# Believed my hamster was in the clutches of death!



## Agility Springer

Ok......i go to feed my 1 year old Syrian hamster same time as normal, and she doesnt come out, which she normally does as soon as i open her cae, i rumaged through her bedding and saw her all curled up and stiff, i assumed she was dead  so i tried to pick her up when she uncurled, gasping for air!

I got her out and put her on my hand and she lay on her side with her front legs paddling, i thought she had suffered a stroke or something...this was sunday...so my concern was getting to a vet to end her suffering, her eyes where tightly shut, her body stiff and her front paws paddling......

I put her in a box with bedding in whilst i thoght about what to do, i tried to put her on all fours she managed to get her footing swaying slightly....and opened her eyes. She looked a bit better.

So i mushed up some food in warm water and syringe fed her a little she was keen to eat. Next thing i know she is running over my lap like nothing is wrong, i check on her every hour and she seems fine! she has been fine ever since.....any ideas what the hell happened?

Also slightly concerned with her teeth, she has knawed them down to stubs! i try to prevent her chewing the bars of her hamster heaven but she always does, every night! she has a whell, loads of toys, tunnels feed enrichment, daily exercise in her ball.....any ideas how to stop her, and will this affect her eating?

Thank you all


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## emzybabe

aww what a shock glad shes ok, u can buy crib chew and stop chew products for horses and most pets, however i have never seen any for hamsters. u could try coating the bars in strong vinegar or tea tree oil. or buy some very fine metal mesh that she cant get her teeth through and place that over the wires. hope that helps


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## Agility Springer

emzybabe said:


> aww what a shock glad shes ok, u can buy crib chew and stop chew products for horses and most pets, however i have never seen any for hamsters. u could try coating the bars in strong vinegar or tea tree oil. or buy some very fine metal mesh that she cant get her teeth through and place that over the wires. hope that helps


Aw thank you so much for your reply...means alot 

I have tried using bitter apple spray but it hasn't worked  she just chews trhough it


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## toddy

Has there been a sudden drop in temperature where you are?
It sounds very much like your hammy had gone into th beginnings of hibernation and you disturbed him and bought him round.
I have seen this over the years if there is a sudden cold spell or if a hamster is slightly under the weather.
It is important to keep his temperature stable to prevent this from happening again.


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## hammy 123

You can buy chew stoppa spray for hamsters from pets @ home it's about a fiver,glad ur hammy came round!x


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## Agility Springer

toddy said:


> Has there been a sudden drop in temperature where you are?
> It sounds very much like your hammy had gone into th beginnings of hibernation and you disturbed him and bought him round.
> I have seen this over the years if there is a sudden cold spell or if a hamster is slightly under the weather.
> It is important to keep his temperature stable to prevent this from happening again.


no, not that i am aware of, she stayed in the same place, our heating is set on a timer and has been like this since oct, her cage is near no drafts, there were no windows open??? she has plenty of bedding??



hammy 123 said:


> You can buy chew stoppa spray for hamsters from pets @ home it's about a fiver,glad ur hammy came round!x


ooh thanks, will look into it x


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## hammy 123

My old hamster went through those stages almost like he was hibernating he'd get himself tucked up and you wouldn't see him!i used to look in his bed also and his little arm would be paddling as if trying to push me away and say bog off.I think sometimes they get a bit depressed and bored,especially if they are gnawing all the time,i found simple things like re-arranging some parts of the cage keeps them curious,i have a rotastak cage so i added an extra tube and box on and that has seemed to work for now!lol.x


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## Maiisiku

Something simular to what you said happened to Narla just before she died. But she never came around. The vet said it was pnemonia. But it sounds like she might be going into hybernation.


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## Berrywoods

toddy said:


> Has there been a sudden drop in temperature where you are?
> It sounds very much like your hammy had gone into th beginnings of hibernation and you disturbed him and bought him round.
> I have seen this over the years if there is a sudden cold spell or if a hamster is slightly under the weather.
> It is important to keep his temperature stable to prevent this from happening again.


deffently sounds like this, hamsters especially syrians are able to go into hibernation, but unlike most animals, if left in this state for too long they will die, in the wild they would stock up on body fats and water in order to live it out but they dont do this anymore, and so die of dehidration, if the hamster ever does this again, dont try to wake it, warm it up very slowly, and have food and water ready for when it does, as mentioned above, usally a draft or sudden temp drop can cause it. very dangerious for any hamster


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