dying hamster

K

Kizzy

Guest
I am pretty sure my hamster is dying. He is at least 3 years old (maybe older), and I think the average lifespan is 1 ½ - 2 yrs. When I went to bed last night, he was running on his wheel. This morning his breathing is shallow, his spine is arched and hard and he will shake from side to side if disturbed and he is having a difficult time getting his eyes open. I put treats around him, but he isn't interested.

If anyone has witnessed a death of a hamster, please offer some insight. Not to sound insensitive, but how long does this stage last?
 
cattitude

cattitude

My Sweetest Boy
:bawl: Sounds like the little fellow isn't going to make it. Their life span is about 3 years. We had hamsters, gerbils, guinea pigs...you name it. They seem to be fine one minute and gone the next. Only thing you could do is to take him to the vet and they'd euthanize him for you, but it's not cheap. Is this the little race car driver??

Did you look around for sites about hamsters?
 
K

Kizzy

Guest
Is this the little race car driver??
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Yes

Did you look around for sites about hamsters?
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I did and I searched some forums. One guy posted that his hamster was doing the same thing, but never posted back saying if it died or not.

I don't think he is going to make it thru the day.
 
vraiblonde

vraiblonde

Board Mommy
PREMO Member
Patron
Yeah, sounds like he's done, poor little thing.

Catt, I swear you're the MPD of my best girlfriend! :lol: There can't possibly be two of you who would spend the money to euthanize a hamster.
 
Sharon

Sharon

* * * * * * * * *
Staff member
PREMO Member
Maybe that's what's wrong with the crazy squirrel in my yard. Everytime he picks up food he falls over backwards and starts over again.

Anyway, I've never actually seen a hamster die. Around here they'd just be found already keeled over. :dead:
 
cattitude

cattitude

My Sweetest Boy
Originally posted by vraiblonde
Catt, I swear you're the MPD of my best girlfriend! :lol: There can't possibly be two of you who would spend the money to euthanize a hamster.
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:blushing: Never did it with a hamster, but did it with our beloved Squeaky (No. 1), the guinea pig. I can't stand to see animals suffer.
 
cattitude

cattitude

My Sweetest Boy
You know, IM4, they get bacterial infections, suffer from kidney disease because of lack of vit. C in their diets, etc.

Sharon, we had a squirrel acting similarly years ago when I lived in Seabrook. Yep, took him to Chesapeake Wildlife Sanctuary and they euthanized him. Apparently some neurological problem.
 
A

Athena1078

Social Director
Our gerbils never made it very long, my dad had to kill most of them because of broken backs and legs.
When I worked at the Zoo, I spent the night there the day before Thanksgiving to be with our rat that was dying. We had her in a tank with oxygen so she could breathe better, I had to give her meds and feed her all night. She was like 7, so way past life expectancy.
 
Sharon

Sharon

* * * * * * * * *
Staff member
PREMO Member
Hey Catt, have you ever flushed the fish? ..or did ya bury them? :wink:

I'm not gonna catch that squirrel because it's too much fun to watch. :roflmao:
 
K

Kizzy

Guest
The hamster doesn't seem to be suffering. He is nestled in the cedar chips with his treats around him, but his breathing is very shallow. So shallow in fact that I had to have the hubby check him before going to work because I thought he was already dead. He wouldn't move and I couldn't see him breathing. It is just a matter of time, he was 3 in September. When I told the kids, the oldest one was just a little upset. He was a birthday gift when he turned 5; My son turned 8 in September. I just said that we'll have to get another one.

My son wants to hold him for awhile, but I don't know, I think we should just let him die in peace.
 
tater

tater

New Member
Originally posted by cattitude
Yep, took him to Chesapeake Wildlife Sanctuary and they euthanized him. Apparently some neurological problem.
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Wait, you or the squirrel :confused:




just playin :smoochy:
 
K

Kizzy

Guest
Originally posted by mainman
let the boy hold him...
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Ok, I took him out and he is holding him now. I have the hamster bundled in a towel.
 
K

Kizzy

Guest
He is gone

He died very peacefully. My son held him for awhile and about 1/2 hour after going back in his cage, he went to the big wheel in the sky.

My son was ok until I gave him the final word that he was dead, then he cried for about 10 minutes. I told him that the little guy had a great life, because most hamsters are bread for science experiments. He had a ball, a car, a great little home, and someone who cried when he died. He was 37 - 38 months old, so he was just over 3 years old.

Rest in peace Oxnart
 
Ken King

Ken King

A little rusty but not crusty
PREMO Member
Question. In the picture I noticed a unique device on the boys hand. Does it work keeping them out of the chip bag?
 
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