Even if you believe the bite isn’t serious, it’s a good idea to have it examined by a medical professional. If they have determined it is non-dangerous, start by cleaning the wound with soapy water to help prevent infection. This will ease the pain of the bite and help the swelling go down for 20 to 30 min. This is helpful for reducing inflammation and swelling. Children or teenagers recovering from chickenpox or who have flu-like symptoms should not take Aspirin. Within a few days, the swelling should go down and the bitten area should feel less painful. Call the poison control center or see a doctor if symptoms don't improve. If your bite is just the size of a quarter, keep an eye on it. However, if it spreads in a stripy pattern around the area, producing redness and swelling, see a doctor right away. In some cases, a bite from a normally non-dangerous spider can cause an allergic reaction. Call emergency medical services immediately if the person with the spider bite has the following symptoms:  Difficulty breathing Nausea Muscle spasms A stripy pattern spreading from the bite area Tightening in the throat that makes it hard to swallow Sweating profusely Feeling faint

Summary: Wash the bite area with cool soapy water. Apply a cool compress, such as an ice pack. Elevate bitten extremities. Relieve minor symptoms of pain using Aspirin or acetaminophen (Tylenol). Monitor the bite for the next 24 hours to ensure symptoms don't worsen. Know when to see a doctor.


Overgrown incisors (curved middle teeth) can damage the cheek pouches and are the most likely cause of an abscess. If your hamster’s incisors are overgrown, your vet will need to trim them down with specialized dental tools. Do not trim the teeth yourself! You could damage the teeth and create even sharper tooth edges.  Your hamster will need to be anesthetized for the teeth trimming. Your vet may want you to schedule regular teeth trimmings. If your hamster eats something sharp, that food could scratch the linings of the cheek pouches. Soft foods like cereal and rice would be good to feed your hamster as his abscess heals. If your hamster eats pellets, you could soften them by adding a little bit of water to them (not so much that the pellets become soggy). Other soft foods include:  Scrambled eggs Cooked oatmeal Yogurt Talk with your vet about how much of the soft food to feed your hamster. You may be worried that hay or chew toys  (e.g., hard dog biscuits, wooden sticks) might harm your hamster's cheek and cause another abscess, but this is unlikely. By depriving your hamster of these things, you may actually be increasing his chances of getting another abscess, as his teeth may become overgrown without fiber and things to gnaw on. If you use wooden sticks, make sure the wood is not pine or cedar—pine and cedar are toxic to hamsters. Once your hamster has been treated for a cheek abscess, it will be important to prevent future cheek abscesses. Using soft bedding is a great prevention strategy, since soft bedding will not scratch the lining of your hamster’s cheek pouches. Shredded paper is ideal soft bedding for your hamster. You do not have to buy shredded paper—simply tear unscented toilet paper or paper towels into strips.  You may wish to provide soft bedding while your hamster recovers, but it is likely not necessary to make a permanent switch. Carefresh® and Yesterday’s News are soft beddings that you can purchase. Wood shavings, hay, and straw have sharp edges. Do not use them in your hamster’s cage. Create a thick layer of bedding on the cage floor. Replace the bedding when it becomes dirty or wet.

Summary: Have your vet trim your hamster’s teeth. Feed your hamster soft, smooth food while he is healing. Make sure your hamster gets enough fiber. Consider using only soft bedding in your hamster’s cage.


They may care less with time, but still remember. This doesn't mean fixing your reputation is impossible. Bad reputations are always potentially temporary. It all has to do with time. After some time, people stop caring so much about what you did in the past.  Many people encounter their own failures and the failures of others over time. These stand out more, and they forget about you. Remember that you remember your own failures better than other people. Your bad reputation may be worse in your head than it is in the eyes of others. Research shows that, contrary to popular perception, when compared to other means of social evaluation, reputation matters measurably less than other factors.  Go off the grid and take a break from social media and online. Be frank when addressing the issues surrounding your bad reputation.  If you are calm, respectful, and genuinely concerned, they are likely to help you. By not verbally addressing the problem, you let people's imaginations run wild, and you give rumors free-range.   If someone is actively spreading news of your bad reputation, talk to them first. Ask friends their opinion on the matter. Try not to be defensive. Maybe your bad reputation is a superpower in disguise. Take some time to think about how your bad reputation may be a positive thing and reframe your perception of the situation. You might not be promiscuous, you could be in charge of your sexuality. If people think you play a sport too aggressively, maybe you're your team's heavy artillery. Sometimes you just need to control the perceptions of others. They may not be seeing the situation in the right light. If you can, help others to see the situation in an entirely different light.  Provide a calculated positive perspective. This means finding ways to reframe events and actions that give you a bad reputation. For example, sometimes people shame promiscuous behavior, while others present promiscuity as “owning your sexuality” or being “sex positive.” Think of ways you can help people see your actions in a new light. Be aware that you may not be able to sway everyone's opinions. You may just need to say the reputation is not true. If you have been lied about, it may take some time to undo the damage. Be assertive (not aggressive), and make sure you spread the word as soon as possible. Ask other people to help set the story straight. The longer this bad reputation exists, the harder it may become to manage it.  Clarify any misunderstandings. Be vocal when challenging lies.
Summary: Accept that people might not forget. Talk to people about it. Turn it into a strength. Change how others think. Denounce accusations as lies.