My robo hamsters aren't drinking water. How can I get them to drink?

You may need to revisit his water source in his enclosure. If you are using a bowl, he may not be used to drinking water from a bowl. Conversely, if you are using a bottle, he may not be used to drinking that way. Call the place where you got him and ask them how they were offering him water. He may not like the taste of your water if you are using it from the tap. You may need to use filtered or bottled water. In the meantime, you can use a syringe (or use a dropper) to see if you can get some water into him. Hope this helps. Best wishes.

If you are feeding a lot of greens, cucumber, bits of fruit, etc, it is likely that GuaGua will not drink because she is getting enough moisture from the fresh food. Hamsters are steppe animals which do not have a very large requirement for water. So if your hamster is lively and happy and eats her greens and other food, then I would not worry too much about her actually drinking water. Just make sure there is fresh water available at all times.

Short answer yes. Hamsters may suffer from a condition called “wet tail” which usually manifest itself with watery stools. Because their body doesn't absorb water properly they tend to drink a lot. This condition is usually fatal if not treated ASAP. Of course there could be many more reasons for a hamster to suddenly drink more (like change of food or kidney problems) but “wet tail” is the most common condition to cause this symptom. I would advice to take him to the vet, the sooner the better. Food luck!

Thanks for reaching out about Cloud. Increased water consumption can be an indication of early kidney disease, but other conditions such as a urinary tract infection, diabetes, liver disease, uterine disease and behavioral changes can also be relevant. If the problem persists, seek a visit with a veterinarian. Good luck.

Hi, you didn't mention how old Rice is, but adult Robo hamsters are prone to endocrine illnesses that can be caused by internal tumors. These may cause them to have behavioral changes, and drink more/ urinate more and sometimes lose weight or develop patchy hair loss. Sadly for these little critters there is not a great deal of medical options and testing for illness is very challenging. There are some specialist "exotics" vets who have facilities to test for certain illnesses but they are few and far between, it may be worth doing an internet search for one in your area. You may wish to adapt her cage to prevent her jumping or falling from a height.

Thanks for reaching out about Emilia. Hamsters are desert animal and are very efficient at absorbing water from arid foods. Feeding cucumber provides a lot of water and thereby decreased the need for water consumption. Eliminate cucumber from the diet to see if this induces water consumption. Good luck.

This usually isn't normal. He could have a urinary tract infection, diabetes or other type of problem. I would have your vet take a look at him. Since he is so small I want to make sure he isn't going to become dehydrated. If something is causing him to drink a lot then chances are his body isn't able to keep up with his hydration. Your vet will be able to do an exam, assess hduration, and do blood work if needed. I hope this helps!