New hamster suddenly died

Question
QUESTION: Hi,

First, thank you so much for answering my question. I really appreciate it. Thank you.

I'm very devastated right now, as my new hamster Maestro whom I bought 3 days ago, has died...

I've previously owned a hamster, and he lived a health good life to 2 and a half years without any ailment... So I thought I'd be able to give another little one a good home...

I bought Maestro for $4.99 (I thought it was way too cheap, average is $19.99 around where I live#, but he looked energetic and healthy, so I didn't worry much. The pet store could not tell me how old he was, but he was definitely very young because he was very small #he did have all fur grown and was eating solid food, so I thought it's safe to bring him home..#

I had prepared everything for him before I bought him, house, water, food, you name it. I had cleaned everything well beforehand, too, since I'm using the same house for him that my previous hamster lived in. I also had a heater close by, room temp was always at least 70F.

Maestro was curious the first 3 mins when he got home, checking out everywhere and even hopped on the wheel for 10 secs. However, then he went into the igloo and never came out much since then... I had tried to give him a pumpkin seed and a small piece of walnut #my old hamster loved them#, but he wasn't even interested and wouldn't take them. I did see him drink some water real quick and ran back in, so he definitely knew where the water was. He had some food from the bowl as well. I pretty much left him alone for the last three days besides softly calling his name, because I didn't want to stress him. But today, when I returned from work, he looked so still through the small hole on the igloo that I realized something was really wrong... He had died...#Not hibernating, rigor had set in... and there were already tiny white mites near his nose and mouth, I don't understand how they got there so fast, I did not have problem with those things with my previous hamster). He was still alive last night because I saw him move in the igloo, so I don't know exactly when he passed...

I'm sorry this "question" is so long, but I'm really trying to see if I did something wrong. I'm so upset and lost all my confidence as a hamster owner. I'd love to take care another one, but not before I can figure out what might have gone wrong. I've only had him for 3 days... He was just a baby... Was 70F too low for a young hamster? Should I have done something when I realized he wasn't coming out? Force him to drink water?
Any advice you could give me would be greatly appreciated, thank you so so much....

ANSWER: Hi Patty

I'm really sorry to read about your hamster.  It is always very sad when something like this happens.

Firstly, I am absolutely sure you did nothing wrong and you should not blame yourself in any way.

The fact that the pet shop wasn't sure how old he was is a bit strange as usually when they take in hamsters from breeding centres etc. they document them.  Whilst he was small and looked young he might have been older than you thought and it could be that he was the runt of a litter or very malnourished.  At the hamster rescue that I foster for, we often get litters that are supposed to be a certain age but they look much younger and more often than not it is because they haven't had enough nourishment when they were new born and therefore haven't been able to gain weight.  Most times they are OK and can put on weight quickly if they are given the right sort of food, but sometimes there are health issues.

I normally take in hamsters with things wrong with them and that are difficult to rehome.  On one occasion I decided I wanted a 'normal' and healthy hamster and selected a cute little baby.  He looked fine in himself and was a good size.  About a week later he collapsed and ended up at the vet who gave him a steroid injection and a few days later he died.  This was a real shock to me, but I came to the conclusion that this hamster came to die with me rather than live with me. Sorry for getting a bit philosphical about this, but it is the only way I can deal with  hamsters that die prematurely.  This little fella found you, albeit only for a few days and died in a home where someone cared about him.

I doubt if there is anything that you could have done - even if you had got him to a vet or tried feeding him.  Sometimes they don't develop properly, and with my hamster it was diagnosed that he had a congenital heart condition.  Another one I had that didn't develop properly was diagnosed with spinabifida and had to be put to sleep at only 2 weeks of age.

All hamsters have mites to a certain extent but they only become a problem when the hamster is old or very ill and their immune system is compromised.  

I would not be put off by this experience as it may never happen again.  I would suggest, however, that you buy a good quality strong pet disinfectant - some pet shops sell them or you can get it from a vet, and soak the cage in this for a few days.  Then wash thoroughly in hot soapy to water.  As you don't know for sure why your hamster died, if there is any virus or germs lurking, this should kill them.  I would also suggest doing the same with any toys/wheel etc. to be on the safeside before considering rehoming another hamster.

In terms of looking after a hamster - I always recommend the wire cages as they are less likely to attract condensation which can make a hamster sick.  The woodchip must not contain pine, cedar or cypress as these contain a volatile oil called thujone which can cause breathing difficulties and skin irritation.  Only use woodchip that is sold specifically for small animals - if in doubt, use something else - there are other types of bedding etc.  I also recommend the shredded paper for their nest, rather than the fluffy type which can get caught around their legs.  Food-wise I recommend a good dry hamster mix available all the time, with a small selection of raw vegetables (avoid too much lettuce as this can cause diarrhoea) each night.  Any uneatend fresh food should be removed as this can attract fungal spores if it is left in the cage or if they store it in their nest - fungal spores breathed in by a hamster can be fatal and therefore everything you can do to prevent condensation in the cage or any damp surroundings etc. the better.  The cage should be in a warm part of the house but not near a window where they can over-heat. Nor should it be where there are any fumes, such as in a garage, or close to perfumes/air freshners etc as hamsters have a very sensitive sense of smell and this can cause an allergic reaction.  Also, never spray anything, especially insecticides near the cage.  In the colder months I usually put in some extra bedding for them and they tend to gather up all the woodchip to make themselves a warm nest.  

If you do get another hamster I would suggest that you have a good look in the cage to check for any signs of diarrhoea/loose stools or any hamsters that don't look well - if so, avoid the whole litter, or indeed that shop and go to another one.  Hamsters should really stay with their mum until they are 4 weeks old, and they can be re-homed at around 6 weeks of age.  If you get a 5-6 week old hamster you could supplement its food for a few weeks with baby food - I tend to buy the packet type of creamy porridge oats, and mix a little with water every day.  They seem to enjoy this and it gives extra nutrients which helps build their body strength.  Don't just give this as hamsters do need some hard foods, but now and again or when the hamster is very young, or ill or old, they seem to enjoy this.

I hope this helps you and puts your mind at rest.

Regards
Sheila

---------- FOLLOW-UP ----------

QUESTION: Hi Sheila,

Thank you again for your answer.

If I may ask one more question. Do you have a recommendation of how to properly disinfect the cage?
I just called two vets' offices, but they don't sell disinfecant for cages.. Nor do the petstores near me... The vet said to use a solution of 20% bleach and 80% water... I'd like to stay away from bleach because it has such a strong smell and I'm afraid no matter how many times I rinse everything the smell will still linger. I also read that white vinegar would work. From your experience, do you have any recommendation on how to properly disinfect the cage? Thank you so much again. Any suggestion is appreciated.

Patty

Answer
Hi Patty

I would avoid using bleach - although I am guilty of using cleaners like this I always soak the cage afterwards in very hot soapy water, rinse off, and keep doing this to make absolutely certain there is no chemical left in the cage.  It is a bit drastic to clean a cage this way, but sometimes the cages I get given are really soiled in the corners and this is the only way to remove this.  So this could be a last resort for you.

However, as a general rule I use a small animal cage disinfectant.  I found one on a website in the US that you might of interest: http://www.petsmart.com/product/index.jsp?productId=2753296  it is the 'super pet clean cage deodorizer'  Do you have a Petsmart that you could get to?  If so this product would probably be fine.  Alternatively it might be worth ordering it on-line if you can't buy it locally.  It is worth having a bottle of this so that every week or two you can give the cage a quick squirt with it and dry off when you clean the hamster out.  I don't use it on every clean-out as the hamsters tend to get a bit stressed if everything smells this new each time but now and again it is good to use.

Hope you get on OK.

Regards
Sheila