Small sores on front legs

[pinky]

I was playing with Mallory (Campbell's dwarf) tonight, and when she sat up on her hind legs I noticed that there seemed to be a red area on her right front leg (up from the paw, slightly toward the inside of the leg). Later I noticed one on the other side as well. I grabbed my glasses and tried to get a better look while holding her, but she didn't cooperate.

Last night I moved her into the aquarium from the CT1 because I'm going away on Monday and I don't want my landlords having to deal with a hamster coming out of the door at them when they go to give her food. . . . so her environment changed quite a bit. Might this be a stress response on her part? It seems to me that she's doing it to herself--there's nothing in the cage now (or in the CT1) that would inflict that kind of wound. I played with her last night, and I think it's safe to say that those wounds weren't there.

Thanks for your help!

[Hamsters82]

I'm really not sure Robin, could she have scratched herself on the bedding? I knew hamsters could get stressed out but not to the point of hurting themselves.

I hope Mallory is okay and adjusts well to her new home environment.

[Die Fledermaus]

Could potentially be different things. Stress is possibly one of them.

I'd dab a bit of antibiotic ointment on it and just watch, after checking for all other possibilities. And watch.

- - - - -

Always look for mites. They are insidious with dwarfs. But I am not saying this is mite-related. I am just paranoid about mites.

[pinky]

UPDATE: the legs look no worse than yesterday, and maybe a little better. A relief.

I just played with her. I laugh at her apparent clumsiness compared with my Chinese, but it's just that her center of gravity is higher and she will "roll" more readily if the surface she's walking on is sloped. She's doing well, though. Yes, I got a little nipped yesterday when I was trying to look at the legs, but in the normal scheme of things she only puts her teeth lightly on me if I forget to wash my hands after handling food. . .

[Die Fledermaus]

Glad to hear there is no deterioration.

[pinky]

UPDATE:

Mallory started de-furring herself before I left, in the areas where she had been missing fur when Stacey got her. Ugh. And she did more of it while I was gone. So she is bald in front of her left thigh, wrapping around to her abdomen. Stress from being transferred from the CT1 to the aquarium?

Not sure. Actually, she seems to have settled into the aquarium, nesting in the igloo with lots of toilet paper, and now that she has the Silent Spinner rather than the CT1 wheel, she has been running much more. So the good news is: she's lost weight! My boyfriend noticed it right away tonight, confirming my suspicions. Being alone and never out of the cage since Monday morning, she was probably bored and ran a lot. And I am controlling her portions as well.

So she's not as attractive as before from a fur standpoint, and I don't know what to do about that, but from a health standpoint the rolls are reducing in size, and that can only help her overall health.

[Die Fledermaus]

Good about the weight.

I have no idea about the fur, other than previously stated speculations. I might consider a tiny dab of antibiotic ointment.

Best wishes.