Hamsters

[Safia]

Hi everyone my husband brought daisy cat hamster (as named by my 4 year old daughter) last week and the last 3 days or so she hasnt been very responsive. Today she spent all day and so far night in her little house. She hasnt come out as the stuff he put in her cage on the floor and plus kitchen roll are still sticking out of her door like they were this morning. Yesterday she didnt come out for water but she hasnt today. I know hamster sleep all day but when she came she was so active at night but now unless she comes out very late she isnt to be seen. Do hamsters hibernate or is she dead. I have told my husband to give her poke (i'm too scared to handle her) before he goes to bed as she is in his room so will ask him tomorrow if she got up. A bit worried because i was really starting to like her and my 10month son is besotted by her.

 

[Mrs.S.]

Is hammy ok?? xx

 

[Safia]

Yea she is ok my husband forced her out of her house. She reluctantly came out had some water and went straight back! He said he will be getting her out again and in her hamster ball for some exercise to wake her up x

 

[Safia]

Hamsters can hibernate if they get too cold, but they don't usually hibernate much in modern centrally heated houses. They are nocturnal so don't come out in the day very much.

You will need to bite the bullet and check if it's still alive and kicking - it sounds horrible but if it isn't the sooner you find out the better! - or it will start to decompose and smell and that would be even more upsetting for you all

It does look like she is hibernating even though the house is warm so will see her behaviour for the next few days and maybe take her back to the petshop for a checkup x

 

[donna88]

When our hamsters did this my mum used to wrap them up in a little blanket to warm them up to check if they were alive or not. You might just have a lazy one or one that's very sensitive to the cold, where are you keeping her, move her to the warmest part of your house if you can and maybe see if you can fit more bedding in to keep her warmer

 

[Safia]

Shes in the spare bedroom that my husband is currently in until he decorates it for our daughters. Now that i think of it the heating is on from morning till we go to bed so maybe she gets cold then. My husband after reading his little hamster leaflet put in some kitchen roll and she has used it to surround her house lol to keep her room. During the evening the heating is on so i think she is just being a bit lazy x

 

[donna88]

They are very lazy animals, so try not to worry too much hun x

 

[Safia]

I wish my husband had done his research before he brought her because it is a pet for the children and considering they go to bed at 7 and during the day she sleeps so they dont get to see her much. My daughter wanted to see her today aswell but she just wouldnt budge out of her house and i was to scared to get her out lol x

 

[Pinknails2012]

Mine was Defo not lazy at night lol he used to bite the bars all night so loudly! And when they go on the wheel it can rattle about lol,but in the day they make a rare appearance,
by the way, i was scared to hold my hammie at first but the more you don't handle it the more recluse and aggressive they become, me and my bro (i was 18 at the time lol) used to hold him several times a day, its cruel but i even got him out of his cosy lil igloo house in the day when he was all snuggled and his lil eyes were still shut just to cuddle him for 5 min lol and then they go straight back to bed he was so used to being touched he loved it and never ever bit us, infact he used to lick us lol such sweet animals,
altho my bro once had two lil gerbil things and they used to be so fast and scatty and bit and hang off his finger!

so thats when we got the teddy bear syrian hamster black n white chubby cuteness, he was lovely and he lived for over 3 years i believe, the only downfall was he was stinky lol his cage had to be cleaned at least once a week, but he loved his fresh cosy bed with that fluffy cotton wool stuff inside lol.
oh and also put the hammie in the ball once a day for like 15 mins it keeps them healthy and tamed, just make sure it dont escape lol, mine used to escape and go down the stairs and go in the kitchen cupboards and eat some cheerios from the back of the cupboard LOL
Have your children hand feed it bits of cereal or biscuit or hammie treats and it will defo get used to you but will be bit scared at first sorry for the essay lol

 

[Safia]

Lol your right about the smell my husband had to change everything is the cage after 4 days. She did make such a racket the first 3 days during the night but after that she stopped. I dont think I will ever be able to handle her so will leave that to my husband, he did force her out in her ball again to exercise she wasnt happy about it but eventually enjoyed herself x

 

[cat yoyo greaves]

she sounds like she is trying to hibernate warm her up asap or she is likely to die hot water bottles under the cage under the bed help my friends hammy did this last yr maybe get rid of the house and let her make a bed just from fluff that way its easier to check on her i had hammys for yrs they try to hibernate alot esp syrian ones

 

[SlimmingKitchen]

I used to have hammys as a teen, mine were very shy and would hide in their little house unless you teased them with a treat.
You've not had it long but give it time and talk gently to it and soon it will learn to trust you.

Hamsters are known to sleep all day and then venture out at night though.

Now I'm a lover of guinea pigs, they are so much fun and very loyal pets xxx

 

[Safia]

My husband found daisy dead today, he's really upset but i could tell something was up when he took her out of the cage yesterday for a cuddle and some exercise in the ball. She was so slow and would just stop whereas before she would just whizz about.

 

[Pinknails2012]

poor daisy

 

[hells2012sw]

My husband found daisy dead today, he's really upset but i could tell something was up when he took her out of the cage yesterday for a cuddle and some exercise in the ball. She was so slow and would just stop whereas before she would just whizz about.

Oh no that's so sad


I'm with Mrs Wildincroft on the piggies, I have four, but they are more work than hamsters

Sent from my iPhone using MiniMins

 

[ginlin]

Sorry about Daisy :-(

But I have only just read your thread and couldn't offer any advice earlier x

Basically...

Hamster 1 (Harvey) had a fab house, tunnels wheels etc and was ill within a week, we took him back to the shop, and apparently they would send him to a vet, which of course we knew they wouldn't, when we rang a few days later, the poor thing had died.

Disinfected hamster cage, and set off to the pet shop for a new hamster, whilst grieving for death of my brother that same day, but you do these strange things!

Hamster 2 (Harvey 2) was ill before my brothers funeral, so, fuming, phoned the shop, and they said take it to a vet and they would pay.....which I did....£45 later....antibiotics and painkillers given......lets be fair we knew he would die of stress and more wet tail, which we suspected the first one had!

 

[Safia]

Yea it is really sad, dont know what to tell the children. My daughters wanted to see her this morning before nursery so thank god i didnt let them.

 

[ginlin]

Sad though it is, but mine are all buried in the garden, and had their own little funeral x

 

[Pinknails2012]

What about getting a kitten, only thing is having a litterbox is a pain

 

[Safia]

What about getting a kitten, only thing is having a litterbox is a pain

Thats what my husband is thinking of but i'm reluctant because i'm so scared of them lol x