2167. VIDEO. The obsessive compulsive cheek pouch storage dwarf hamster

Some people hoard things till the whole house or garage is cluttered. Do hamsters hoard food inside their storage compartment, known as cheek pouches inside the mouth on the right and left sides? They pack the cheek pouches to the maximum and sometimes the cheek pouches become injured by the sharp shells from the seeds and are painful. The hamster is unable to dislodge the contents and rubs his swollen cheeks hairless.

I have a handful of such cases, but the following one is most memorable. He is the teacher's pet.

The black hamster was obsessive  in storing and packing his cheek pouch with food. The lady owner came 3 times for right cheek pouch impaction. This pouch was excised at the 3rd visit and there was no problem for the next few weeks.

Now, lthe hamster scratches his face till hair drops off the top and sides of the face, leaving his eye area still hairy.  Clearing the left cheek pouch is done. The hamster will be restricted to around 5 seeds per day. No large seeds. Sunflower seeds are shelled out before feeding to him.

FOLLOW UP ON MAY 22, 2015. Around 1 week later. "No more creamy discharge from his eyes," the owner was happy to report. "No more wet face!". She fed around 5 seeds e.g. shelled sunflower seeds and corn. The hamster would store the seeds inside his left cheek and eat them later. So his pouch is never impacted causing itchiness when large seeds are stuck inside.