"This Hamster is dead", "He's not dead, he's just sleeping."

[Lee Bartholomew]

Anyone have experiance of hibernating hamsters?

Got mine out this eve for his daily exersise ball run and found he was very limp. Been cold here for a few days and had just moved him to attic room whilst sorting out the house so thought he might have gone in to hibernation. He was still showing signs of life. Twitching, breathing, moving alittle etc.

Layed on the sofa with him to warm him up and fell asleep watching Terminator 2 with him in my hands.

Woke up to find him stiff as a board and with no signs of life at all.

I know T2 was not as good as T1 but I am sure I have subjected my hamster to worse films.

Looked up on google and there are different stories about how much life a hibernating hamster has and nothing definertive.

Anyone any ideas?

[Northants Girly]

Oh dear Lee sorry to hear about your hamster.

A similar thing happened to mine when I was little. The liitle mite was cold and stiff but I sat and held him in front of the fire and eventually he warmed up and came to life again.

Unfortunatly the 3rd time it happened he wasn't revivable


On a similar note I also revived my goldfish a few times. They lived for many years in the end but until they finally croaked it I found that plunging them in bowls of ice cold water followed my warm water then ice cold water etc gave them a bit of a kick into living again

[Beowulf]

This has happened to me a couple of times. A hibernating hamster will stir if warmed up however if it's cold and stiff and doesn't revive after a little while then I'm afraid to say it's game over for the little furball.

Hamsters only live for an average of about 2 years. Quark lived for 2 and a half and Freya only lived for just over a year

[martingold]

Originally Posted by Beowulf

Hamsters only live for an average of about 2 years. Quark lived for 2 and a half and Freya only lived for just over a year

you see this is why i like my parrots my african greys should outlive barbs and myself by quite a lot of years

[Georgious dancer]

Originally Posted by Northants Girly

On a similar note I also revived my goldfish a few times. They lived for many years in the end but until they finally croaked it I found that plunging them in bowls of ice cold water followed my warm water then ice cold water etc gave them a bit of a kick into living again

I had a suicidal goldfish, everytime you took the lid off the tank it jumped out!

[Barry Shnikov]

I think the important thing to take away from this thread is not to fall asleep if you should ever visit Lee or Northants Girly.

Waking up again would be torture.

[Lee Bartholomew]

Originally Posted by Barry Shnikov

I think the important thing to take away from this thread is not to fall asleep if you should ever visit Lee or Northants Girly.

Waking up again would be torture.

It happens.

There is nothing worse, after a night of drinking, than waking up next to someone and not being able to remember their name, or how you met, or why they are dead.

[Barry Shnikov]

Originally Posted by Lee Bartholomew

It happens.

There is nothing worse, after a night of drinking, than waking up next to someone and not being able to remember their name, or how you met, or why they are dead.

{{You lot keep him talking, and I'll phone the police...}}

[~*~Saligal~*~]

Originally Posted by Georgious dancer

I had a suicidal goldfish, everytime you took the lid off the tank it jumped out!

Yep - I had a goldfish like that. The tank was up high on a shelf so when he dumped he really plummeted down!

[ben632664]

Originally Posted by ~*~Saligal~*~

Yep - I had a goldfish like that. The tank was up high on a shelf so when he dumped he really plummeted down!

Ever so slightly off topic.

When I was younger, around 5 years old i had a goldfish. I loved him very much.
I always wanted two goldfish though, so I got him out of the bowl and cut him in half with scissors then stirred him back into his bowl with a wooden spoon from the kitchen.

My poor mum was distraught, and so was the poor goldfish!!