How to Feed a Hamster Medicine
Find a good spot., Prepare the medicine., Restrain the hamster, if need be., Administer the medicine., Reward your hamster.
Step-by-Step Guide
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Step 1: Find a good spot.
Pick a place where you can safely administer medicine to your ailing hamster.
Your hamster might be most comfortable on the floor.
Avoid using tabletops or counters, because the animal could fall and be seriously injured.
Also make sure that there are no nearby glasses, knives, or other sharp objects.Once you’ve found a spot, begin to set out your materials.
This might include the bottle of liquid medicine, an eyedropper or syringe, and a clean towel. -
Step 2: Prepare the medicine.
Oral medication is usually given to hamsters in liquid form, with a small syringe or dropper.
Make sure that you have a dropper as well as the bottle prescribed by your veterinarian.First, read the directions on the bottle of medicine.
Look closely for the proper dosage.
Take the bottle of medicine and give it a shake, if need be.
Then, open the bottle and insert the dropper.
To draw the medicine, either pull back on the syringe’s plunger or press the dropper’s rubber bulb.
This will create suction and fill the plastic tube with medicine.
Make sure that you draw the proper dosage.
Hold the tube level and look at the measuring scale to check the amount. , Some hamsters can be tempted to take medicine right from the dropper, so long as the taste is not too foul.You may have to restrain your pet, however.
There are several humane ways that you can do this.
One way is to hold the animal down with the palm of your hand.
Gently but firmly cup your palm and put it over the hamster’s body, so that it cannot move and only its head is free.Your other hand will be free to administer the meds.
Use a towel to swaddle the hamster, alternately.
Just wrap the animal so that its paws are inside the towel and its head is sticking out.
Hold the animal with one hand.
You can also “scruff” the animal.
Hamsters have lots of loose skin around the neck and front of the shoulders, which you can grab with your thumb and forefinger.Just be aware that too much tension on the scruff can cause the hamster's eyes to pop out.
Have your vet show you a safe way to scruff the hamster before attempting this at home or use a different method. , Take the dropper with your free hand, while continuing to restrain the hamster.
Hold the dropper to the animal’s mouth and, if it licks the tool, gently push the medicine out.
The hamster might not be cooperative.
It may squirm and resist.
In that case, first try to insert the mouth of the dropper into the side of the animal’s mouth where it has no teeth.
Squeeze the medicine out and it will be swallowed.
Do not try to open the hamster’s mouth with your fingers.
While this can be done by pulling up at the mouth, making the animal “smile” and exposing gaps, you can also be bitten. , Taking medicine orally can be an unpleasant experience for your hamster.
The liquid may taste bitter, and being restrained is traumatic.
Give your pet a reward for good behavior and to help calm it.
Things such as Sunflower Seeds or Yogurt Drops sold at pet stores would be rewarding.
A piece of food may also cleanse the palette, if the medicine was bitter. -
Step 3: Restrain the hamster
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Step 4: if need be.
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Step 5: Administer the medicine.
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Step 6: Reward your hamster.
Detailed Guide
Pick a place where you can safely administer medicine to your ailing hamster.
Your hamster might be most comfortable on the floor.
Avoid using tabletops or counters, because the animal could fall and be seriously injured.
Also make sure that there are no nearby glasses, knives, or other sharp objects.Once you’ve found a spot, begin to set out your materials.
This might include the bottle of liquid medicine, an eyedropper or syringe, and a clean towel.
Oral medication is usually given to hamsters in liquid form, with a small syringe or dropper.
Make sure that you have a dropper as well as the bottle prescribed by your veterinarian.First, read the directions on the bottle of medicine.
Look closely for the proper dosage.
Take the bottle of medicine and give it a shake, if need be.
Then, open the bottle and insert the dropper.
To draw the medicine, either pull back on the syringe’s plunger or press the dropper’s rubber bulb.
This will create suction and fill the plastic tube with medicine.
Make sure that you draw the proper dosage.
Hold the tube level and look at the measuring scale to check the amount. , Some hamsters can be tempted to take medicine right from the dropper, so long as the taste is not too foul.You may have to restrain your pet, however.
There are several humane ways that you can do this.
One way is to hold the animal down with the palm of your hand.
Gently but firmly cup your palm and put it over the hamster’s body, so that it cannot move and only its head is free.Your other hand will be free to administer the meds.
Use a towel to swaddle the hamster, alternately.
Just wrap the animal so that its paws are inside the towel and its head is sticking out.
Hold the animal with one hand.
You can also “scruff” the animal.
Hamsters have lots of loose skin around the neck and front of the shoulders, which you can grab with your thumb and forefinger.Just be aware that too much tension on the scruff can cause the hamster's eyes to pop out.
Have your vet show you a safe way to scruff the hamster before attempting this at home or use a different method. , Take the dropper with your free hand, while continuing to restrain the hamster.
Hold the dropper to the animal’s mouth and, if it licks the tool, gently push the medicine out.
The hamster might not be cooperative.
It may squirm and resist.
In that case, first try to insert the mouth of the dropper into the side of the animal’s mouth where it has no teeth.
Squeeze the medicine out and it will be swallowed.
Do not try to open the hamster’s mouth with your fingers.
While this can be done by pulling up at the mouth, making the animal “smile” and exposing gaps, you can also be bitten. , Taking medicine orally can be an unpleasant experience for your hamster.
The liquid may taste bitter, and being restrained is traumatic.
Give your pet a reward for good behavior and to help calm it.
Things such as Sunflower Seeds or Yogurt Drops sold at pet stores would be rewarding.
A piece of food may also cleanse the palette, if the medicine was bitter.
About the Author
Hannah Murphy
Enthusiastic about teaching DIY projects techniques through clear, step-by-step guides.
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