How to Medicate Your Hamster

Hamsters can be difficult to medicate. They don't care to be restrained and the medicine should be given quickly to diminish stress. Techniques to administer liquid and tablet medication are listed below.

Liquid Medication

• Draw up the prescribed amount of medication in a syringe or eyedropper.
• Hold the head and neck of the hamster with one hand.
• Use the other hand to inset the tip of the syringe or eyedropper just behind the front teeth.
• The hamster will usually open his/her mouth trying to remove the syringe.
• While the hamster is chewing at the syringe or eyedropper, slowly administer the medication.

Tablet Medication

• If the medication comes in tablet form, crushing the medicine works best. Pill crushers are available at your local pharmacy.
• Crush the medication using a pill crusher or other method.
• Once the medication is in powder form, mix the medicine with a small amount of flavored Sustacal or Ensure.
• About 1/16 teaspoon (0.25 ml) of flavored diet supplement should be enough.
• After mixing the powdered medication with the supplement, follow the instructions for administering liquid form medication.