What to do if your hamster died? How to bury a hamster in winter

How to understand what is dying

The death of a pet rodent sometimes occurs unnoticed and quietly.
Having left a vigorous animal in the evening, the owner finds in the morning a cold and numb body with no signs of life. However, in many cases, careful attention will allow you to notice deviations from habitual behavior that foreshadow death. Hamsters are small animals. The size of their internal organs is appropriate, therefore the tiny heart, kidneys, and stomach wear out quickly, so the rodent does not live very long. Situations of stress and improper care do not add to the health of the animal and shorten its already short life.

An unhealthy looking pet may indicate impending death. Signs of impending aging include:

• hair loss, its unhealthy appearance;
• refusal to eat;
• increase in sleep period;
• bowel dysfunction;
• decreased motor activity.

Old age in a hamster begins at 20 - 24 months.

If a pet older than the specified age exhibits at least two of the indicated symptoms, then most likely in 1-2 weeks he will die of old age.

In addition to natural death in old age, rodents die for other reasons.

How to determine the age of a hamster?

Poisoning

Even when kept in a cage, a hamster can eat toxic substances; the symptoms of fatal poisoning are:

• salivation;
• convulsions;
• paralysis of limbs;
• coordination problems;
• rapid breathing;
• increase or decrease in temperature.

Injuries

Rodents rarely survive severe trauma. Traumatic factors can include:

• falling from a height;
• attack by domestic animals;
• awkward manipulations with a pet.

Injuries that are accompanied by blood loss, spinal fractures, and damage to the skull and brain become fatal. If, after receiving an injury, the animal lies immobilized, makes weak monotonous sounds, and has involuntary trembling of the limbs, then death may occur in the coming hours.

What to do to save a dying pet

When can you save

Timely treatment will help save your pet’s life. The hamster receives assistance:

• for minor wounds and injuries;
• for curable diseases;
• for mild poisoning.

To do this, you first need to contact a rodent specialist.

In the case when traumatic injuries are diagnosed, the pet is provided with rest, its mobility is limited and the doctor’s orders are followed.

Wound surfaces are carefully but carefully treated with aseptic means.

In the early stages of the disease, a timely diagnosis and compliance with the doctor’s prescription will help save the rodent.

If the substance or poison that caused the poisoning is known, then you need to independently or with the help of a specialist select and give an antidote or a reverse drug. Drinking plenty of water will also help, water, chamomile decoction can be given using a syringe until the signs of poisoning disappear.

Careful care, proper feeding, keeping a dry and moderately warm room will speed up the healing process and prolong the life of the pet.

In what cases can you not help?

If the pet is old, then it is impossible to save it from natural death. The mechanisms of suppression of all vital functions associated with age will inevitably cause the death of the pet.

You also cannot help a relatively young animal:

• in case of severe poisoning, especially rat poison;
• for oncological diseases;
• with injuries incompatible with life;
• under extreme stress.

What to do when you can’t help a dying rodent

If the hamster shows no signs of life other than breathing, then you can leave it alone in its usual cage until it dies out completely.

How do hamsters behave before imminent death? When an animal groans or wheezes, it is most likely experiencing severe physical pain. In this case, you need to make a decision to euthanize your pet.

Euthanasia of a sick animal doomed to death is a choice between a painless and quick death and a slow, painful death.

Euthanasia services are provided by veterinary clinics. The procedure takes place in two main stages. First, the animal is put into deep sleep under anesthesia, after which the specialist administers a medicine that stops the heart.

At the owner's request, the rodent's body will be disposed of.

How to properly bury a pet

Some cities have pet cemeteries. You can go to a veterinary clinic and use cremation services. Often owners, not knowing how to bury a hamster correctly, bury it in the park. However, dogs can dig up pets in common areas. Such funerals are prohibited by law.

You should not bury hamsters in a summer cottage if the owners grow fruits and vegetables there. When the cause of death is infection, the decaying corpse will poison the soil. The hamster must be buried away from housing, for example, in the forest. Before handling a dead rodent, you should wear gloves. The dead hamster could carry bacteria that are dangerous to human health.

Reasons for premature departure

Death during childbirth

Sometimes babies are stillborn. Sometimes the following may happen during the birth process:

• the giving birth female dies;
• newborn puppies die;
• Both mother and newborns die.

The main reason for the death of a female in childbirth is too early pregnancy. In this case, labor is weak, the fetuses that died inside the womb decompose and the animal dies.

The process is fleeting. Sometimes the female manages to give birth to several completely alive and strong hamsters, and then dies. In this case, the owner is faced with the question of what to do with the offspring. If there is no experience and opportunity to feed the offspring every 2 hours with a special milk formula and warm them, then it is wiser to euthanize the newborns. Otherwise, any error in care will cause illness and death of pets.

The birth of stillborn cubs or their death in the first minutes of life and the subsequent death of the female indicate not only a pathological birth, but also a previous illness.

During or after a fight

Hamsters fight very fiercely. In the wild, hamsters live alone, so at home they will protect their home from their fellows.

In this case, rodent fights end in death.

It is almost impossible to save an animal from lacerated bite wounds; if the fight happened at night, then most likely a dead animal will be found in the cage in the morning.

After or during anesthesia

If a sick or injured hamster is treated under anesthesia, the animal may fall asleep so deeply that it gradually stops breathing and cardiac activity.

Sudden death

A pet hamster can die due to general health. The causes of sudden death are heart attacks or strokes. Such disorders are associated with the functioning of blood vessels and the heart; they are quite typical for these rodents. Sudden cardiac arrest may be the result of severe fright, such as that caused by a sudden attack by a cat.

Death from boredom

By nature, hamsters are loners. During the breeding season, they do not form social groups, and the female spends only a few hours with the male. If after mating the partner does not leave in time, then he may become a victim of the female, who in these animals can be larger and stronger. Therefore, you should not attribute human feelings and emotions to a rodent; they are not capable of dying of melancholy if the cage is cleaned and there is food and water.

Causes caused by incorrect temperature conditions

In order to understand whether the hamster is really sick if he does not move but breathes, it is worth carrying out a detailed examination. Attention should be drawn to the baby's eyes, breathing rate, and the naturalness of his posture. If your pet breathes calmly and steadily with his eyes closed, it is most likely that he is simply sleeping.

Heatstroke

It is known that individuals of the order of the hamster family, without exception, cannot tolerate heat or direct sunlight. Oddly enough, nature has deprived them of a system of protection against overheating; pets never sweat or breathe through their mouths like dogs. There are known cases where heat stroke resulted in death for animals.

To understand that your baby is overheated when he lies on his side and breathes heavily, you should pay attention to the presence of such signs as:

• no attempt to roll over or make any movements;
• lethargy;
• presence of seizures;
• impaired coordination of movements.

The likelihood of heatstroke occurring when your hamster is motionless and panting increases under the following conditions:

• improper transportation of the baby in personal transport;
• installing the cage on a balcony, window sill, in a place exposed to direct sunlight;
• installing the cage near heating devices;
• with high room humidity and stuffiness.

If you don’t immediately help your pet when he doesn’t move but is breathing, he may not be saved. For this reason, it is worth providing first aid to the animal, which is to:

• cool his body temperature - put the baby on a damp towel, tile, moisten his ears and paws with cool water. Do not rub frozen ice cubes or place them in water;
• inject subcutaneously 2 ml of water that the animal usually drinks to prevent dehydration;
• carry out anti-shock therapy - without waiting for the doctor, this should not be done. But if the ratologist is delayed, and the pet is getting worse, he can be given an injection in the hind leg (intramuscularly) of prednisolone 30 mg/ml with a syringe intended for administering insulin. The dose for a Syrian will be 0.1 ml, and for a Djungarian - 0.5 ml.

"Coma" or hibernation

If the hamster lies without moving, it is possible that the pet has fallen into a kind of coma, that is, into hibernation. His breathing remains calm and even, and his skin will be somewhat cool. In the wild, hibernation of individuals of the hamster order usually occurs in the winter season, when they need to survive cold, hunger, and decreased daylight hours.

The causes of “coma” can be the lack of food for several days in the absence of its strategic reserves, a heating shutdown or a sharp cold snap, which makes the apartment cool. The main signs that the baby is hibernating will be:

• closed eyes while breathing;
• cold but soft to the touch body;
• slow heartbeat (no more than a beat every 15 seconds).

In such cases, it is recommended to place the animal’s cage in a room where the temperature is equal to or above 20°C, and fill its feeder and drinking bowl. Within a few days, if all is well, the animal usually wakes up. If, after emerging from hibernation, he has impaired coordination of movement, which does not go away, he begins to sneeze, cough, or develops diarrhea, as evidenced by a wet tail, you should consult a veterinarian. And since it is undesirable to transport the baby after waking up from hibernation, it is better if he arrives on his own.

Causes of hamster death

The death of a tiny creature can be provoked by various factors, so first of all you need to understand why hamsters die. Here are the most common reasons:

1. Old age. The biological clock of small rodents runs very quickly. Their life is short even when kept in optimal conditions. The animal's heart and blood vessels wear out very quickly, as a result the animal dies before reaching 3 years of age.
2. Unhealthy food. Hamsters are omnivores, they will willingly eat everything you offer them. But not all food is good for a rodent, so responsibility for the proper nutrition of the animal lies with the owners. Most human foods are harmful to a hamster. Spicy and sour foods corrode the walls of the digestive tract, resulting in ulcers from which the furry friend will die long and painfully. Some foods cause severe diarrhea; due to dehydration, the fluffy can die within two days.
3. Hypothermia. Djungarian hamsters and representatives of the Syrian breed need to maintain a special temperature regime. Optimal air temperature values ​​are 22±2ºС. A prolonged drop in temperature provokes colds. Hamsters often die from hypothermia after water treatments if the owners are too lazy to dry the animal’s fur. Drafts can also kill a fluffy.
4. Diseases. The deadliest diseases in rodents are cancers. Hamsters also suffer from viral and bacterial infections. If your dzhungarik died, then diabetes mellitus may well be the cause. Intracavitary parasites also deal a crushing blow to the health of a tiny creature. If a homa falls from a height, he may receive injuries that are incompatible with life.
5. Stress. A stressful situation can be caused by a number of factors. This includes unsanitary conditions in the cage, monotonous food, and the presence of cats and dogs at home. Violation of the daily routine also makes the animal nervous.
6. Difficult birth. If a hamster gives birth before 4 months of age, she may die. There is also a risk of death if there are too many cubs.

If the hamster suddenly died, there could be any reasons. But when a homa has been living with you for 3 years, becoming more lethargic day by day, he dies of old age. Let's consider this issue in more detail.

Death from old age

The main cause of death in older animals (and not only hamsters) is wear and tear of the heart muscle and blood vessels. For example, in a person in a calm state, the heart beats at a frequency of approximately 70 beats per minute. In a hamster, this figure is 180 beats per minute. Just imagine how this tiny heart works!

Many factors throughout life cause stress conditions in furries, during which the heart works much faster. Thus, the heart muscle of small animals wears out very quickly, so an old hamster can die, even if all other organs are healthy.

Wear and tear of the blood vessels can result in hemorrhage into the animal’s brain, followed by paralysis. That is, Homa is still alive, but he can no longer play, run in a wheel or move at all. What to do in such a situation, put your friend to sleep or continue to care for him? This is a decision you must make yourself.

How do hamsters die?

The death of a pet can be expected or sudden. Hamsters can die screaming or absolutely silently. Here are the signs that your hamster is dying suddenly:

• if the pet is sick, he will cry, gradually his voice will turn into a fading wheeze;
• if a pet falls from a great height, it can damage its spine, in which case its body will be limp, and death will occur within an hour;
• The paralysis of an animal can be determined by its immobility. Khoma breathes, can eat a little, but is no longer able to move independently. From now on, the hamster's days are numbered.

In the case of prolonged illnesses and old age, the following external signs will help to recognize the approaching death of the animal:

1. The animal became lethargic and unsociable, although previously it was willing to be handled.
2. Sudden weight loss and the animal's refusal to eat indicate that the end is near. Also, a sure sign of dying is that the homa has stopped storing food: he feels that he will not need food soon.
3. The animal's eyes do not shine as before and gradually become cloudy.
4. The fur takes on a dull appearance and begins to fall out or become matted.

Signs of illness

Although hamsters may sometimes seem to die without warning, many animals are notorious for hiding their illness until they are too sick to do so. This usually happens when they are moments away from death. This is why it is important to take any changes in your pet's behavior seriously, as signs of illness are often very subtle. It could be a potential red flag if your hamster exhibits any of the following symptoms:

• Lethargy. If your hamster seems less active, especially if he is still in his prime, this could be a sign of an advanced disease.
• Increased sleep time. This is to be expected in older hamsters, but may also indicate illness.
• Their coats are unkempt.
• Anorexia or change in appetite.
• Any changes in bowel movements.
• Any changes in breathing.
• Increased drinking or urination.
• Weight loss. It can be incredibly helpful to weigh your senior hamster once a week to monitor any changes in weight.
• Excessive care.

Preventing premature death

In order for a hamster to live a long and happy life and die only of old age, you need to take good care of it. Here are a number of rules that will help prolong the life of your pet:

1. Feed the animal correctly, do not give fatty, spicy and sour foods. Remember: rodents should not eat stale food!
2. Clean the cage often to reduce the chance of contracting a bacterial infection.
3. Eliminate sources of stress and danger: electrical appliances, cats and dogs. Do not disturb your pet's usual routine, do not play with him forcefully.
4. Do not wash the animal unless absolutely necessary and do not leave the cage with the animal in drafts.
5. You cannot cross rodents too early: the hamster may die during childbirth.
6. Communicate with your furry friend, he should feel your love.
7. Take your fluffy to the vet periodically.

It happens that, despite all the efforts of owners and veterinarians, a pet dies. If you want to get a hamster or other animal again, thoroughly rinse the cage and all hamster furniture, and pour boiling water over it several times. This will help fight bacteria that may have caused the death of your previous pet.

Now you know why your pet may die. It should be remembered that not all hamster diseases are treatable. Therefore, preventing their development plays an important role. Timely consultations with a veterinarian, proper care of the animal, and a balanced diet will help extend its life. But if your hamster dies of old age, it is, alas, impossible to save him.

Other diseases typical for pets

Often the reason that a hamster lies, does not move, does not eat, does not drink, but breathes, are infectious and viral diseases. In such cases, it is advisable to pay attention to additional signs, since in the absence of timely medical assistance, the hamster may die.

Pneumonia

Pneumonia, or “pneumonia,” can occur if the cage has been left in a draft or in a cool, humid room, such as a bathroom, for a long time. Additional signs of its development, in addition to frequent breathing, are:

• wheezing, gurgling in the lungs, which can be heard without additional equipment;
• presence of nasal discharge;
• lack of physical activity, lethargy;
• lack of appetite.

In such cases, it is best to call a ratologist, because the animal will need intensive injection therapy for 10-14 days. Only a specialist can prescribe medications. However, rapid breathing can cause heart failure. Upon examination, only a veterinarian will be able to indicate the real reason for this behavior.

Agony

If the hamster lies motionless, his eyes are open, and his breathing is heavy, he is most likely in his death throes. This often occurs after the animal falls ill a few days before the onset of such a condition. It’s a pity that if the hamster is breathing heavily and lying on his back, most likely there is no way to help him. An experienced veterinarian will suggest performing a euthanizing injection in such cases.

To make sure that the baby is really in agony, you need to remember whether he had diarrhea in the last 24 hours, whether his stomach suddenly increased in size and whether the pet lost weight. Hamsters cannot get sick for a long time because their metabolism is too fast. For this reason, you should immediately call a veterinarian or go to him for an appointment yourself, because hamsters “burn out” literally in a day or two.

What can a hamster die from?

A variety of reasons can lead to the death of hamsters, ranging from accidents while walking or poor diet to severe cancer.

It will be useful for you to know what you need to successfully keep hamsters.

Poor nutrition

This reason is perhaps the most common of those that lead to the death of any animals kept in captivity.

In the wild, hamsters tend to choose for their own food only those foods that are likely to benefit their body, while at home they quite often allow themselves to feast on various foods that are not normally included in their natural diet.

Most often, this begins to happen after the owner of the small animal treats it with some inappropriate food.

Did you know? During the night, a hamster can cover a distance of 10 kilometers on its wheel.

To avoid health problems associated with an incorrect menu, you should first study the lists of permitted (and even necessary) and prohibited foods for a hamster.

You can also purchase ready-made food for rodents in pet stores, then your pet will be provided with the necessary complex of nutrients.

Violation of content rules

The size of the cage and the material from which it is made, the availability of food and clean water, the possibility of grinding teeth, regular sanitary and hygiene measures - all this is of great importance for the life and health of the hamster.

If you forget to fill the feeders and drinkers on time and clean the tray, you can significantly shorten the life of a small pet.

It is also possible that the owners are very attentive to the issue of caring for their pet, but do not know some important rule. For example, they do not understand that a hamster cannot be kept in an area that is too limited in size; it is undesirable to place two males in one cage, as well as a male and pregnant or recently given birth females.

It will be useful for you to know whether you can give your hamster cabbage.

Very often, owners, especially children, forget that hamsters should not be disturbed while sleeping.

Drafts and stuffiness

Hamsters react very gently to any change in weather and temperature conditions, which is why they should never be placed near windows and doorways. The comfortable temperature for the normal life of these animals is +15…+20 °C.

In addition, excess sunlight can not only lead to overheating and subsequent death of the animal, but also ruin its daily routine, which also negatively affects health.

Pregnancy and childbirth

Pregnancy itself is very rarely a process that leads to death, but during childbirth, hamsters die much more often. But during pregnancy they are very susceptible to a variety of infectious and viral diseases, influenza, and various concomitant gynecological diseases, which often cause the death of females.

Find out more about how hamsters give birth.

Childbirth can be complicated as a result of an inappropriate degree of development of the female’s reproductive system, the too large size of her cubs, various complications in the form of bleeding, ruptures, fractures of the pelvic bones, etc.

In order to avoid the possible death of pets as a result of pregnancy and childbirth, it is recommended to first select the healthiest and strongest potential parents for the breeding process. The age of all hamsters entering the reproductive period is quite low and is only 1–1.5 months for a female and 2–3 months for a male.

To increase the likelihood of successful completion of the breeding process, experienced hamster breeders recommend using only females over 4 months of age and males over 6 months of age for breeding.

Did you know? Hamsters can swim quite well using their cheek pouches. They fill them with air, which helps the animals stay on the surface better.

Stroke, heart attack

The frequency of development of these pathologies in hamsters directly depends on their diet, age and vital activity.

The likelihood of these dangerous conditions occurring is negatively affected by the pet’s advanced age, decreased vital activity, as well as a diet rich in a large variety of fats, incl. cholesterol. Controlling cholesterol levels is especially important, since it affects the degree of development of atherosclerosis in the vessels, which is the cause of such conditions.

Sometimes, as a result of a stroke, a hamster can be paralyzed and will live in a cage for a long time with immobilized front or hind limbs. As for heart attacks, the likelihood of successfully surviving them is extremely low, but sometimes this happens.

Caring for an animal that has suffered one of these conditions must be as thorough as possible; it must be given as much attention as possible and try to brighten up the remaining short period of its life.

Find out more about how much a hamster costs and its maintenance.

Diseases and injuries

This group includes a variety of bacterial infections, viral infections, parasitic infestations, metabolic diseases, dysfunction of the endocrine, nervous, digestive, respiratory and other systems, various oncological diseases, as well as fractures, paralysis, cuts, skeletal injuries, deaths due to falls and more many other reasons.

It is almost impossible to effectively resist such a variety of such varied causes, so the best option for preventing them is to carefully monitor the current state of your pet’s health, adequately respond to the slightest signs of the appearance of any pathology, and prevent the occurrence of various potentially traumatic situations for the animal.

Important! If you detect the slightest signs of any disease or injury, immediately contact your veterinarian, as only adequate and timely actions can guarantee a complete cure for your pet.

Old age

Old age is perhaps the most common cause of death. On average, the lifespan of these pets varies from 3 to 4 years, but a pet that has crossed the 2.5 year mark is already considered elderly.

Many of his body's systems are most likely thoroughly worn out and require serious medicinal support. The onset of old age can be determined by a decrease in the density of the animal's hair, the appearance of gray hairs in the coat, a significant decrease in activity and interest in games and entertainment with the owners.

We recommend reading about how long hamsters live.

What to tell your child

Children are very worried about the loss of a pet, which is why it is important for parents to give it as much attention and support as possible during such a difficult period. There is no point in hiding the truth about the death of a hamster; in the future, the child will have to face death, but in what form this should be conveyed to him depends on the age and character of the baby.

You should not scold your child if for some time after the incident he continues to bring bad grades from school and behave detachedly; after all, he recently lost a friend.

Buying a new pet to replace the old one would also be a wrong decision. Children need to be given the opportunity to come to terms with the loss of their previous pet.

How to tell if your hamster is dying

There are several signs that allow you to determine with high certainty that your hamster is dying.

They can be divided into two large subgroups: external signs and behavioral reactions.

External signs

1. Loss of shine and clouding of the eyes. Sometimes - the formation of a whitish film on the eyeball.
2. Reducing the weight of the animal.
3. Loss of shine in the coat and loss of individual hairs.
4. Formation of problems with the fulfillment of natural needs.
5. Difficulty breathing, obsessive coughing, sneezing, profuse nasal discharge.
6. Loss of functionality of the limbs, difficulty moving.
7. Long-term absence of traces of feces in the tray and on the bedding in the cage.
8. Formation of bruises, bruises and abrasions on the skin even from minor physical impacts.
9. Lack of visible reactions to external stimuli.
10. A clearly visible pulsation of the animal’s abdomen that does not coincide with the breathing rate.

Important! These signs alone may not necessarily indicate imminent death, but the appearance of a complex of more than three of them is a serious reason to think about the health of the hamster.

Behavior

1. Decreased activity of the hamster, loss of interest in exploring the environment and playing.
2. Prolonged refusal of food and water.
3. Increasing the duration of daytime sleep.
4. Aggressive behavior towards their owners, fellow tribesmen and other domestic animals.
5. A strange squeaking sound, quite loud at first, but gradually fading away.
6. Stopping the transfer of food from the feeder to hiding places inside the cage.
7. Violation of adequate sleep and wakefulness for hamsters.
8. Negative reaction to favorite treats and attempts by owners to stir up an apathetic animal.
9. Impossibility or lack of need to perform natural needs.

Common causes of falling on your back

However, not everything is so scary. When a hamster falls on its back, it may just be playing. The main reasons that can cause an animal to fall are:

And yet, if the hamster falls on its back, tumbles, runs on the drum, behaves actively, eats well, there is no need to worry, since everything is fine with it. In order to understand what provoked such animal behavior - a desire to have fun or illness, it is enough to observe for some time.

“Syrian hamsters may hibernate when the ambient temperature drops sharply, when the animals are experiencing a lack of water, etc. A hibernating hamster may feel hard and cold to the touch, with very little breathing. Careful observation of such a hamster will show that its chest continues to move at certain intervals. If the hamster has not prepared for winter, and hibernation occurs unexpectedly, the animal must be awakened to avoid dehydration and starvation. The hamster needs to be placed in a warm place, or the temperature in the room in which the cage is located should be increased. The hamster should not be placed near open fires, heaters or radiators. With gradual awakening, the hamster will begin to move and tremble, its body temperature will gradually increase, and its breathing rate will increase. Full awakening from hibernation usually occurs within 30-60 minutes.” (With)

“Hamsters do not hibernate, but when the ambient temperature drops to 10 degrees they can fall into torpor. A hamster can be brought out of such a stupor by warming it in the palms of your hands.” (With)

“Many animals hibernate during the winter to survive harsh living conditions such as cold and lack of food. During hibernation, the animal's metabolism decreases significantly, resulting in energy savings. Breathing and blood circulation slow down, body temperature decreases. For example, the body temperature of marmots drops so much that it exceeds the ambient temperature by only 3°C. If the temperature in their burrow is 8°C above zero, then their body temperature is about 11°C! But Djungarian hamsters follow a different strategy to survive the cold winter in their homeland. They do not hibernate, but remain active throughout the winter. However, in order to save maximum energy, during rest they fall into so-called torpor. Torpor refers to a physiological state that occurs in some small mammals. During torpor, metabolism drops to a minimum, so that all body functions are simultaneously maintained on a “low flame.” As a result of this, the animals become completely inactive and remain in a state of bodily rigor. There are practically no reactions to external stimuli in this state. Unlike hibernation, torpor does not occur at a certain time of the year, but at a certain time of day. Thus, sleepy torpor is much shorter than hibernation and lasts several hours during the day when the animal is inactive. The fact that Djungarian hamsters can fall into torpor during inactivity in winter was revealed as a result of laboratory studies. The change between the active phase and the torpor phase occurs in a cycle that repeats every day. This cycle begins approximately 30-60 minutes before sunrise, when numbness sets in, which begins with a drop in body temperature. The animal remains in winter rigor for approximately 4-9 hours. At the end of the torpor phase, the body temperature of the Djungarian hamster drops to approximately 20°C. Moreover, unlike hibernation, body temperature does not depend on the ambient temperature. Thus, there is no difference whether the Djungarian hamster’s ambient temperature is 5°C or 15°C; in both cases, the animal’s body temperature will not fall below 20°C. At the end of torpor, the animals slowly wake up and remain active the rest of the day, spending most of the time searching for food. When morning twilight sets in, Djungarian hamsters again fall into torpor, and a new cycle begins.”

What to do if your hamster dies

There is no universal method that would help against all causes that can provoke death.

It will be useful for you to know why hamsters squeak constantly.

Nevertheless, it is necessary to navigate how critical a particular condition is in case the condition is reversible.

When can you save

You can fight for your pet's life:

• in case of a prompt response to the occurrence of a stroke and heart attack, there are quite high chances of saving the pet;
• with the use of adequate antibacterial therapy, it is possible to overcome many infectious and bacterial diseases;
• if the hamster’s condition has just begun to deteriorate and you realize that this is due to an improper diet or violation of living conditions, prompt elimination of these causes can significantly improve the animal’s condition;
• in case of minor injuries and fractures, with proper care, complete recovery is possible;
• if the hamster, despite a clearly visible illness, continues to eat and show at least minor activity, then, most likely, he will be able to recover.

In what cases it is impossible to help

The chances of success are low in the following situations:

• the hamster is too old, since his body has already exhausted all available resources;
• in case of development of cancer;
• if you did not have time to provide first aid to the hamster within the first 2 hours after the stroke and the next 2 days after the heart attack;
• in case of complications arising as a result of pregnancy or childbirth due to the too small size of the reproductive organs and the resulting impossibility of effective surgical intervention;
• if the hamster no longer responds to the introduction of antibacterial agents by improving well-being and behavioral reactions;
• if the animal cannot move independently at all;
• It is unlikely that you will be able to help your pet if he no longer shows any interest in food and sleeps more than 22 hours a day;
• If a hamster has not gone to the toilet for three days, the likelihood of his recovery is almost zero.

Important! All these indicators are also complex and for the most adequate assessment it is recommended to consult a specialist.

Hibernation. How to identify it and not bury the hamster alive?

If the hamster died for no apparent reason, then you should not immediately grieve and go to bury it, since the rodent could simply have hibernated. This happens due to low temperatures, poor care or improper feeding. In the event of unfavorable living conditions, hamsters are able to slow down all processes of their life until better times come.

Determining hibernation is simple; for this you need:

• Touch the hamster. If he is soft and warm, then he is most likely sleeping. If the unfortunate person’s body has already become cold and numb, then the conclusion is disappointing.
• If there are serious doubts about the death of your pet, you can try to feel its heartbeat.
• You need to bring a mirror to the nose - if there are barely noticeable traces of fogging on it, then the pet is still alive.

Usually hibernation in hamsters lasts no more than a couple of days, but if the rodent does not wake up for a long time, then it will have to be considered dead.

There are many reasons for death