To ask for hamster advice?

[Ivekilledthehamster]

Fuck I think I’ve killed it although I’m not sure how...
we got it yesterday, I’ve had hamsters growing up and had no issues. We got him from pets at home. He seemed lively enough and friendly in the pet shop.
We got him home and he ran round his cage for a bit and then went to bed... and didn’t get back up. They said to leave him alone but I’ve just checked on him as I was worried and he’s cold and won’t come round properly? Is that it? Have I killed him after 24 hours? He’s really cold. That’s what’s worrying me. Yesterday when they woke him up so we could buy him he came round really quickly and was running around but he won’t wake up properly and it’s 8pm so you’d think he’d be coming round a bit. I don’t think he’s eaten or had anything to drink either since we had him.

He seemed off at 7pm and by 11pm he was dead

Well that's not entirely true is it. You said yourself you hadn't seen him out since you brought him home. So you don't actually know when he got sick, and you don't know when he died. The fact he hadn't eaten or pooped at all shows he didn't just go to sleep at 7pm.

You could have contacted the out-of-hours vet and got their advice over the phone. They might have just told you to keep him warm and see how he is in the morning, like you did. But you'll never know because you chose to consult mumsnet instead and let him die.

@Pringlefan

Vets do consultations over the phone. Healthy hamsters dont just die in their sleep. You dont know if he was suffering.

Yeah I’m really not being made to feel bad over a hamster that went to sleep and did not wake up.
Prior to the evening I assumed he was asleep because you know - they are nocturnal. I didn’t check on him every five minutes in the day on the off chance he might be ill.

Fuck sake, stop guilt tripping her!

It's not her fault. It's perfectly normal to not see hamsters in the first few weeks. I've had dozens of hamsters and any from pet shops have been very shy and only come out after everyone has gone to bed. Hamster sleeps all day would not ring alarm bells to anyone.

You don't know a hamster is ill until it's basically already too late. They are prey animals, they hide weakness as long as they can. One of mine seeming a bit off wouldn't cause me to ring the emergency vet. Sleepy and a bit subdued isn't a symptom you can really do anything with. All they would have said is keep him warm, try to feed him and bring him down in the morning which is what OP was doing anyway. As for the no pooing one of mine used to poo in his bed. The rest of the cage was immaculate. He even used to put his treats in his bowl if he didn't eat the straight away. Very tidy but the bed was minging underneath the bedding.

Small animals can go downhill very fast, I have had this happen to one of mine and that was with a visit to the vet. It was a matter of hours from being healthy to being dead. The tinies don't have much resilience to viruses & things like that.
I think you are right, OP, to avoid Pets at Home in future. Their reputation is not good with these things.

Sorry to hear about your Hammy.

I would return to PAH for a refund if you can?

I'm not sure where you are, but could you visit a (good?) hamster breeder or rescue rather than going to a pet shop?

I know you never know how a furry's life will pan out, but the only pets I've had with illnesses were the ones from PAH

Hamsters are known to ‘play dead’ and very well too - www.thedodo.com/why-are-these-hamsters-faking--410004359.html - I know it is too late but Pets At Home do a free pet check up for up to 7 days so would have been worth taking it in and I am sure would have been refunded. We got one there and she is a very happy little thing - she was from their ‘adoption’ section where people can bring them back if change their mind. I would not write off pet shops.