Malaysia Veterinary Forum (Archive)

sigma83 · Joined: 22 Aug 2007 Posts: 2

I have no idea what happened to it; yesterday morning it seemed sickly, it wasn't opening its eyes but it could still run from me when I tried to see what was wrong. It seemed listless and lethargic, but I put it down to sleepiness because this particular hamster has never been that active. 12 hours later, at about 1 in the morning, my brother informed me that it had just crawled into its bedding and died.

I am primarily concerned for its cagemate. I've cleaned the cage thoroughly, but what can I do for the survivor? I feel really sorry for her; she was sniffing the spot where her friend had died and digging through the bedding as if trying to find her. Should I get her checked out? As of 18 hours after initial symptoms the survivor is still behaving normally. Should I get another hamster? This particular pair of robos were very social and interacted a lot. My heart really pains for them.

Any advice would be helpful, and thank you in advance for reading this.

Dr Nat · Joined: 07 Dec 2005 Posts: 1834 Location: Klang Valley

I have no idea what happened to your hamster. The causes of it could be just about anything! If you really want to know, a post mortem is the only way to find out.

Dwarf hamsters are particularly social animals. But some do well alone (with you as their companion). If you think it will get lonely, then its a good idea to get another companion for it. But do remember to properly introduce them to avoid fighting.

You should disinfect the cage and its food bowls/toys and change all the bedding in the cage. You never know if there's anything contagious from the other hamster. Wait at least a few more days to observe for any signs before you can be sure that the other one is alright.

sigma83 · Joined: 22 Aug 2007 Posts: 2

Thank you for your reply Dr. Nat.

Unfortunately a post mortem is out of the question, as I've already laid Butterball to rest. :cry:

You mention introducing them properly. How do I do this? My brother suggested separating them inside the cage but I'm not sure how that's feasible.

And as an update, Snowy still appears to be perfectly normal. She's still her usual self, running around happily and eating from my hand. I really hope she doesn't catch anything.