I think DD's hamster is dying.

[crazydazy]

I am not sure if he's dying or if he is just too warm. He's been lying all day in the same position outside of his nest and has been making whimpering noises when you try and stroke him normally he moves away but its as if he hasn't got the energy to move, he's 2 years old now so maybe its near the end for him....

Don't want to tell DD just in case he's just too warm.

I had a pet gerbil when I was a girl and it died of heat exhaustion in this kind of weather. If you put him in the coolest, darkest place you can find with a big drink of water you might be able to save him. Can you make a bit of his cage cool with an ice pack or something? Frozen peas?

But I thought wild hamsters lived in the desert?

He is in a warm place come to think of it. Will move him now.

sounds like hes on his last legs, 2 is old for a hamster, unfortunatly it is a bit late to take it to the vets unless you want to pay a call out fee. if it is still alive in the morning ring your vets for an appointment, i know its only a hamster but it would be cruel to let it suffer.

Jodie

our hamster did that. he just stayed in his in his little house/didn't drink or eat and then died

Yes they do live in the desert I think but in the wild they can tunnel under the sand into a cooler place.

How is he this morning crazydazy?

same thing happened to my ds's hamster, I thought he was on this last legs, phoned vet and he said come in for £30, and + treatment costs, so I waited until the morning and he has died.

Poor DD they do get attached to pets don't they?

He was still poorly so I took him to the vets this morning after I'd taken DD to school. The vet said he had a massive tumour inside his tummy and because of his age it wouldn't really be fair to operate and they couldn't guarantee it would be a success. The poor little thing could hardly walk anyway so it was the best thing for him.

Am dreading tell DD, she was crying this morning when I told her Toffee needed to go to the vets.

Aww crazydazy, {{{{{{{{{hugs}}}}}}}}}}}

So sorry to read this. You will have to explain to dd that he really wasn't well and wasn't enjoying things anymore. Hopefully, she will understand that and will have noticed he wasn't himself yesterday.

Thanks DG, how are you?

The vet asked if I wanted to bring him home, I said no because I had DS with me and he would have been upset bringing him home like that but now I have thought about it and maybe I should have because DD might want to have a little burial for him.

I think I have done the wrong thing now

Whilst we were away on holiday DD kept saying she just wanted to come home to see Toffee and make sure he was okay and now a week later he has died.

I said to her this morning that the vet might put him to sleep so he will feel better and she just said "why can't he take some medicine, it made me better".

can you phone the vet and ask for Toffee's body? If you feel that your DD would like a burial then you can only ask?

crazydazy, my dd's hamster died a few weeks ago, aged 2.5 years. They really don't live longer than that, my dd was aware that hers was on its way out when she stopped eating and was breathing heavily. She would only drink water and lots of it so I think her kidneys were failing.

dd buried her in the garden and drew a picture of her with wings along with her wheel, water bottle and food (all had wings)

She did cry though.

I think I'd better ring the vets cos the more I think about it the more I think DD will be upset that I didn't let her bury him.