death of a hamster

Question
Hi Joanne I hope you can help me here and I appreciate what you do for people on this site.
I would like to know if the following description I provide matches a normal death for a hamster. I noticed no movement from my approx 1 year old hamster at 9pm so I removed his nest and found him curled into a ball facing the corner of his cage where he normal pees and poops so basically his head was stuck into that stuff. I took him out thinking he was dead but after a minute or two of handling I noticed small movements and his eyes opened. I put him on towel with a hot water bottle underneath to bring his temperature back to normal and he showed positive signs albeit small ones. He seemed to have no control over his legs and feet but his breathing and eyes were ok. I tried water/sugar solution and a tiny piece of apple but not much of a response so I placed the solution on his lips and a tiny drop in his mouth.

About 20 mins later when I decided to leave him alone to see if he improved I came back to see he was having a kind of spasm or maybe attempting to move (it was jerky but not fit jerky) I rubbed him a bit and talked to him and tried with the solution again but no go but at least his body temperature seemed normal again. I came back 20 mins later and I could see him empty retching and a strange noise (gurgling mixed with air intake output) he did this about 15 times and then went completely stiff in his arms and legs....I didnt think it would this sad especially being a 25 year old man but im completely baffled by his untimely death and he was otherwise completely healthy and active. Is it normal for a hamster to go stiff immediately upon death? I was under the illusion rigor mortis took 24-48 hours to set in? Again I thank you for your time and efforts.


Answer
hi john,

first of all im sorry you witnessed such a distressing death in a hamster, which must have been awful for you, as no-one likes to see their pet suffering.

there are two possiblities for this. my first guess would be that he had a stroke, which can happen to hamsters at any stage in their lives, esspecially if they have a brain tumour which can go undetected until it becomes too big and causes death. a stroke brought on by the enlarging brain tumour sounds the likely cause of this. it would certainly explain the jerkyness, the paralysis, and the quick unexpected death.

another reason, but less likely is that he had went into hibernation and was woken too suddenly which in turn brought on shock, this can also alter the chemical signals in the brain and cause stroke like symptoms, however this is no-ones fault either way, and sadly these things happen.

as far as the rigor mortis goes, the fact that his arms and legs went stiff BEFORE he died, would make it likely they would stay that way after death, also as you know hamsters are much much smaller than humans and rigor mortis is more likely to set in much quicker.

im sorry for your loss but thank you for your thorough and precise question. if you decide apon a new hamster and have anymore questions to ask, please feel free.

joanne xx