Anyone know anything about hamsters??

Our sweet little hamster just died. We have no idea why. He was fine last night He was very lethargic this morning, limp. No sickness that we knew of. He just now died, my boys are heartbroken.. Anyone have any ideas??

How old was he? From my past experience, they don't live very long. It is sad, and I'm sorry for your heartbroken boys.

Thanks for your post! He wasn't very old. We got him from a teacher at my son's school last May, he was only a few months old then.

Our sweet little hamster just died. We have no idea why. He was fine last night He was very lethargic this morning, limp. No sickness that we knew of. He just now died, my boys are heartbroken.. Anyone have any ideas??

I heard something about bird flu going around. Just kidding, wish I could help.

We had two. I think they only live about 2 years or so.

Our sweet little hamster just died. We have no idea why. He was fine last night He was very lethargic this morning, limp. No sickness that we knew of. He just now died, my boys are heartbroken.. Anyone have any ideas??

It must be going around! Our parakeet died sometime during the night Saturday. Lots of tears, and a really nice funeral. I talked to my boss ( a vet) Saturday, and he said that there are many temperature fluctuations in our houses this time of year, and small mammals and birds are very sensitive to the changes. He said that our bird could've had a respiratory virus and we would not have known. Maybe it was the same for your hamster. It is so terrible when our kids are sad- maybe you can get a new hamster this week. We did get a new bird today, but more for the other parakeet who seemed really lonely and missing her mate. It has kept the kids busy though.

So sorry about your little hampster. I still remember how sad I was when my pet hampster, Maurice, died. (We are talking over 3 decades ago!) He was fine, too, and the next day he was dead. I hope you had a nice little memorial service for the hampster; that helps.

So sorry about your parakeet! It is sooo hard to lose such sweet little friends. Funny you say that about temperature fluctuations. I was just telling my son that I forgot to turn the heat on last night, and, since the days have been so warm....we had a few windows open. It was chilly in here this a.m. That sure makes alot of sense. Right before he died, he was acting like he was throwing up, over and over again, but never did. Strange. We do plan on getting another one, of course after we have the funeral tomorrow!

I am so sorry about the little pets, my sister and I (steeleing3) had 2 hampsters, Emma and Phipps, and just like the rest, just out of now where died. It was right around the fall, the fluctuating room temperatures really sounds like a possibility. Good luck with the next animals alic65 and jdarg!

I am so sad to read about the animals! Miss Kitty is very troubled as well. Sweet dreams little creatures....I hear Animal Heaven is wonderful!

So sorry for your (and everyone's) loss.
In my preschool teaching experience, when it comes to furry, rodentlike critters, hamsters appear to be the tricky ones; they seem to be rather delicate. I agree that a chill might well have done him in.
Also, I get the impression that hamsters do not always do all that well with kids and handling. Guinea pigs or <shudder> pet rats seem to take this sort of thing better.
Having said all that, I did have a guinea pig squeezed to death by a youngster, though the pet was indeed 5 years old, rather aged.
And the scatterbrained kindergarten teacher across the hall taught far too many death units as various pet rats succombed to the attentions of her students.
After all this, I got one of those Grow-A-Frog tadpoles, and never sent it home on weekends like I used to with the guinea pig. Eight years later the frog is still alive and well, and to the relief of my husband, my brother and his family now have Froggy, back in Colorado.

Cil...wise words from the experience of America's treasure....a TEACHER!