Sudden Hamster death

[tastylancs]

DD had a hamster was an apparently happy lively little thing until last night when we found him sadly dead curled up by his food bowl. We examined him and he looked perfect, no signs of injury or infection and he was only 8 months old. So DD is blaming herself because she hadn't cleaned him out for two weeks. I tried to reassure her that this was not the cause. And he had plenty of water. Any ideas or experience of similar? Thanks

Are you sure he isn't hibernating?

Are you sure he isn't hibernating?

^^ This.

Hamsters aren't that bright and can spontaneously go into hibernation if cold and will feel rock hard like rigor mortis has set in. Fill a hot water bottle, cover with a towel and rest hamster on top.

My poor hamster died 3 times! Glad we didn't have a garden and dm put him in a box in the airing cupboard away from the dcats until dgm could collect +bury him!!

@tastylancs it may well be because she didn't clean him out, hamsters are at risk if wet tail if you don't keep their homes clean.

Did you not encourage her to clean it out? Must have stank.

He wasn't hibernating sadly - he did that at new year and we easily revived him in warm hands. That was a bit of a shock though as we did at first think he'd died.

Yes I did encourage DD to clean him out - she's supposed to every Sunday but I'm pretty sure she hasn't for the last two Sundays. I should have pestered her but as she's 11 I thought I could leave her to it a bit. I did check on him every night though when I tucked DD in and he was always scampering about and on his wheel.

I'm really worried that maybe she didn't feed him enough tbh. His food bowl was empty last night. But it was full whenever I've checked before. But what if she hadn't fed him for a few days? She says she fed him last night but I don't know that I'm sure about that.

It's not uncommon, I'm afraid. Strokes and other neurological events are sadly common, as are hamsters just pegging it for no apparent reason.

It won't have been leaving the hamster being cleaned out for a fortnight - they find being cleaned out worrying as it removes all the familiar smells, and if it's being kept in a cage big enough to meet welfare needs (80x50cm unbroken floorspace) then it won't get that dirty that quickly.

Thanks avocados, that's reassuring. Yes it was a big cage and didn't smell really bad, just a bit of urine.