I think my hamster might be about to shuffle off this mortal coil..

[HavingALittleFaithBaby]

It's an old syrian male hamster, I think it's about two. Pretty robust, it even survived a house fire!
Recently it's been drinking a lot of water and tonight I noticed its lost the fur round it's scruff and its starting squeaking :( Is there anything I can do? Or should I think about taking it to the vet?
(It was a rubbish baby substitute when we were TTC, DC1 expected in about 6 weeks).

Yes, do take him to be pts if he seems distressed . But perhaps he won't still be with you in the morning .

Poor little thing. I'm more upset than I anticipated!

Two is old for a hamster. If he looks in a bad way I would see the vet tomorrow. As prey animals they only show they are ill when they are really I'll.
May be kinder to have him pts if he is suffering : ((

If it helps I always sob when ours pass away

I know he's done so well really. I'm amazed he didn't die of smoke inhalation! That was 15 months ago! I'll have a look at him in the morning - I'm in work at 11.30 so might be able to whizz him up to the vets beforehand. With the hormones I am very emotional!

I cleaned him out tonight and gave what's left of his fur a groom so he will at least have a relatively comfortable night.

Thanks for all the replies.

Can you keep the cage really warm, we start to get quite cold towards death.

He has been pulling the sawdust into his bed so I gave him plenty of extra bedding tonight so hopefully he'll be warm enough. He's in a warm room too.

I feel a wee bit teary. Bless his little soul.

Mine old girl started losing hair and drinking loads at about 20 moths - she lasted another 5!

Imo, unless he is in obvious pain I would avoid the vet, its very stressful for the small furries and mostly they go down hill very quickly when the do go.

I think my girl had a stroke in the end , noticed she was poorly at 4pm sat - decided if she was still alive and no better by sun then i would have her pts - she died that night. Perfectly curled up in her bed asleep :(

Old hammy care tips - baby food - they love it!! Roast dinners were always a fave! Just a teaspoon maybe twice a week! Check for onions and garlic - bad for hammys!

Cucumber to avoid dehydration.

A one level cage - my girl got a retirement home :) . Lots of love!

Fingers crossed for you!

Oh goodness I'm upset on your behalf

Well I've just popped back to him and put a bit of fresh food in - he got up and has definitely taken some food that I put out when I cleaned him out. He doesn't seem to distressed so I'll just keep an eye on him.

He really is geriatric though - his fur changed colour a while ago and he's less mobile!

Bonkey I can make his cage one level easily so I'll do that tomorrow. He only goes upstairs for his food.

Thanks for the support - I know it's only a hamster but he's been around through some tough times! :)

Aww, poor little thing

I kept hamsters when I was in my early twenties, so have had a few die When I took the first one to be pts, I blubbed so much in the vets that they sent me a sympathy card
I did harden up a bit after that, but it is still really sad every time Hope it's a peaceful and pain free passing for him

Our hammy died a few weeks ago, he lived to a grand old age of 2.5 years.

He started drinking loads too. In the end, he couldn't walk and we put some nice soft loo paper down in his cage which he laid on - came out of his house on the Wed night and did not go back in, he died on the Fri morning. I gave him grapes and cucumber. It was really sad to watch him so we just made him as comfortable as possible. It would have been awful for him to take him to the vets as the weather was shocking - snow and far too cold to take him out.

We still miss him. My mother cried buckets. He was supposed to be going on his third jolly to her house in a couple of weeks whilst we go on holiday. She used to put him in bed with her and my dad on a morning whilst they drank their cup of tea.

Your poor hammy

My Siberian hamster did that last year. He lasted about a month and some days he was perky and others not so much. Then one morning he'd started weeing blood in the night and died later that day. Apparently hamsters are quite prone to kidney problems. I felt bad afterwards because he would have been in a lot of discomfort towards the end. I just sat with him for a whole day until he went to the great desert plains in the sky. Keep an eye on him but it probably won't be long and it might be worth taking him to the vet.

Well he's still with us this morning, although perhaps a bit slower to respond than normal. He looked comfy in bed so I won't drag him to the vet unless he seems distressed.

Ooh this is really sad; I would suggest you to get it to the vet.

Aww, poor little hammy. I would take him to the vet, they can and do go down hill very fast.

We have had lots of hamsters, we have a very spoilt one now.

Last year, when the last one died DS1(then 17) noticed he was not right when we were all in bed asleep, he sat up all night with him making sure he was comfy and warm. Unfortunately he died before his vet appointment that morning.

Well he seems ok tonight. I woke him up when I got in from work (5 mins ago). Gave him some food including fresh grapes and he was straight up to nibble on them - surely he'd be off his food if he was gravely ill? I'll continue to keep a close eye on him.

I thought about your hammy today, it does sounds like he is responding well to food although I've nay had ur first hammy for a month so I know nothing!

I've no Hammy experience but I've never had any of my guinea-pigs PTS.
Yes they go downhill quickly (usually with guineas it's a matter of hours than days).
They've either died being cuddled or snuggled in their beds.

I'm not too mean to pay a vet bill, I just think most times it's less stressful for them not to be subjected to a vet trip.
They all shrugged off their mortal coils quietly, no shreiking or gnashing of teeth.

Hopefully your SuperFurryAnimal will slip away quietly FaithBaby

I was more worried last night when he squeaked - but then I had got him out in his ball to clean him out. I do wonder if taking him to the vets would distress him all the more...His food was on a higher platform so I moved it downstairs so its easier for him. I'm hoping he'll slip away peacefully.

He seems to have deteriorated and isn't sleeping today - curling up in odd places - so I'm taking him to the vet :( I don't want to see him suffer any more...

RIP little Smokey. A lovely pet he was too. Had him PTS - he seemed very agitated towards the end and I felt it was kindest. Thanks for all your kind words about him

Aww RIP Smokey You absolutely did the right thing in letting him go

I was happy to keep him at home while he seemed settled and was eating ok but he seemed so agitated today I knew it was kinder to take him and let him go. He lived a long life and made me smile a lot :)