Hamster Central - View Single Post - Two dead syrians :-(

ProLoe · 10-12-2019, 08:05 PM

This August, we finally gave in to our kids wishes and got them a hamster. We opted for a Syrian (panda colored).
We did our homework and made sure to get a large enough cage (Prevue Pets 528, 32*19 inches), give only safe foods, get a safe wheel (silent runner). We have multiple hamster books and read them all.
For a month, “Leo” was doing great, full of energy, the kids loved it.
Then he was suddenly hunched up and less active one day and passed away overnight before we could take him to the vet the next morning.
At the time we figured what had happened was that we used some hamster food that a friend of ours had given us after their hamster passed away of old age at 3 years. Even though it was brand-name food, we thought it could maybe have been a bad batch and their hamster did not die of old age after all. We were so sad. After Leo passed away we cleaned out the whole cage, wiped it down with bleach water, rinsed it thoroughly with water - twice, and left it to dry. Of course we threw away the food, toys, and other stuff that wasn’t plastic, glass or metal – just in case.
Three weeks later we were ready to get a new hamster and invited “Orion” into our home (also a Syrian panda). He was shy initially but soon turned out to be just as active and fun as Leo had been.
Yesterday night we noticed that he was less active, but he seemed to be eating. This morning he was unresponsive and seemed to fit the descriptions of hibernating hamsters we read about in our book. The temperature had dropped to 66 degrees in the room he was in, so we warmed up the room to 71 and covered all but his head with extra bedding to warm him up. He seemed to be breathing regularly, but when we checked on him a few hours later he was completely stiff and cold (no sign of life, even when holding a mirror to his mouth).
What is killing our hamsters?! Food is Oxbow hamster food, bedding is Carefresh small pet bedding, as treats (3-4 time a week) we give small (half inch square) pieces of peeled carrot or peeled apple or a single cheerio (plain).
Or could it be that they’re climbers … both used to climb upside down along the cage ceiling. They would have fallen a max of 16 inches – mostly onto 3 inch high bedding although with bad luck they might have hit the ramp after a 12 inch fall – or they could have fallen unto a raised plastic platform from a height of 9 inches. We gave them plenty of hamster safe toys to distract them but they just loved to climb. I looked up the cage online but nobody else reports issues with hamsters falling and injuring themselves in that cage.
Could it be an issue with buying them from PetSmart? We live in the middle of nowhere so there are no breeders around. When we looked for a new hamster after we lost Leo, we noticed that some of the hamsters they had looked sick. So we made sure to get Orion just after he had arrived at the store. As I said, both hamsters were doing great for several weeks before they suddenly passed away.
I feel I need to know what happened before I can justify getting another Syrian … please send ideas/suggestions.

10-12-2019, 08:05 PM
ProLoe Newborn Pup Join Date: Oct 2019 Posts: 4	Two dead syrians :-( This August, we finally gave in to our kids wishes and got them a hamster. We opted for a Syrian (panda colored). We did our homework and made sure to get a large enough cage (Prevue Pets 528, 32*19 inches), give only safe foods, get a safe wheel (silent runner). We have multiple hamster books and read them all. For a month, “Leo” was doing great, full of energy, the kids loved it. Then he was suddenly hunched up and less active one day and passed away overnight before we could take him to the vet the next morning. At the time we figured what had happened was that we used some hamster food that a friend of ours had given us after their hamster passed away of old age at 3 years. Even though it was brand-name food, we thought it could maybe have been a bad batch and their hamster did not die of old age after all. We were so sad. After Leo passed away we cleaned out the whole cage, wiped it down with bleach water, rinsed it thoroughly with water - twice, and left it to dry. Of course we threw away the food, toys, and other stuff that wasn’t plastic, glass or metal – just in case. Three weeks later we were ready to get a new hamster and invited “Orion” into our home (also a Syrian panda). He was shy initially but soon turned out to be just as active and fun as Leo had been. Yesterday night we noticed that he was less active, but he seemed to be eating. This morning he was unresponsive and seemed to fit the descriptions of hibernating hamsters we read about in our book. The temperature had dropped to 66 degrees in the room he was in, so we warmed up the room to 71 and covered all but his head with extra bedding to warm him up. He seemed to be breathing regularly, but when we checked on him a few hours later he was completely stiff and cold (no sign of life, even when holding a mirror to his mouth). What is killing our hamsters?! Food is Oxbow hamster food, bedding is Carefresh small pet bedding, as treats (3-4 time a week) we give small (half inch square) pieces of peeled carrot or peeled apple or a single cheerio (plain). Or could it be that they’re climbers … both used to climb upside down along the cage ceiling. They would have fallen a max of 16 inches – mostly onto 3 inch high bedding although with bad luck they might have hit the ramp after a 12 inch fall – or they could have fallen unto a raised plastic platform from a height of 9 inches. We gave them plenty of hamster safe toys to distract them but they just loved to climb. I looked up the cage online but nobody else reports issues with hamsters falling and injuring themselves in that cage. Could it be an issue with buying them from PetSmart? We live in the middle of nowhere so there are no breeders around. When we looked for a new hamster after we lost Leo, we noticed that some of the hamsters they had looked sick. So we made sure to get Orion just after he had arrived at the store. As I said, both hamsters were doing great for several weeks before they suddenly passed away. I feel I need to know what happened before I can justify getting another Syrian … please send ideas/suggestions.