Hamster Central - View Single Post - Can you help us understand what happened please

Ria P · 01-25-2021, 07:55 AM

I have read your posts but am late in responding because i didn't quite find the right words.

First of all i want to express how sorry i am that you lost your beloved hamster.

The average life expectancy of a hamster is only 2 years and not 3-4 years. Their short life expectancy is the one and only drawback of keeping hamsters as pets.

Personally, i would never administer over the counter mite treatment to a hamster and would go to a vet who can do a skin scrape to diagnose mites before treatment. Something to keep in mind for future reference but not likely to be a contributing factor to Bruce's passing.

If you decide to get another Robo i'd definitely give him a sandbath and leave the sandbath in because they need it to clean their coats otherwise they become greasy and dishevelled looking. I put my late Robo's wheel in his large sandpit so he had a soft landing when he run so fast that he flew out of his wheel.

I have two dwarfs who i thought didn't like their sandbaths and one filled it up with substrate. I took the sandbath out, filled the area up with substrate and put in a platform with a sandbath on top which she now happily uses. She wanted one but not in the place where i had put it.
The other dwarf didn't use her sandbath for weeks, then one day she must have realized that it's great fun to chuck the sand about and send it flying in all directions. She loves it now.

If you are really worried about contracting something from a hamster while pregnant it may not be a good idea to get another one at this point in your life.

I've watched your video and must say that to me Bruce didn't look like a hamster who was ill or needed a vet. He was a lovely boy and so tame. I've never heard this particular sounds before but plenty of others ranging from angry screeching and squeaking to guttural sounds while dreaming to chuttering and hissing.
Hamsters can be surprisingly vocal.

It's impossible to predict how long a hamster is going to live regardless of where they come from, a pet shop or reputable breeder, from a rescue or Gumtree.

One of mine died at only 13 months old and it was hard to come to terms with. I knew that he was ill soon after i had adopted him at 5 months old, i knew he would be lucky to make it to a year but i still hoped against hope for that little bit of extra time.

Bruce will never leave your heart but as time goes on your grief will ease and the what ifs will fade. You loved him and you cared for him, you gave him a wonderful hamster life.

01-25-2021, 07:55 AM
Ria P House of Hamsters Join Date: Mar 2019 Location: Wiltshire, UK Posts: 7,103	Re: Can you help us understand what happened please - our little robo died this morni I have read your posts but am late in responding because i didn't quite find the right words. First of all i want to express how sorry i am that you lost your beloved hamster. The average life expectancy of a hamster is only 2 years and not 3-4 years. Their short life expectancy is the one and only drawback of keeping hamsters as pets. Personally, i would never administer over the counter mite treatment to a hamster and would go to a vet who can do a skin scrape to diagnose mites before treatment. Something to keep in mind for future reference but not likely to be a contributing factor to Bruce's passing. If you decide to get another Robo i'd definitely give him a sandbath and leave the sandbath in because they need it to clean their coats otherwise they become greasy and dishevelled looking. I put my late Robo's wheel in his large sandpit so he had a soft landing when he run so fast that he flew out of his wheel. I have two dwarfs who i thought didn't like their sandbaths and one filled it up with substrate. I took the sandbath out, filled the area up with substrate and put in a platform with a sandbath on top which she now happily uses. She wanted one but not in the place where i had put it. The other dwarf didn't use her sandbath for weeks, then one day she must have realized that it's great fun to chuck the sand about and send it flying in all directions. She loves it now. If you are really worried about contracting something from a hamster while pregnant it may not be a good idea to get another one at this point in your life. I've watched your video and must say that to me Bruce didn't look like a hamster who was ill or needed a vet. He was a lovely boy and so tame. I've never heard this particular sounds before but plenty of others ranging from angry screeching and squeaking to guttural sounds while dreaming to chuttering and hissing. Hamsters can be surprisingly vocal. It's impossible to predict how long a hamster is going to live regardless of where they come from, a pet shop or reputable breeder, from a rescue or Gumtree. One of mine died at only 13 months old and it was hard to come to terms with. I knew that he was ill soon after i had adopted him at 5 months old, i knew he would be lucky to make it to a year but i still hoped against hope for that little bit of extra time. Bruce will never leave your heart but as time goes on your grief will ease and the what ifs will fade. You loved him and you cared for him, you gave him a wonderful hamster life.