temblabamomo
Senior Member
My Bear has always been an odd ball. He's been pretty reclusive since August 2011 when I met him, but around January-ish of this year he began losing interest in coming out for playtime. It took a lot of coaxing getting him out of the hammock, and many days he would never come out. But then, in the night, I would wake to find him peering out, climbing bars, thinking it was playtime. I chalked it up to his weirdness.
It was Dec. 2011 when Wolfie moved into the cage, making it 3 - Wolfie, Bear, and Obie. As Obie slowed down over the next four months and Wolfie began making a move for the alpha role, Bear (the only neutered boy in the cage) seemed to withdraw more. He seemed to fear the testorone boys and their petty squabbles. But he seemed to love snuggling up with Obie very much, so he stayed in that cage.
At some point, Feb 2012, I took him to the vet. He hadn't wanted to come out and was only getting out when evicted for cage cleanings. Surely there was something wrong. He checked out fine.
When Obie died in April, Bear became miserable with just Wolfie - Wolfie's Spastic Reign of Terror, as I call it. Bear moved in with the neutered boys Morr and Maz, and was much happier. But, he continues to not want out for playtime. If I do get him out, he sits with his nose in a corner. Once in a while he ventures out on his own, but it is rare.
A week ago, I had him back in to the vet. Again, I was sure there must be something wrong with him. His lungs are okay ( a tad bit of congestion, so he's on abs now to be safe). Dr. P said his heart sounds good, but I wonder if he had a heart problem, would it be audible? He shows no other outward signs of a heart condition, and since he has been this way for such a very long time, wouldn't a heart condition have worsened by now if untreated?
Bear seems content most of the time. It makes me sad that he does not want to come out to play. But he is maintaining his weight, and enjoying snuggling with his brothers. He is nearing two years old by my estimation. I'm just so worried that there is a physicaly problem and he doesn't feel well and we are overlooking something. My vet isn't super up to do on heart issues. I feel like I should take Bear back and inquire, but I wouldn't know what to ask for. Aside from staring into space from his hammock all day, he shows no other symptoms, and tends mostly normal as long as he's in the cage. He gets up to chow down on oxbow, and collects all the loose stuff in the cage to build a nest, usually at night. With no other physical symptoms, it seems more like a weird neuro problem. He has had two surgeries - his neuter, and removal of necrotic skin 6 months later. I didn't know him well enough them to know if he got weird after the surgeries, or if he was always like this, but have wondered if anesthesia mucked his brain up somehow.
This was a long post, sorry. I'm just really at a loss for what to do.
It was Dec. 2011 when Wolfie moved into the cage, making it 3 - Wolfie, Bear, and Obie. As Obie slowed down over the next four months and Wolfie began making a move for the alpha role, Bear (the only neutered boy in the cage) seemed to withdraw more. He seemed to fear the testorone boys and their petty squabbles. But he seemed to love snuggling up with Obie very much, so he stayed in that cage.
At some point, Feb 2012, I took him to the vet. He hadn't wanted to come out and was only getting out when evicted for cage cleanings. Surely there was something wrong. He checked out fine.
When Obie died in April, Bear became miserable with just Wolfie - Wolfie's Spastic Reign of Terror, as I call it. Bear moved in with the neutered boys Morr and Maz, and was much happier. But, he continues to not want out for playtime. If I do get him out, he sits with his nose in a corner. Once in a while he ventures out on his own, but it is rare.
A week ago, I had him back in to the vet. Again, I was sure there must be something wrong with him. His lungs are okay ( a tad bit of congestion, so he's on abs now to be safe). Dr. P said his heart sounds good, but I wonder if he had a heart problem, would it be audible? He shows no other outward signs of a heart condition, and since he has been this way for such a very long time, wouldn't a heart condition have worsened by now if untreated?
Bear seems content most of the time. It makes me sad that he does not want to come out to play. But he is maintaining his weight, and enjoying snuggling with his brothers. He is nearing two years old by my estimation. I'm just so worried that there is a physicaly problem and he doesn't feel well and we are overlooking something. My vet isn't super up to do on heart issues. I feel like I should take Bear back and inquire, but I wouldn't know what to ask for. Aside from staring into space from his hammock all day, he shows no other symptoms, and tends mostly normal as long as he's in the cage. He gets up to chow down on oxbow, and collects all the loose stuff in the cage to build a nest, usually at night. With no other physical symptoms, it seems more like a weird neuro problem. He has had two surgeries - his neuter, and removal of necrotic skin 6 months later. I didn't know him well enough them to know if he got weird after the surgeries, or if he was always like this, but have wondered if anesthesia mucked his brain up somehow.
This was a long post, sorry. I'm just really at a loss for what to do.
