Hi everyone, I don't know where else to ask right now without resorting to a vet, and knowing many of you have hamsters, I hope you can tell. My sister has two 4 to 5-months old dwarf hamsters, Buttermilk (cream color, red eyes) and Chocolate (brown color, black eyes). They were the same size when I got them for her in March. Buttermilk was noticeably bigger than Chocolate a month later. Then, maybe early May or so, I noticed that Buttermilk's eyes seemed to be bulging out a bit. At first I put it down as "that's just his own little characteristic". But lately they seem to be bulging too much to be "normal". I actually started imagining they might fall out! Is it a symptom of anything? Buttermilk is more aggressive in nature than Chocolate. He steals Chocolate's food, hordes all the food, and is somewhat a bully. They fight sometimes. They don't sleep together as much anymore, Buttermilk seems to shoo Chocolate out of the bed corner a lot now. If he's not in that corner when sleeping, then he likes to sleep by hanging himself halfway out of the toilet bowl (containing kitty litter). Does he have a thyroid problem? I'm thinking that maybe his fatness, aggressiveness, and bulging eyes seem like symptoms of thyroid problems? Yet other than these "symptoms", he acts completely fine, eats fine, drinks fine, exercises fine, curiosity fine. Does anyone have any ideas what, if anything, is wrong with him? And what should I do? I'm really worried, as my whole family, me included, are going away for a whole month tomorrow and my pastor's 9-year-old daughter is taking care of them for us. If Buttermilk really is ill and happens to die while in her care, she'll be traumatized. Please let me know your thoughts. I won't be able to check my email as often starting tomorrow, but I WILL check as soon as I can. Forgive me if I don't answer your replies for a while. Thanks so much! Amy The Jeu-jeu Gerbils __________________________________________________________ Get your FREE personalized e-mail at http://www.canada.com
