular bits in his pouches which could be impacted food or tumours as they have been there for a couple of days without being emptied ...either way needs checked out, but he wont survive a GA im sure...any way of flushing out the pouches that doesnt involve a GA?
And he has a sore ear that feels crispy to the touch and made him squeak! ....skin cancer? or just sore?
Seems quite happy with his extra heat from the heatpad and hasnt tried to chew it yet!
And loves his babyfood custard and veg and beef hotpot!
Even caught him on the wheel tonight looking almost energetic!
And I was at an all time low with him a few days back sryinge feeding him rehydration solution and thinking he was going to die asap...apparently they can live for months in OAP status.......but still not sure if he is feeling better because he is feeling better or if the painkillers are hiding the pain!
stewat4364 he hates citrus in any form and even kids sugar added oj is disregarded nevermind fresh oj!

[brandy]

ahhh bless... feel so bad for him.. in situations like this you just want the poor soul to pass on! i hope that when he finally lets go, its easy on him and everyone! i know the kids will be hard.. but at least they kinda know he has had a long long life!!

[Dadie]

Months of worry!
It might kill me before Cheese at this rate!
I poke him before the kids to make sure he is breathing................
And have a nice new shiny cardboard box squirrelled away (hamster sized and holographic and eco friendly) just incase so he doesnt have to be burried in a tampax box (ask mo brandy!)
A new hammy costs less than £10 ...yet in the last few weeks I have bought a heatmat at £20ish and going to get sand and babyfood and vet bills....
Could have had about 5/6 hammys for that at least..but it isnt the point ...it is to love your pet even if times are hard to the end (whatever the end happens to be) and look after him as best as you can until the time comes he dies or the pain takes over and no more can be done......it happens! its life! even death is part of life....

[Dadie]

Well thats him...
I have now lost/thrown away the nice shiny box...
Havent yet told the kids..
Poor Cheese:~(
He was a fine wee beastie.
Iona is going to be distraught.