New hammie owner. I have no idea what to do about this.

[squib]

Hey all. I'm new here. I'm a new hamster guardian. I just am looking for help.
So to start off, he is a syrian hamster and around 8/9 months old..the only thing I have to compare this to is a sebaceous guinea pig cyst. This is my first hamster. I picked him up a week ago. He is a result of an accidental breeding. He came from someone who didn't want him anymore, she didn't even handle him. Though he is tame because the original owners kids' handled him since he was born basically. He's been from being born, to a woman and her kids, to another woman and now me. She claims to have not known about the lump. I didn't notice it in the photos. I get home and realize he has said lump on his lower right hip/ just below his scent gland. And I freaked out at the little dark area that had a break in his smooth coat, but learned it is his scent gland, I didn't know they had those! But now I do. And I've been researching as best as I can. There are no vets that will take hamsters within two hours from me. I am unfortunately on my own here. I'm just trying to get info of other people's experiences to see if what I'm thinking it is, is what it is. The symptoms are interesting. it'll feel squishy, like an empty pouch. and then fills up solid like a bulb under the skin. It's mobile, which means I can basically slide it around under the skin, even under the scent gland itself. Compared to my guinea pig's cyst, it was also mobile. Piggies cyst was drained and the said cyst never really returned. I guess my question, or wondering is...has anyone else experienced this? I can try to get a dog and cat vet to poke him and see what comes out but I don't want to just go around doing that, not yet. He is not in distress, i don't want to put him in any. He sleeps constantly, comes out at night for a nice look around, drink, eats fine, and stores food fine. In fact, I wouldn't be surprised if the lump was a third storage compartment for his cheeks. Which is also why I'm here asking this.

Either way, he will stay with me and live out his days peacefully, and if he's in any pain, it will be addressed. But with my life, two/three hours away for an exotic vet is a bit...much right now. I didn't know he had this lump, so you can kind of imagine my "oh no" moment. He's so sweet and kind. I just want to do the best I can for him right now. Sorry this is long...I just care about him.

[Kikya]

Hey all. I'm new here. I'm a new hamster guardian. I just am looking for help.
So to start off, he is a syrian hamster and around 8/9 months old..the only thing I have to compare this to is a sebaceous guinea pig cyst. This is my first hamster. I picked him up a week ago. He is a result of an accidental breeding. He came from someone who didn't want him anymore, she didn't even handle him. Though he is tame because the original owners kids' handled him since he was born basically. He's been from being born, to a woman and her kids, to another woman and now me. She claims to have not known about the lump. I didn't notice it in the photos. I get home and realize he has said lump on his lower right hip/ just below his scent gland. And I freaked out at the little dark area that had a break in his smooth coat, but learned it is his scent gland, I didn't know they had those! But now I do. And I've been researching as best as I can. There are no vets that will take hamsters within two hours from me. I am unfortunately on my own here. I'm just trying to get info of other people's experiences to see if what I'm thinking it is, is what it is. The symptoms are interesting. it'll feel squishy, like an empty pouch. and then fills up solid like a bulb under the skin. It's mobile, which means I can basically slide it around under the skin, even under the scent gland itself. Compared to my guinea pig's cyst, it was also mobile. Piggies cyst was drained and the said cyst never really returned. I guess my question, or wondering is...has anyone else experienced this? I can try to get a dog and cat vet to poke him and see what comes out but I don't want to just go around doing that, not yet. He is not in distress, i don't want to put him in any. He sleeps constantly, comes out at night for a nice look around, drink, eats fine, and stores food fine. In fact, I wouldn't be surprised if the lump was a third storage compartment for his cheeks. Which is also why I'm here asking this.

Either way, he will stay with me and live out his days peacefully, and if he's in any pain, it will be addressed. But with my life, two/three hours away for an exotic vet is a bit...much right now. I didn't know he had this lump, so you can kind of imagine my "oh no" moment. He's so sweet and kind. I just want to do the best I can for him right now. Sorry this is long...I just care about him.

First of all, thank you for taking a chance on an older hamster. My guess is he's older than either the woman who gave him to you would say or knew. It's definitely not his cheek pouch if it's as far down as the scent gland. Hamsters are good at hiding pain until they are very sick.

The way you are describing it sounds like a cyst. A tumor would not "refill" itself, it's a solid mass. It's not easy to tell without an exam though. If it's a cyst it is possible to remove but it really depends on the vet. Unlike a horse or cow, they aren't likely to just stand there while something is being drained. They usually need to be sedated.

What state are you in, maybe someone has knowledge of a vet in that area?

Here are somethings you can do to help make her comfortable in the meantime, while you figure what you want to do.
viewtopic.php?t=285 (Supportive Care)
viewtopic.php?t=598 (Electrolyte Solution)

[squib]

Thank you so much for taking the time to reply and your advice. I’m in very rural NC. The closest vet from me is Avian Exotics but I can try to phone a closer vet for their opinion. I know a couple of folks that aren’t really small animal savvy, but helped with my guinea pigs cyst. I had no idea he was an elder, and it’s totally okay if he is. He is such a darling.

[hamsworth]

I had a hammy who lived for a few months with two cysts, so he might live a while yet. It's hard to know for sure. I've had two exotic vets tell me that when a hamster reaches a year old, we can consider them to have reached "retirement age" and their chances of coming down with a serious illness goes way up. Like you, I've also bought some older hamsters from other people. One of them passed away within a week but the others lived for another half a year to a year and a half.

If you start hearing him make pain noises... maybe a sound like an intake of breath or a hiss... then the cyst (or other illness) has gotten worse. Until then, he sounds like a very happy hammy to be with you!

I remember freaking out at the scent glands too

[squib]

Haha yeah! The scent glands caught me off guard. I thought he had skin cancer or something. Because that’s actually happened to hamsters! My goal is to give him the best life I can, while he is here. And if he’s in too much pain, I will help him. Right now, he is in no pain. He mostly sleeps (it’s getting cold here) and at night he will come out for a peek, a sip of water and maybe stuff a bit of material in his cheeks and goes back into his log hut. I hear him chewing on the wood occasionally. But he will come out and say hello and I’ll handle him and he’s really chill about it! He hasn’t really burrowed in the packed down pile of bedding though, which raises some wonder as to why…I want to upgrade his home but waiting for Black Friday deals.

[hamsworth]

Awww! He sounds like a sweetie. <3 And you are so nice for caring for him like this.