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Original poster

are there any vets here?!

18 replies

nightowl · 19/10/2004 23:19

ds's hamster is/was just over two. the last week i noticed she was pottering round slowly and didnt seem her usual self. yesterday morning i found her on the bottom of the cage curled up on her side. i was going to bury her tonight and picked her up to put her in a box. now she looks very dead indeed but she hasnt gone stiff and doesnt feel particularly cold...sudden horrible thought struck me...could she be hibernating? i really dont want to bury a non-dead hamster...i would never forgive myself! any advice?

OP posts:
picker · 19/10/2004 23:20

no.

October · 19/10/2004 23:21

Message withdrawn

Fran1 · 19/10/2004 23:34

had zillions of hamsters when i was a kid, and i don't remember them ever hibernating!!

Do remember them dying quite frequently though - would think thats the most likely option.

But i am not a vet by the way!! and wouldn't like to diagnose death - would never forgive myself either!

Have you tried mouth to mouth?

Sorry don't mean to mock such a sensitive subject

marthamoo · 19/10/2004 23:37

Two is pretty old for a hamster...have to say she does sound a bit..erm...deceased to me, sorry Don't they snuggle into somewhere dark to hibernate - not just keel over on the bottom of the cage?

miggy · 19/10/2004 23:38

hamsters do sort of hibernate if they are bit ill and get cold. You can try warming gently, just in your hands or box in warm place wrapped up etc and see if improves. Sorry to say this but sometimes they go soft again after being stiff so may just be time thing.
Basically if its just coldness, shge should liven up with warmth, if not then sorry!

Original poster
nightowl · 19/10/2004 23:39

i kinda think shes dead but its ds's hamster and i dont wanna chance it!!!

OP posts:
October · 19/10/2004 23:40

Message withdrawn

essbee · 19/10/2004 23:42

Message withdrawn

Fran1 · 19/10/2004 23:44

Don't replace it.

A very good reason for having pets is so children can learn about death in a gentle way. And if fact how old is your ds? It might be wise to let him see the dead body and help you bury so he understands as much as he is able to.

And omg i didn't realise they hibernated, it makes me wonder if any of my buried (or dustbinned) ones were only hibernating!!

October · 19/10/2004 23:45

Message withdrawn

Original poster
nightowl · 19/10/2004 23:58

i didnt replace the hamster but i bought him something else...sodding cage lid cost more than the animals...i was so hopeful i even went on a hamster website...now that really is sad!

OP posts:
Original poster
nightowl · 19/10/2004 23:59

its not stiff essbee...kinda...erm...flexible?

OP posts:
essbee · 20/10/2004 00:00

Message withdrawn

Chandra · 20/10/2004 01:21

Oh, what a dilemma, I would be inclined to tell you the hamster is gone but I have a friend who used to have hamster and was recently told of by the vet because he was about to bin a hibernating one. Hope it's not to late... though I found difficult for a hamster to come out of hibernation just for some hours of warm "wheather..."

JanH · 20/10/2004 09:18

We had one we thought was dead and just before the funeral there was a tiny movement. I think we warmed it up with a hotwaterbottle and when it woke up it was FURIOUS!

Definitely try some gentle warming, nightowl

nicm · 20/10/2004 19:44

not a vet but my friend had a hamster when we were younger and when staying at mine she used to have to call home to get her mum to put the hairdryer on it to warm it up. hth

lydialemon · 20/10/2004 19:52

Oh no oh no oh no - I found Ds2's hamster dead on Sunday, it was only young but it was all curled up and not moving. Please please don't say it was only hibernating

It was Ds's birthday present, so we got 2 gerbils instead (who are a great improvement as they aren't psycho like that evil hamster was)

I'm going to have nightmares about it waking up in the dustbin now - I can't even go and check 'cos the binmen came this morning

Original poster
nightowl · 20/10/2004 23:28

i really think it is dead now but im trying the hot water bottle as a last resort...cant beleive im trying to revive a probably-dead-hamster!

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