How do you know if hamster is dead or just Hybernating?

Question

We reckon she is dead as colouring is gone from her paw's and nose. Whiskers aren't twitching..

Answer 1

Hibernating hamster look very much like they're dead. They've fooled quite a few expert breeders, including myself. There are also tons of stories of a dead hamster coming back to life.

Syrian hamsters can hibernate at 60 degrees. That's it. Just think of how cool your house can be in the winter. All you need is a cold spot on the floor or by a window and a hamster can easily hibernate. The dwarf species do not hibernate so if you have a dwarf, it's dead.

A hibernating Syrian will only have three heartbeats a minute and take one breath every two minutes. They are very cold to the touch but are somewhat flexible, though if you let go of them, they will slowly draw back into a ball.

Never place a hibernating Syrian near a heat source or on a hot water bottle- Never. This will cause the hamster to go into shock and it will die. I have tried this myself with five hibernating hamsters and they all died. I have had the most luck with putting some warm juice in an eyedropper. I hold the hamster sideways and use the dropper to squirt a tiny bit of warm juice on the hamsters tongue and let it run out the other side. It is important that the juice runs out of its mouth or else it could be inhaled, causing the hamster to suffocate. I do this for a couple of minutes. Usually I will start to see the tongue move. The best is when I see the hamster swallow four or five times. When I see the hamster swallow a few times, I'll but it back into the cage in a pile of fresh food. Within the next 15-30 minutes the hamster is out of it, though still a bit wobbly.

If you can't get the hamster to swallow or don't see any tongue movement try again in half an hour. Keep trying. I've never had a hamster hibernate and come out of it on their own. The ones I have hibernate that I don't "pull" out of hibernation all die. Another breeder has observed the same thing though we both know two other breeders that have their hamsters come out of it on their own. One of the breeders who hamsters come out of hibernation just fine has also noted that the hibernating hamsters are stiff, though I've never observed this.

-Janice
http://www.holmdenhillhaven.com

Answer 2

Touch him/her. If the body is soft, he/she is probably alive. Depending on how the hamster has been dead though, it may have already been through rigor mortis, but I think you would know by then!
Although they may be cold, this is because the hamster concentrates all of its heat towards the centre of its body, where the major organs are, instead of wasting it on skin heat. This is also what happens to the blood, which will be why the nose and paws are discoloured.
The hamster will also be breathing. Although this sounds really obvious, it can be very difficult to spot. Watch for stomach movements, but the breathing will be really shallow.
If you are really concerned, warm the hamster up gradually, by turning the heating up in the room by one notch, or by giving it more bedding. DO NOT put the hamster next to a direct source of heat, for example a radiator, as he/she could get heatstroke! They should then heat up, and wake up.
You could also try putting honey in some lukewarm water and putting a tiny bit on their lips/just inside the mouth. I have had success using this in hamsters with heatstroke.
If all else fails, take him/her to the vet, where they will give you a definite answer, although they can find it difficult as well!

Answer 3

Yup, good question, went through this the other month and several years ago. The body will not be stiff as when dead, also although very hard to detect will still have a very very slow breath. The hamster will feel cold, but please look at hammy and his colouring as a shrinking of the face and a change of colour can show you wether he is dead, also if you touch the whiskers and they twitch he is alive. Good luck.

Answer 4

Hamsters do not hibernate as a matter of course. If iit has gone into hibernation it's because you haven't kept it warm enough. They need a decent temperature and plenty of warm bedding. Put it close by the radiator to warm up.

Answer 5

this is a tricky one so read carefully....domestic hamsters shouldnt hibernate so they need to be kept warm if you think thats wots happening...during hibernation a hamster will seem dead coz there heart rate drops dangerously low there chest will rise ever ever so slightly(u can go blind trying to c them breath lol)and they will go deathly cold but they may not be dead put extra bedding in to get the heart rate back up and keep them warm

Answer 6

Hamsters do hibernate if it gets too chilly. the thank you to work out for valuable is their whiskers twitch very fairly and that they take a breath each a million minute. the only thank you to heat her up good is what you began to do-heat her on your hands,or much extra acceptable,down your good on your chest.it may take in to an hour for them to return around-they start twitching first of all and then would be lower back to frequent. putting them right this moment onto our heat skin is the only thank you to heat them good and get them out of hibernation good. in case you began doing it,then placed her lower back in her cage in the previous she became totally conscious she has probably long gone lower back into deep hibernation. See if her whiskers are moving like I actual have reported-this would take various minutes to work out.Then persist with my suggestion above. if this doesn'tnt heat her up then she has died,yet i think of its probably that she is hibernatinging lower back.

Answer 7

sounds minging if its dead, but poke it. if its hard..then its dead! found that one out the minging way. lol. if shes not, get a hot water bottle filled wiv hot water, cover in towels so its just warm n not hot then plonk hammy on it n it'll come round soon enuf. just b sure from then on 2 keep her above 5 degrees n she won't hybernate agn!

Answer 8

If your worried he or she is dead then you should touch and see if there is still a pulse. But they do hiibernate. Hamsters are nocturnal too so if it has been up recently you might have been asleep.

Answer 9

emmm...how long has it been hybernating? i don think hamsters do that, they normally just sleep during the day and get up at night.

Answer 10

dude, when they are dead they are rock hard, if you keep the little fur ball warm by the radiator he'll wake up, hibernation is when they are too cold or just never get let out. Death means rigger mortis. cool question