Emergency! Hamster swallowed plastic beads!!!

Question
My sister got her Teddy Bear hamster two months ago exactly, but today it ate several inches of these plastic beads tied with string, and had a lump on the side of her, a little past the ears. She was really fidgety, but we think she was just panicing maybe. The lump's gone now, so we think she completely swallowed it, but will swallowing these beads kill her or seriously injure her?  And if it helps, the beads were rolled into a swirl, it seemed.

Answer
Hi Joe!

It sounds like what happened is that the hamster just stowed the beads away in her cheek pouches for transfer, and later took them out.  I guess the beads just struck her fancy.  Hamsters are gnawers, and it would be very strange for a hamster to swallow something like a bead (unless it is very tiny, you didn't say how big they are) without gawing it into little shreds first.

Just to be on the safe side, you probably ought to call your veterinarian, because if ingested the string alone could do major damage to your hamsters' intestines, not to mention the beads.

It is likely they will tell you to watch her carefully for the next 24 hours and bring her in if her condition changes, but it's better to be safe than sorry and it's also good to always alert your vet to the possibility of an impending emergency.  :)

I hope everything is okay!  Thanks for the question.