# URGENT hamster hibernation?



## Phenobarbie (Sep 28, 2009)

:crying:
I just got home form college, to check on all my animals
I found that max's food bowl was still full from 2days ago.
He's only ever out at night, so i hadn't chedk on him, i feel awful.
I went into his bed, to find him
Stone cold and curled up, eyes closed, ears back, barely breathing
I dont know if he's poorly, or hibernating or something
But ive been cryng so much 

He's in my pocket at the moment, seeing if my body heat will warm and wake him up.



What do i do :crying::crying:


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## momentofmadness (Jul 19, 2008)

If he is hibernating You should be able to see his whiskers moving ever so slightly.. And it should only take 5-10 mins to warm him up...


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## momentofmadness (Jul 19, 2008)

Best body heat would be in warm hands that way you will feel him if he moves..... How is he.. has he come round yet?


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## happysaz133 (Jun 5, 2008)

Yes, if he is breathing, even slightly, he's likely in hibernation. You should get a warm hot water bottle, with a towl on top, and lay him on it, and keep the room warm too. My parents have always sworn that holding a glass with a nip of whisky in under their noses brings them round (and yes, it has always worked for us...alky hamsters!). 

Hope you can bring him round.


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## momentofmadness (Jul 19, 2008)

happysaz133 said:


> Yes, if he is breathing, even slightly, he's likely in hibernation. You should get a warm hot water bottle, with a towl on top, and lay him on it, and keep the room warm too. My parents have always sworn that holding a glass with a nip of whisky in under their noses brings them round (and yes, it has always worked for us...alky hamsters!).
> 
> Hope you can bring him round.


How long do you think oit takes for them to come round.. I have always been told about 5-10 mins.. and if much longer than that, that they have passed away...


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## Phenobarbie (Sep 28, 2009)

OMG it worked.
Im so happy! I thought i'd lost him :crying:
He opened his eyes realy slowly and was just still in my arms for about 5minutes until decided to venture off somewhere
Hes very stumbly and seems to have to take alot of effort to move his back legs, as well as his ears still being down and refusing food.
On the other hand - i held him in my hands and he didnt bite me?
(I was looking to give him to someone more experienced as hes very bitey)
And he climbed across my hands with no bites either.

I've taken most of the toys/levels out of his cage as he keeps walking into them, and im going to keep an eye on his tonight, as well as make time to check on him in the morning, and do the same if it happens again.


I'm so happy he's ok. I had him curled up, stone cold in my hands, crying to my mum who was in the bath


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## momentofmadness (Jul 19, 2008)

Phenobarbie said:


> OMG it worked.
> Im so happy! I thought i'd lost him :crying:
> He opened his eyes realy slowly and was just still in my arms for about 5minutes until decided to venture off somewhere
> Hes very stumbly and seems to have to take alot of effort to move his back legs, as well as his ears still being down and refusing food.
> ...


You need to make sure he is in a room that is warm enough for him to stay out of hibernation....


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## u-look-like-a-hamster (Aug 17, 2008)

Give him some lukewarm milk and some extra bedding, maybe even some bread soaked in milk 

try him with that
xx


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## Jazzy (Apr 15, 2009)

Phenobarbie said:


> OMG it worked.
> Im so happy! I thought i'd lost him :crying:
> He opened his eyes realy slowly and was just still in my arms for about 5minutes until decided to venture off somewhere
> Hes very stumbly and seems to have to take alot of effort to move his back legs, as well as his ears still being down and refusing food.
> ...


He doesn't sound very well to me. If it was just hibernation I would have thought he would have been okay by now. I have some of my hamsters in the kitchen and it does get quite cold in there at night but I cover their cages with fleecy blankets to keep them warm and they have been fine.
Hope he's okay.


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## u-look-like-a-hamster (Aug 17, 2008)

Jazzy said:


> He doesn't sound very well to me. If it was just hibernation I would have thought he would have been okay by now. I have some of my hamsters in the kitchen and it does get quite cold in there at night but I cover their cages with fleecy blankets to keep them warm and they have been fine.
> Hope he's okay.


If he has been like that for a few days he will probably be dehyrated, so it explains the bumping into things

If h wont drink try and get him to drink with either a milk bottle top filled with water so he doesnt have to give any effort
or syringe it into his mouth  
gl


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## Phenobarbie (Sep 28, 2009)

We've had the heating on all night for a few days, so its not as if it was cold enough in my room for him to get cold enough to hibernate, thats the strange thing.
Plus- my room is the warmest in the house - my mum insists on keeping my rats/hamsters in the porch out of the way  but even i wouldnt sleep out there is so freezing.
They've always stayed in my room, and its always a good temperature for them.

Max has gone straight back to bed, so im going to wake him up in a minute just to make sure he's his usual grumpy self 
I really hope he's ok.


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## Phenobarbie (Sep 28, 2009)

Thanks for all your replies.
I put a bit of white bread in a milk cap and topped it up with milk and put it in his cage.
He nibbled a bit of the bread and lapped up some milk - but still has his ears back and is still, not biting me when i handle him!
Other than that, he seems to have returned back to his normal self a bit more, and isnt so wobbly on his feet.

For now, i have put extra bedding in his bed, and a big pile more of it in the corner incase its not enough.
His toys will stay out until tomorrow, too


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## Emmiiee (Jan 3, 2010)

omg after reading tht it makes me wonder if the hamster i thought was dead was actually alive!!! but my one was blue tho :/ and u cudnt see any breathing or heartbeat x


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## zacknzena (Jan 2, 2010)

my bf's mum buried his hamster cause she thought it was dead and later on she found out it could of being hibernating


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## blade100 (Aug 24, 2009)

this could also oh happened to me when i was 12yrs old i had a hammie who i thought was dead so we buried him.he could've been hibernating.i hope he was dead for his sake


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## happysaz133 (Jun 5, 2008)

I'm glad he's doing a bit better.


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## cherrie_b (Dec 14, 2008)

I had a Russian hammie hibernate a few months ago. She was exactly as you have described yours and I got her out. Very proud!  Well done xx


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## vet-2-b (Sep 25, 2008)

zacknzena said:


> my bf's mum buried his hamster cause she thought it was dead and later on she found out it could of being hibernating


my friend burried her hamster thinking it was dead saw it running around her garge 2 weeks later it only been hibernating


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