hamster plays dead?

Question

ok.
so sometimes when i take my hamster out of her cage, and pet her for like a minute, she just freezes
once i actually thought she was dead
her eyes, nose, nor other part of her body moves
im not sure if they are supposed to act like this

Answer 1

Yes, hamsters do this. People have often thought their hamster to be dead and go to bury them and discover at the last minute they are alive. So with hamsters...always be very cautious....if you think they're dead...leave them till they go stiff to prove they are really dead!

Ferrets can do this too. I thought my ferret was dead and I shook it in panic, it still didn't move, I screamed...cried...called my husband who came running and eventually it slowly opened it's eyes.....it was after this that I read how this can happen!!

They get into a deep kind of sleep thing!

Hope that helps

Answer 2

Hamsters Playing

Answer 3

I once had a hamster that did this for 3 weeks straight. Then, one day while I was at school, my mother took him to a nice farm where he could run and play with other hamsters.

I sure miss him.

Answer 4

It sounds like she's frightened and has learned that if she freezes you will leave her alone.

If she were in her cage and "played dead" I would suspect that her cage is too cold. (Hamsters do hybernate if they get too cold.)

Answer 5

That is unusual.
You should take it to the vet.
But for now,
check this site out:

http://www.petwebsite.com/hamsters/hamster_health.htm

I browsed through this site
and think it could be shock your hamster is going through.

http://www.petwebsite.com/hamsters/hamster_strokes.htm

Hope your hamster well.

Answer 6

hamsters do that because they think there going to get hurt or eaten so they pretend they are dead...

Answer 7

if you just got your hamster they might not no if you are a preditor or a friend, so they freeze up to protect themselves, its an instinct.
Maybe you just suprised her and she wasnt expecting it

Answer 8

Sounds like she thinks you are going to eat her. Do you have a cat she can smell on you?

Answer 9

these are guess frm p1aces i read frm
it is either paraized rm the cage being sma11 and nt enugh rm

Answer 10

my hamsters never did that, maybe you should tell your vet, just to be safe.