Why has my Syrian Hamster Died?
I know this may sound strange but make sure he has actually died before you do anything, my mum was telling me about her friend who had a hamster and as they were putting it in the grave they made for it the box started moving and it was alive, this was due to it hibernating. Syrian Hamsters can hibernate when there is a sudden change in their environment ie sudden temperature drop, lack of water, etc. A hibernating hamster may appear stiff and cold with little evidence of breathing and many owners have assumed a hibernating hamster to be dead at first. Careful observation will reveal that the whiskers continue to twitch at intervals if the hamster is hibernating. Due to the fact that hamsters do not 'plan' to hibernate but it is induced by a sudden environment change they should be roused to avoid dehydration and starvation. The hamster should be placed in a warm room or the temperature of the room increased slightly. The hamster should not be placed near a fire or on a radiator or anywhere in extreme heat. As the hamster begins to rouse the hamster will start to shake and tremble, the body temperature will gradually rise and the twitching of the whiskers will increase. Full arousal from hibernation can often take between 30 and 60 minutes. Once the hamster is active plenty of food and water should be available and the hamster should be left quietly. Dwarf Hamsters deal much better with colder temperatures than Syrian Hamsters and are not known to hibernate. If you hamster has died then i am sorry for you loss x "Additional Details oh my goshh do you really think it could have been hibernating my mum has already binned it x is there a way i can tell from wat i remember it looked lky he breathed once can he wake up really easy from hibernation??" Can you get it back out of the bin? if so just put it bck in the cage wrapped up warm and see what happens, even if he has died you don't want to kill it by leaving it out there to die :( Better to be safe than sorry x
What temperature is too hot for Hamsters?
The range is 65 to 80 degrees F. The above is right the hamster might go into hibernation if the temperature drops below about 41 degrees F. ADDENDUM: I am adding a link because you are getting varying temperatures in replies. I do not want you to think I pulled these numbers out of the air. The web site "says" it is authored by a vet. Easy enough to verify I suppose. Anyway, the link with all three temperatures I gave is at (Please see Housing): http://www.dcn.davis.ca.us/vme/DrSue/ham...
Can you give a hamster tap water?
You can give them both, although I do suggest using room-temperature bottled water. If you have a well, don't use that water, it's not even the best for humans do drink. In winter, don't give them hot / warm water as it can give them a shock and it could burn their tongues. Also, in summer don't use cold water and don't put ice-cubes in the water bottle because as it melts little pieces could get stuck in the part were the water comes out. Hope this helped :)
What is the reason why my hamster suddenly died?
Most likely because it was old. Hamsters can drop dead in the middle of running on their wheel, or be found dead in their cage in the morning. Pet shops don’t always know the age of a hamster, so when you bought it, it may already have lived at least half it’s life span of about 2/3 years.Incidentally, one thing to be aware of is that hamsters will suddenly go into hibernation in winter if they are kept in a cold room. They look and feel dead. Their metabolic rate slows right down and it is very difficult to know if it is dead or merely hibernating. Look for signs of breathing. It will take a breath only once every two minutes or so. Failing that, try to check it’s heartbeat by putting finger and thumb either side of its chest, just above the elbows and apply firm pressure. It could be up to two minutes before you will notice a very slow pulse. Don’t worry if it feels cold. Your pet’s temperature will have dropped to match the ambient temperature around it. Hamsters should be OK if kept in over 18 degrees C. and in the Spring/Summer weather your hamster would have been fine. Just died because it had lived it’s natural short lifespan.In the days before most houses had central heating and the weather turned very cold, my hamsters would decide to go into hibernation. I used to put their cages into the airing cupboard for a few hours and they would wake up and be racing around their wheel. I would then ensure they were always in a warm room. I didn’t want them wasting too much of their all too short lives in hibernation!
Is it ok for a hamster to be in a cold room?
I live in Singapore so it's pretty hot, I turn on my air conditioner and my hamster finds it just fine, as long as there is enough bedding, you can give your hamster some cut up (towel) cloth, that's what I give mine, by now she's already use to the chilliness of the area so yes, it is okay for a hamster to be in a cold room. (I put my AC up to 16 degrees Celsius)
What are interesting social behaviors of hamsters?
@Hamsters tend to bond well with humans, Teddy Bear Hamsters being the most popular and friendly. The Teddy Bear has many different names - Golden, Syrian. Standard, or Fancy hamster. They tend to use their instincts regularly and have two big pouches in their cheeks - one for each. They use them to stuff food to store for later or to gather material for their bed. Amazingly, anything they stuff into these pouches stays dry and they can stuff a huge amount into them. Their whiskers are vital to them as they replace the hamster's eyesight since hamster's eyesight is poor. Safety is everything to hamsters and will always explore their environment before settling in. They are a bit nocturnal, but may wake up in the early evening to play. However, he will also play late into the night. Hamsters will hibernate if the temperature drops below 50-60 degrees Fahrenheit. Be sure to not mingle your hamster with other hamsters unless they are of different gender or are siblings/parents. Hamsters are not big pack animals. But beware, if you keep hamsters of different genders together you might end up with baby hamsters. When you first get a hamster, the cage may stink just a LITTLE because they will be marking their territory. However, after their territory is marked, they leave almost no smell. They are very clean animals, and even clean their own environment. Wheels, balls, and other toys are great happiness for hamsters. Surprisingly, you can even train your hamster with little treats, although i recommend natural treats such as celery or carrot peelings, etc. If you have ever had a dog. the training is similar to that and before you know it, you'll be showing your hamster off with all its nice tricks! Since hamsters like sleeping, they're also very good snugglers and are great for watching a cozy movie with. Wow, Information overdose! If you want to know some more about the lovely hamster, this website is a great info site: Natural Hamster Behavior | Pet Care Article | petco.com
What is a healthy Syrian hamsters Weight?
Physiological and Anatomical Characteristics Basic Characteristics of the Golden Syrian Hamster Adult Male weight 85 to 130 grams Adult Female weight 90 to 150 grams Birth weight 2 grams Female breeding age 6 to 10 weeks or 95 to 120 grams Male breeding age 10 to 14 weeks or 85 to 110 grams Estrous cycle 4 days Gestation 15 to 18 (average 16 days) Weaning Age 20 - 25 days or approximately 35 grams Litter size 4 to 12 (average 6 to 8) Postpartum estrus 4 days Breeding life of the female 1 year (5 - 7 litters) Breeding life of the male 1 year Daily water requirements ad libitum (>20 ml/100g/day) Daily feed adult male >15g/100g/day Daily feed pregnant females 10 to 15 grams Recommended temperature range 65 or 75F Relative humidity 55 to 60 % Day/night cycle 14 hour day and 10 hour night Respiration rate 33 to 127 (median of 74) Heart rate 450/min (range of 250 to 600) Body temperature 96.8F (36-38C) Life span 18 - 24 months Diploid number 44