Dwarf Hamster - fall from height, odds on survival?

[DustBunnyFarmer]

DSs came racing in from school and got very new dwarf hamster (not yet fully grown) out of cage. Reports vary on what happened next but DS2 (age 6) says he fell off his shoulder. Turned round to see hamster doing good impression of a splat (spatchcock style) on hard tiled floor. Told DS1 to scoop him up before he did a runner. He fell about 90cm onto the tiles. None of us can agree whether he fell onto his back or stomach, but I think back because he has distinctive markings on his back & I only remember seeing white.

Has been placed back in cage, last seen running around and climbing the tubes about an hour ago so doesn't seem to have broken spine or limbs, but could have been in shock. What are the chances of him surviving the night? I am wondering if he has a head or internal injury which will finish him off in the night. Anyone have any experience of this or advice they can share?

Goes without saying that DSs are gutted this happened and very upset thinking he might not survive the next couple of days.

If it was going to happen it probably would have already. They have teeny bodies so it doesn't really take long for a bleed to become fatal really.

Also, if they do feel unwell the generally retreat to their beds and hunker down so if he's been running around he's probably ok.

He retreated to bed within 10 min of his fall. I don't want to check on him while the boys are still up, just in case. Will have a look later after they're down for the night. They know death is a possibility. If it happens, I don't know how we'll manage the recriminations - the hamster is one of a pair & DS2 dropped his brother's hamster..

ohhh that's a tough one.

It could lead to a family feud that'll last years!

(my friends brother let her hamster out and he got eaten by the dog. She still mentions it now 20 years later :o)

Poor thing though, hope he is ok and that DS doesn't feel too bad.

Not the most ethical solution I know ..... but when one of our DSs hamsters got half eaten by the cat (OMFG) after his brother,left the cage open by accident (can you imagine the fall-out?!?!) we just distracted DS in the morning before school and went and got a replacement. He never knew...........but if it does die in the night you could avoid a brother feud this way?

We can't put a replacement in with splat-hamster's brother - multiple dwarf hamsters will leave peaceably in the same cage, but have to move in 'as one'. Later additions cause fighting. There's no switcheroo option here.

Oh Dustbunny your poor hamster, and your poor boys

Based on what you've written, though, I would say hammy has a pretty reasonable chance. The fact he was running around for 10 minutes or so when put back in the cage is a good sign. Only time will tell but fingers crossed for you all.

My sister and I had various hamsters as children and they had some fairly spectacular falls in their time but all survived them to live to a decent hamster-old-age. I really hope it's the same thing for your little dwarf boy.

Just checked in on splat-hammy & he is still alive. Seems fairly alert too. Fingers crossed. Weirdly, hammy-bro had decamped to a different pod in the cage to kip. Do you think he's giving splat-hammy more room to stretch out in their usual bed?

Dust I think the smaller the rodent, the more chance it has of survival. (I remember some statistic about a height of fall that would kill a man, break a rats legs but a mouse would get up and walk away)

Two years ago, my DD Guinea-Pig jumped from my shoulder - we were we checked every limb, his teeth, let him have quiet rest, considered if a vet appointment would stress him more.

The bu**er didn't learn and he's jumped TWICE more but from DD and onto a softer surface (most recently onto a load of loorolls)

See how he is after his night- he might be quiet tonight rather than all the nocturnal shenanigans they get up to.
And it sounds like he's one life down.

Thanks 70. When I saw him pasted to the tiled floor, I was convinced he was brown bread but still insisted DS1 scooped him up quickly on the off chance he had survived & tried to do a runner. I'm just keeping everything crossed he survives this - early signs are encouraging. Either way, a salutary lesson for the boys. I think they'll be a lot more careful now. In fact, we'll be insisting on greater care & safety measures (e.g. catcher on hand).

Just taken some mugs out to the kitchen before turning in. Both hamsters v active, taking turns on the exercise wheel etc. No visible limp when splat-hammy is running in the wheel. Phew! I think he's going to be ok.

I recon he will be ok - our dwarf hamster was dropped about 6ft when we were in the pet shop buying him - he shook himself down and 10 seconds later was running about as normal. He landed on his shoulder and I thought he was a goner, but nope, they are tough little critters!

Glad he sounds okay. You've probably had a worse ordeal than him.

Love the name 'splat-hammy'.

Glad he's ok. His brother was probably just pissed off that he'd made a solo break for freedom.

They've probably been planning an escape for ages and he was just gonna ditch him like that. Glad they've worked it out now though :)

I keep trying to explain to the boys that the hamsters will be hell bent in escape because that's what they do. Boys can't understand cause they think our hammy house is the business. Suspect they may now believe me.

I didn't check this morning, by the way. We don't have time for wailing and heartbreak in our school run. I think DH sneaked a quick look while I was in the shower.

Splat-hammy still with us & seemingly back to normal. I think we've dodged a bullet this time. Thanks to those of you who posted reassuring survival stories.

I tried to replace our dwarf hammy who died in the night after 5 mos. My 7 yr. old has been struggling with thanataphobia so I didn’t want to address this death at this time at all. Problem is, they are no other Opal Campbell dwarfs anywhere. So I decided if I have to tackle the issue with him, why not have a new hammy ready to go, a happy distraction who we can also give a fun life to in our ikea-hacked habitat.
Problem is, when I held the new hammy in the store, she immediately jumped straight up out of my cradled and careful hands and did a front flip 5 feet down into the polished concrete floor! Forever to be known from that moment as ‘jumping bean’, ‘bean’ for short, a tiny grey dwarf hammy with white paws and tail, I could not bear to leave her in the store knowing my mistake could be her demise. She squealed and fussed, had landed on her back, and when I picked her up, gutted and guilty, she seemed ok. She is smaller than the other Campbell’s there, so maybe that’s wirkibg in her favor. It’s over 12 hours later and she is busy on her wheel and seems completely happy in her new home. Thank you to all the posters who wrote the splat-hammy threads - can’t tell how much that helped me calm my fear of having to explain two hammy deaths in one 24 hour period.
My son took all of the news pretty well, he teared up but seemed to be soothed by me saying what a great life we’d given our other hamster, ‘lefty’, and only mentioned being afraid of dying once at bedtime (poor babe) and the distraction of taking care of Bean is helping too. Fingers crossed.