Why is my hamster not eating and acting less energetic than usual?

I am sorry to hear that Pepper is so ill. I worry that he may likely have dental issues that are preventing him from eating. Certainly there can be other problems but dental disease is the most common. I would highly encourage you to have him evaluated by your veterinarian as soon as possible. They can not survive long without eating. Best of luck and I hope he improves soon. Thank you for using Pet Coach.

If Fatty will allow, check his teeth. They could be overgrown or maloccluded. If so, have him examined by your veterinarian. The teeth can be trimmed or corrected so that he can eat normally. If the teeth are fine, an exam would be recommended to diagnose other illness or injury.

Hi there and thank you for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach to address your concern. There could be many possible causes of these symptoms. I worry about a systemic infection or illness. I would recommend taking Dave in to be seen by a veterinarian so that the most appropriate diagnostic and treatment recommendations can be made. I hope this helps guide you in the right direction. Please let me know if you have any other questions or concerns and I would be more than happy to help you further.

Thanks for reaching out about Magikarp. There are many reasons for anorexia but include pain, metabolic disorders (liver, kidney), infections, gastrointestinal problems (bacterial, parasites) and more. A veterinary visit is needed to determine a cause. Try offering softer food with a syringe but be careful as hamster intestinal tracts are very sensitive and prone to diarrhea. Good luck.

Its hard to say if Pepper is sick without more information. You are correct that most hamsters are active at night time. They usually like to run in their little wheels and scurry about the cage. You need to watch for any signs of diarrhea or wetness around the rectum. When Pepper is awake, are his eyes open or half closed? Is the food being moved around? Many hamsters pack the food to their nest to eat later. Also, offer the pellets as well as the seed mixture. When he is awake, is he active? Most pet stores have a health warranty on their little critters. If you are seeing signs of illness, call the store to ask about having Pepper checked out.

Hi, and thanks for your question. This is a quite generic but concerning presentation. Differentials are many, from gastrointestinal diseases (infection/inflammations often dietary related) to any disease that can spread systemically (causing lethargy for example) like infection, and anything that can cause pain/discomfort. A clinical examination at your local veterinarian is immediately essential to confirm these clinical suspicions and treat appropriately. Hope this answer was helpful, but please do not hesitate to contact us again on the forum or by requesting a consultation if you have any more questions or to discuss it any further. If this answer was helpful please let us know, this will be used to improve our service!

The spot on his back may be contributing to his condition, but you should check his teeth first. A hamster's teeth are always growing, so they need to chew constantly to keep them trimmed. If they don't, it can lead to overgrown or misaligned teeth which can certainly affect the appetite. If his teeth need to be trimmed, your veterinarian will need to do it. In the meantime, soak hos food to soften it. Keep his cage clean and dry. Keep him warm and as stress free as possible until he sees the doctor. If the spot on his back is due to minor infection or irritation, you can try gently cleaning it with a diluted Betadine or chlorhexidine (Hibiclens) solution once or twice daily. Be sorento dry it thoroughly afterwards.