How to ensure my next hamster lives a long, healthy, happy life?

I am so sorry you lost your hamster. 1) Don't buy your new hamster in the same place you bought the one that died. 2) make sure you disinfect the cage, and all cage furniture. You will need new bedding, throw out the food you offered Cookie. 3) Disinfect the water bottle, and also wipe the cage wires with a disinfectant. 4) Make sure your new hamster is lively, has a shiny fur and no diarrhea (the fur must be dry everywhere) 5) Do not buy a hamster out of a colony where any of the others appear ill or slow or strange. 6) Give your new hamster time to adjust to the new surroundings. Do not handle him the first day. Try not to stress him. That is about all you can do. I hope you get a healthy hamster this time.

Your vet should be able to trim Cookie's teeth. Some hamsters need this done routinely (every 2-3 months) but you may be able to prevent it from happening again by giving him plenty of things to chew on. Hamsters incisors grow continuously which is why they need to be worn down or trimmed regularly. Your vet may also recommend starting so antibiotics since there is an open wound. Best of luck.

Discontinue feeding any fruits or vegetables. Feed only a pellet or block type hamster chow. Clean and sanitize the cage, bowls, toys and hides. Discard anything that cannot be sanitized. Spot clean the cage daily. Keep Hamster warm and as stress free as possible. If she becomes lethargic or stops eating, have her rechecked by your veterinarian immediately. Consider a probiotic to promote a healthy gut.

Hi, it is difficult to tell what could have happened. Was she eating and passing feaces fine ? Did she eat anything unusual ? Hamsters can be quite delicate and in absence of obvious signs it can be tricky to find a cause for sudden death. Sorry she passed away so suddenly and soon, I hope your next friend will have many happy days ahead. Hope this helps.

Keep the cage clean and warm. Keep him as stress free as possible. Stress plays a large role in illness or infection in hamsters. Discontinue feeding any fruits or treats until his stool is normal. If he doesn't begin to improve in a day or two, then he should be seen by your veterinarian.

He should be examined by your veterinarian. If he has "wet tail" (proliferative ileitis), he will need treatment and supportive care. Keep his cage clean. Change bedding daily if necessary. Keep him warm and as stress free as possible. Discontinue feeding any treats, fruits or vegetables until he recovers.

I'm sorry to hear that! I don't see Theo's age. Typically hamsters live about 2 years. So depending on how long you've had him, he may have been reaching the end of his natural life span. These little guys can take a turn for the worse very quickly, so its not unusual for them to seemingly die suddenly. There is no way to know the cause of death without doing an autopsy and having a little more information on how he was acting and doing in the hours and day or 2 before he died. If you just found him dead in the last 12 hours, you can all a veterinarian local to you and ask if they'd be willing to do an autopsy. I would recommend that you clean the cage and change the bedding for the other hamster, just in case it was something potentially contagious. I'm so sorry for you loss. Thank you for trusting Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach with your question.