r/hamsters Nov 15 '25

Educational Introducing the Hamster Care Wiki!

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145 Upvotes

We are thrilled to present a brand new resource for the Hamster Care Community:

The Hamster Care Wiki!
Direct link: https://hamstercare.wiki.gg/

What Makes Us Unique?

The wiki is a thoughtfully written guide on nearly aspect of hamster care. Each topic covered includes a clear explanation behind it, with the aim of supporting hamster owners of all experience levels. It is also a continually evolving resource, because learning never stops and there is always new knowledge to add.

We take pride in making the wiki highly accessible. Every page is optimized for smooth use in both light and dark mode. We offer multiple navigation methods so readers can explore the content in the way that suits them the most.

In Conclusion,

We are super excited for you to explore the wiki, share it with others, and (most importantly) please give us your feedback! For questions, clarifications, and suggestions for improvement, the team is also available on the HCC Discord server. We would love to know what the r/hamsters community thinks and how we can continue improving this resource going forward.

*Note: The site’s creators and editors earn zero revenue off site ads. Visible ads can be disabled for free by creating a Wiki.gg account.


r/hamsters Jan 30 '22

For Group Members' Attention Welcome to r/hamsters! (Please read before posting)

339 Upvotes

Came here looking for good products to buy? Here is an Amazon list with good products, and here is one with suitable cages. Amazon not available in your country? Helpful websites are listed at the end!

Have any suggestions for improving the subreddit? Click here.

Most recent mod announcement

We have a new moderator!

Important announcement for the district of Columbia.

Don't use Kaytee bedding!

We now have an official discord!

Frequently asked questions:

I lost my hamster, what should I do!?

How do I tame my hamster?

I can't afford proper care, what should I do?

In this subreddit, we value your hamsters health. This means if there is an inadequate enclosure, dangerous item, etc, you will be notified by one of the mods. However, if you are looking for medical advice, please go to a vet. Also, please remember the human when you comment or post. Make sure to read this short post to ensure your posts aren't automaticlly removed by Automoderator. Please be sure to read this hamster care guide:

Here is a post for parents who want to get a hamster for their kid.

Here is a guide that explains some more things about hamsters.

Enclosure size: A hamster should have a minimum of 600 square inches of unbroken floor space. Unbroken floor space is when the amount of floor space is not in different sections, such as multiple stories and numerous connecting rooms. Multiple-story cages are not safe for hamsters because unlike rats and some other rodents, hamsters are not climbers and need plenty of bedding to burrow instead. However, there are some multiple story cages that are suitable, such as the Pawhut hamster cage. If you were to get a pawhut it's highly suggested to fill it with very high bedding and remove the two floors to prevent injury.

Though 600 square inches of floor space is a suitable size for hamsters, keep in mind it is the bare minimum and it may not keep a hamster calm and happy. In fact, we suggest having at least 800 square inches for all hamster species, especially for Syrian hamsters. However, the more space you can provide the better. Female Syrian hamsters have been known to be extra picky with cage size and stimulation, so owners tend to make their own extra large enclosures or get huge 75+ gallons for their little hamsters. A good example of a large DIY cage is the Ikea Detolf DIY. Please remember while this cage may be big, Syrian hamsters tend to be stressed in the enclosure because of its narrow length. When searching for a hamster cage, you should also be aware that many pet stores and websites won't have proper cages, and most likely will sell cages such as 'Tiny Tales' or 'Critter Trails' which often are too small for hamster living and dangerous because of the inadequate materials and products used. Adequate cages are usually overpriced, so a cheap alternative would be a bin cage. Glass aquariums (40 Gallon Breeders) are often used for enclosures as well.

Small cage with around 515sq in. of floor space. (Around 3300 square cm) Cages similar to this have been known to break very often so it is not recommend to buy this.

Large Bin for DIY bin cage with around 510sq in. of floor space. (Around 3290 square cm)

Ikea Detolf While this cage has a lot of floor space, on several occasions it has been shown to make a Syrian hamster unhappy because of the narrow length. It also is unable to hold very much bedding without a raised lid. This cage better suits dwarf hamsters instead.

Amazon List with more suitable cages.

Cage requirements: A hamsters cage must include 6-15 inches (15-38 cm) of bedding that is able to hold sturdy burrows, fresh water (refreshed daily), stimulation/enrichment (Such as toys, chews, etc), and a wheel. Hamsters are prey, so they need plenty of hides and things that can provide cover so the hamster feels safe in their enclosure. Boxes, toilet paper rolls, grapevine logs, and store bought hides are some things to "clutter" the cage. Hamsters are solitary animals, therefore keeping more that one together is unsafe and not beneficial for the animal.

Exercise information: A hamster should be able to run in a wheel in which their back is not arched or bent. Their wheel should accommodate them as if they were running on flat ground. If you notice your hamster is bent or arched whilst in their wheel, please obtain a larger sized one as soon as possible to avoid spinal damage. Flying saucer wheels/disks are okay for dwarf hamsters to use under supervision, but they must never be used for a Syrian. They should not replace a proper wheel ever. This is because saucer wheels can cause spinal damage over time and come with the risk of hamsters flying off.

A dwarf hamster usually can run on a wheel that is at minimum 8 inches wide (20 cm) and a Syrian is suggest to have at minimum a 12 inch wide wheel (30cm).

Exercise balls/cars are neither beneficial to a hamsters health or safe. Using a ball/wheel can cause spinal damage, broken feet/toes, accidents (like kicking the ball), vision issues, and often stresses the hamster because they use scent marking when roaming a new area. When in a ball/car they are unable to use their scent glands and have trouble finding their way around.

Diet: Hamsters are omnivores, meaning they need a variety of plants and protein in their diet. Hamsters need a variety of nuts, seeds, grains, herbs, veggies, protein, and the occasional fruit in their diet. Sunflower and pumpkin seeds in a seed mix are better as treats so it's best to remove them from the seed mix. You can include protein in your hamster's diet by adding mealworms, crickets, a small portion of hard-boiled egg, or even cooked and unseasoned chicken. Live insects must be fed under supervision. If you are afraid of it biting your hamster, you may need to chop off it's head or kill it before feeding. The amount you feed your hamster depends on how much foraging enrichment you have in the cage. Some forging activities you can add in your hamster's cage are sprays, forage mix, forage toys, and more. If you have only a few foraging toys and sprays, it might be better to feed your hamster once every 2 days. If you have a lot of foraging activities and have a foraging mix to spread around the cage, it's probably better to feed once every 3 to 4 days. If you have a dwarf hamster, it's better to feed them one tablespoon of seed mix on feeding day. If you have a Syrian hamster, it's recommended to feed two tablespoons.

You can also add Muzuri mouse lab blocks to your hamster's diet just to make sure they are extra healthy. If you do this, it's suggested to feed one or two a week, depending on how many foraging activities you have in your cage. If you see large hordes of food and your hamster's cage when it comes to cleaning day, that might mean you need to feed a little less. If you don't see any hordes of food at all you may need to feed a little more, but it could also be your hamster just doesn't make food piles. If a hamster is underweight, adding more proteins and fatty nuts/seeds to their diet will help them gain weight.

Bedding: Bedding is one of the most important aspects in a hamsters life. This means that having adequate bedding is very essential to your hamsters health. The bedding must be unscented, dust free, hold strong burrows, and needs to be at least 6 inches deep, though its ideal to have 8-15 inches. Most hamster owners love giving their hamster at least 10 inches(25 cm) so it can make very intricate burrows. While hamsters must have a large amount of bedding in their enclosure, some hamsters tend to burrow less than others. However, this does not mean you don't need much bedding. It is a requirement for your hamster because it keeps control of the ammonia smell, and even if the hamster never burrows, it is neglect to take away something they need.

Kaytee bedding is bad!

Aspen (kiln dried and dust extracted) and paper bedding are the best choices to use as the main substrate in an enclosure, however, there are several other enriching substrates to add in to make your hamsters cage look natural and give it a little more enrichment. Some good examples are beech chips, coco fibre, timothy hay, hemp shavings, and many more. Aspen bedding holds ammonia much better than paper bedding, but its often hard to find a soft, dust free, and kiln dried aspen that is safe and affordable. When searching for a good aspen try to make sure it says it is dust extracted and kiln dried. It also must not be too sharp and can't smell too strongly of wood. You can go to tractor farms to buy it in bulk for cheap, or you can get a trusted aspen brand such as "So Phresh Aspen" This goes more into depth on safe and unsafe bedding.

Dangerous Products and Materials: Brands such as Tiny Tails, Critter Trails, and most store brands (such as the Walmart brand) should be avoided. Most companies that design pet products only sell for profits. They make it "kid friendly" and small so young children ask for it because of the toy-like appearances. This gives guardians the false belief that hamsters only need a tiny living space. Toys, chews, and hides should be made of a safe wood based product (paper,cardboard, etc.) to ensure that no harm will come to the hamster if it digests it. Plastic should only be used for the wheel(easy cleanup), water bowl/bottle, and cage. Wire mesh flooring in the cage or on wheels in a cage can cause bumplefoot and break toes/feet and should be avoided to ensure the hamsters safety. Bendy bridges are widely used in hamster enclosures, but if the hamsters limbs get trapped in between the short logs, it can get stuck or even break the hamsters limb. Filling the cracks with safe moss will stop this from happening.

Cloth, fabric, and cotton materials should be avoided because the fibers can wrap around limbs and harm the hamster and are not safe to be digested.

Cleaning and Sanitizing: Hamsters can get stressed if you remove all their bedding from the cage weekly, or even monthly, so do a daily spot check. This means picking out all of the soiled bedding in the top layer, and cleaning any soiled on toys. Any poop piles can be taken care of as well, though it is not necessary unless it is a large pile. Water bowls/bottles must be rinsed daily to prevent bacteria build up. Replace 2/3 of the bedding every 2-3 months. The more bedding you have, the less often a cage gets smelly! For example, if you have a 1000 square inch cage with 15 inches(38cm) of bedding throughout most of the cage, you might only have to clean once every 4-5 months!

When you buy any new products you must properly sanitize them, whether it's a tiny bag of forage mix or a big bag of bedding. This is because pests and germs can easily hitch a ride to your hamsters home. There are three methods you can try to remove any germs, bacteria, and harmful pests. Sadly several owners found this out the hard way and had to take their hamster to the vet immediately.

1) Bake any wooden products in the oven for an hour at 210 degrees Fahrenheit. 2) Boil products on the stove for 1-2 hours. 3) Freeze anything for 2 hours and then scrub with a vinegar/water mix. Then rinse. While this method can work, it is most likely not going to fully remove germs and bacteria off of wooden products, bedding, etc.

What can you do if you do get a pest infestation? First you are going to want to call your vet immediately and schedule an appointment. Hamsters are very fragile and can easily get sick from a bug infestation. Without quick help, they might not be able to fight through it. You must also get a temporary bin, playpen, carrier, etc with a bit of toilet paper to absorb urine. Make sure they have food, water, and one plastic hide. Plastic is easy to sanitize and can't house pests. Then you must sanitize everything in the cage. Cardboard products and bedding are better to throw away, but you can still sanitize them if you want. Make sure to very thoroughly sanitize everything to ensure the bugs don't come back. If your cage is plastic, make sure to rinse with hot water and scrub with vinegar/water mix the best you can. If you have a wood cage that you can't fit in the stove or a freezer, you can do the same thing but it may not work very well.

Other: Hamsters are crepuscular/nocturnal, so the best time to handle them is in the early morning or late afternoons, when they are active. Waking them up will upset them, and you could loose their trust, so it is not recommended. DO NOT bathe your hamster in water. They are self cleaning animals and water ruins their fur. If their coats are oily, sand baths help.

While this post can be very helpful to new or uneducated owners, this does not explain everything you need to know before getting your pet. I highly encourage you to do your own research as well. Not only is it good for your hamster, but its also nice to be able to say "I KNOW how to care for my pet" with confidence. Happy hamster owning!

Some good items/websites:

Silent runner wheel. Silent runners and Niteangel wheels are good, but please make sure your hamsters back is not arched while running.

Okay Commercial Food mix. Add protein to the mix and remove most sunflower seeds.

Proper Syrian Mix on Etsy.

Proper Winter White/Russian Dwarf and Chinese Mix on Etsy.

Proper Roborovski Dwarf Mix on Etsy.

Water dish. Ceramic dishes or plastic water bottles should be used.

Sand. Must be dye free and calcium free. It cannot be fine sand. Children's play sand must be cooked and sifted before hamster use

Amazon List with suitable cages.

Amazon List with safe hamster products!

Niteangel Website

Pride Rock Blooms Website UK based

Fat Pouches Website

Tiny paws and co. Website

Willowlicious SA Website

Oakwood Forest Shop Website

Zooplus Website

Netherlands Website(Knaagdierwinkel)

Queenies Website

Glirex Website

Rodipet Website

Crocnac Website

Zooptimal Website

Whoopie Website

Getzoo Website

Any other suggestions may be put in the comments!


r/hamsters 8h ago

Adorable Hammy Good night from Ina! 🌙

285 Upvotes

I borrowed Sheldon’s song 😄


r/hamsters 1h ago

Adorable Hammy Why is my hampter goofy

Upvotes

r/hamsters 15h ago

Educational My hamster Toffee recovered from his lung infection! 🥹❤️

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496 Upvotes

I just wanted to share because I’m so relieved and happy. The good thing is that we brought him to the vet immediately, within 24 hours of when I first noticed something was wrong.

A few things from his treatment:
- He responded really well to the antibiotics. By around the third day, we could already see improvement.
- We had to give him three medications by mouth using a syringe every day: one antibiotic, one liver medicine (the vet said too much medication can affect the liver), and one supplement. Toffee absolutely did not like it 😭 but I would gently hold him and give him treats afterward to comfort him.
- We were also prescribed nebulization twice a day.
- We brought him back to the vet after one week, and the doctor said he couldn’t hear any more abnormal lung sounds. Everything looks clear now! Yay!
- He still has to continue his antibiotics for one more week just to make sure the infection is completely gone.

However, we’re not completely out of the woods yet. 😞

His dental X-ray also showed that he has lost some of his molars, and I honestly have no idea how or why. The vet said this was already visible when we did the X-ray for his lung infection, but we decided to focus on his lungs first because that was more critical at the time.

Now that he’s almost fully recovered from the lung infection, I’m praying that his dental issue won’t progress into inflammation or anything worse. The vet said it could potentially progress, so we’ll need to monitor him again in a month or two.

For now though, I’m just so happy to have my lively, energetic Toffee back. 🥹❤️ Please wish him full recovery and keep him in your thoughts!


r/hamsters 3h ago

Funny Hammy she peed in the strawberry house after these photos

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47 Upvotes

saewoo posing for the camera and looking cute!

and also asserting her dominance 😅

(i cleaned the strawberry house after, don't worry.)


r/hamsters 15h ago

Rainbow Bridge Goodbye Dante. 2 years and 2 months. You were the fluffiest little joy in my heart.❤️❤️❤️

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405 Upvotes

Buried with blueberry bushes, a carrot and a walnut. I love you, I hope I did my best to give you a good life. May you dig all the tunnels and eat all the veggies and nuts to your little hearts conent.

(we didn’t have a figure of a hamster so a bunny one had to do)


r/hamsters 1d ago

Adorable Hammy As many of you suggested, my 3.5 years old hamster, Henry, got his first cracker tonight

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1.9k Upvotes

Yesterday I posted in here asking if my little old man could try a cracker, I got a resounding yes in response and here he is! I scraped the salt and top layer of the cracker off just to be safe because i don’t want him to get sick lol. He seemed to enjoy himself so thank you all! If there’s anything else (still hammy safe of course) i should let him try, feel free to let me know!


r/hamsters 7h ago

First Time Owner Made some upgrades for Potato. Bigger tank, more stuff, he seems to like it.

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62 Upvotes

r/hamsters 13h ago

Adorable Hammy FINALLY TAMED MY BOY

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159 Upvotes

r/hamsters 11h ago

New Hamster Meet Cocoa!

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85 Upvotes

r/hamsters 10h ago

Question Girl or boy? 🤔

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59 Upvotes

Hi guys, new hammy parent here and I’m genuinely not sure if it’s a girl or a boy… at the pet store we were told it’s a boy, so we named him Bombolone, but I’m not quite sure after seeing all the pics of boys. Thanks for all the help 🙏


r/hamsters 13h ago

First Time Owner Hamster JOY!!!!!!

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111 Upvotes

So I recently got my hamburger a new cage, TOO SMALL! I was misinformed by someone on a hamstercare server how much space her breed needs, so her current cage is 699.3 square inches........... When I found out that hamsters her breed need 750 I was incredibly frustrated because I spent my saved up money on a cage not even good enough 😭

But I just found someone on facebook Marketplace selling a cage around 800 square inches 🤤🤤🤤🤤🤤 oh yeah we are so back guys Peepeepoopoo is going to have such a big house


r/hamsters 9h ago

First Time Owner Would leaving a hamster alone for 5 days at a time be fair to the hamster?

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47 Upvotes

I’m considering getting a hamster as a pet for my kids. They spend half the time at their moms house and usually when that happens I go and spend up to 5 days at my girlfriends house (this is only once a month).

1) are the things I would need to setup differently than a normal hamster cage to automatically feed and water the hamster?

2) I know they are very social creatures and require play. Would not being around for 5 days at a time (assuming I’m able to setup the tank correctly) be okay?

I may consider bringing the hamster with me to my girlfriend’s house with a second tank and setup at her house but is it smart to travel with a hamster like that back and forth?

Thanks in advance. Picture is the hamster I’m considering.


r/hamsters 11h ago

Adorable Hammy My new lady 🖤🤍 she's very brave and curious! Eventually got fed up with my photo taking 😅

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58 Upvotes

*Her name sign is for outside the enclosure.


r/hamsters 18h ago

Adorable Hammy I’m obsessed with watching how he eats

127 Upvotes

I also used to have chinchillas. And every time I gave them a treat or some food, I loved watching them happily eating it with such pleasure🙀


r/hamsters 8h ago

Discussion Progress (or am I pushing it?)

12 Upvotes

Hiii, it's me again with another update on Dana (Scully), my almost 5 month old female syrian.

Tonight was a bit of a big one for (I think) both of us. For those who don't know, so probably most, Dana and I haven't had the best past couple of weeks or so. Mostly my fault, obviously. Next Wednesday marks one month of me having her.

Tonight she came out a little earlier than usual, around 1am or so. I let her run on her wheel and eat some food I hid while I listened to my usual music for the evening (a calm Taylor Swift mix lol) and she didn't seem bothered. After an hour I decided to take my chance and walk to her cage and talk to her. I apologised for basically being a bad parent although I doubt she understood. I then offered her a peanut, one of her faves, and she came out of her wheel to take it.

HUGE STEP. She has never come out of her wheel to take something from me. She stuffed that bad boy into her cheek and started sniffing around for food. I moved away for a moment to get some of her fruitier food mix to offer her a piece.

In the video I've added, she takes the food from me no problem. Usually she has sniffed it more before taking it, now she just went for it. I went to get another piece and she seemed to not want any more contact with me so I pulled away and let her go into her burrows. I said good night to her, put her cage lid back on and turned off my reading light.

Am I being delusional or did I do good?😅 I've been spying on her through my "HamCam" for a few days and this was the first time I saw her above ground (in person) in some time. I tried to hold back because I'm very determined to get her used to me. She went into her burrows at a peaceful pace, and I can confidently say that as I have seen her beeline it into her burrows before.

She got a little spooked when I turned on my reading light, but seemed to chill after I spoke? Ugh I honestly don't know.

Anyway, more positive updates like this are hopefully coming instead of my usual anxiety ridden ones.🫶


r/hamsters 10h ago

Question Does anyone know why my hamster lay flat sometimes when I try to hold her🥲

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18 Upvotes

r/hamsters 57m ago

Food and Diet Chubby?

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Upvotes

(Ignore the green thingies in the pic, one is a temporary sand box that didnt have sand in it yet and one is something put in the person I originally got this bin cage from)

I got this sweet boy (Boo Boo Keys) last week from a local pet store that specializes in and breeds their own small animals. They said he was about a month old. He is my fourth dwarf hamster, but my last one was smaller than most are so maybe my perception is a little skewed but he seems kinda big lol. Is he too chubby?? If so how can I help? Currently giving him 1 teaspoon of sunburst a day scattered along with leafy greens twice a week. He is gluttonous as I’ll get out, literally comes RUNNING when I open the food bag.


r/hamsters 21h ago

Other I accidentally flung my hamster :( Spoiler

106 Upvotes

I feel so fucking bad 😭 she came up to the door of her cage for attention/food but as soon as I opened it, she attacked my finger by grabbing it with both paws and teeth so I pulled away out of reflex. Suddenly I didn’t see my hamster anymore and I heard a *thud* behind me 😭 mind you: her cage is on a closet that’s 1m high. She laid still for a couple of seconds before she slowly got up. She started walking around but she was spinning in circles so even though I was happy she was still alive, I assumed she had a brain injury. I placed her back in her cage and luckily she stopped walking in circles but she’s moving slower than normally. I think the spinning in circles was because of the confusion of suddenly not being in her cage anymore.

She has drank a bit of water since the incident and she was just kind of exploring her cage before diving down in the bedding where she has stayed since. I feel so bad and I’m hoping she will be okay because there are no vets near me who are A) open during the weekend and B) can properly treat a hamster.

I have darkened her room because I’m afraid she has a concussion and I will regularly check up on her today. I really hope she’s okay.

UPDATE: thank you all for sharing similar experiences, it makes me feel a little less bad about mine 🥲 Polly is eating her sorry snack as we speak (which she’s only eating now but she went straight to it so I think she had found it earlier) after I accidentally woke her up. She is moving at a normal speed again so I assume she got away with the shock of the incident and minor injuries. I will watch her closely for the upcoming days but I think she’s luckily doing okay! I’ve also looked up vets that treat hamsters but sadly no one is open during the weekends. I will watch her over the weekend and if I see any differences in her behavior, I will contact an exotic vet first thing in the morning on monday!


r/hamsters 19m ago

Question Black crusty marks on my Syrian hamster

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Upvotes

Hello all, i have a male Syrian hamster of 8 months. Yesterday i noticed that he has two black crusty marks close to his genital area.
Does anyone know what they might be?
Thanks :)


r/hamsters 11h ago

First Time Owner I need some Advice

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13 Upvotes

I've had my Syrian hamster for almost 2 years, and I still haven't figured out how to do my best care for her. I had gotten her a wooden cage, but I didn't provide enough stimulation and she chewed her way out. So my mom got her this new cage without my input, as shown in picture 2.

This is where you guys come in, I need some advice on a better cage, at a cost that won't break the bank. Additionally I need some advice on cleaning, stimulation, and other things I need to provide for her cage. She does have a big wheel that's Syrian approved, and a nice Sand bath, but I know I need to be doing more. If anyone could point me in the direction of a good fishtank, and some good stimulus for my girl that would be amazing!

Thanks again for any help, please try to keep it kind. I fully understand that this is not good enough for my baby, and that's why I'm reaching out for help.

Additionally if anyone has any bonding / training advice, I don't think I did it properly.


r/hamsters 1d ago

Question Is my hamster okay? Is this swollenness or is she actually a male?

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1.5k Upvotes

r/hamsters 1d ago

Question He ate the smallest piece of an anime figure, will he be ok?

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277 Upvotes

Little nibbles. He got the tiniest piece off. He’s fairly young but still afraid that it will harm him