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Old 06-18-2017, 04:16 PM   #1
neuraljam
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Join Date: Jun 2017
Location: Birmingham, UK
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Question Appeared dead for a few seconds??

Hi,

First time posting here!

So I just found my Russian dwarf, Angus, under the ramp in his cage, face against the floor, as if he'd collapsed mid-step, no sign of any movement. This panicked me a little, I slightly sharply called his name a couple of times and he suddenly started breathing again, got up and started sniffing around again, but he looked like he'd just woken up (eyes half closed). I got him out and had a bit of play time with him and he was totally awake and alert again. Can anyone explain this? Can, for example, hamster have epilepsy with the equivalent of absence seizures?
Other info:

I've had him for a year, best guess he was 3-4 months when I got him.

It's been unusually hot here in the UK for the past two days (27C, more like 21C downstairs, I had his cage in my bedroom for a couple of hours where it's warmer than that).

As it's hot I rinsed a couple of frozen peas in cold water and gave them to him. I've done this before with no ill effects, he seems to love them, but could the cold have put him into shock?

He's had a small swelling over his left eye for about 5 days, probably from a scratch or similar. It's been getting better over the past 3-4 days. Probably totally unrelated.

Any ideas?

Many thanks

-Jam
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Old 06-19-2017, 07:05 AM   #2
cypher
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Location: Wales UK
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Default Re: Appeared dead for a few seconds??

It sounds as though he may just have been sleeping out in the open due to the heat, as long as he's fine now it doesn't seem like a health issue, just keep the room as cool as you can while the heat continues & keep an eye on him for any other signs just in case there is something wrong.
I've never heard of hams having epilepsy, they can have strokes but then there would be after effects so this does just sound more like a heat issue.
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Old 06-19-2017, 07:20 AM   #3
AprilPearl
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Default Re: Appeared dead for a few seconds??

I agree that he was probably sleeping in the open because he was too hot. My Syrian, Quigley, was doing something similar this afternoon - lying stretched out on top of his substrate for once, in the shade under his platform and between his house and the cage wall. I gave him some cucumber and he perked up. Obviously, keep his cage in a cool shaded area. If you can, put a cool pack outside of the cage near the wall and put something ceramic which has been in the fridge into his cage. Cucumber to keep his water levels up is good, too.

Last edited by AprilPearl; 06-19-2017 at 10:10 AM.
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Old 06-19-2017, 05:09 PM   #4
kitty629
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Join Date: May 2017
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Default Re: Appeared dead for a few seconds??

One of my boys did something similar last week when the temp was around 97 farenheit. He was laying on his wheel with the front part of his body and legs hanging off with eyes closed. I thought he was dying. I was watching him, then one of his brothers came up sniffed him and crawled over the top of him. He then opened his mouth wide let out the biggest yawn I have ever seen from a hamster and went about his business.
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Old 06-20-2017, 04:53 AM   #5
neuraljam
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Join Date: Jun 2017
Location: Birmingham, UK
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Default Re: Appeared dead for a few seconds??

Hi guys,

Thank you for your responses! I'm starting to suspect that he was indeed sleeping, but he was totally motionless with no breathing movement, which then restarted when I called his name. He's slept in that sort of area a couple of times since but each time with breathing movements... well he seems ok now, maybe he was just dreaming and held his breath..?

But anyway like I say, thanks for the replies

-Jam
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couple, days, totally, started, cold, hed, hot, time, past, 3-4, cage, unusually, frozen, peas, rinsed, 21c, downstairs, hours, warmer, bedroom, 27c, scratch, eye, similar, jam

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