My new hamster died suddenly after only 4 days. What happened?

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.

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.

I am very sorry to hear about your loss. Unfortunately it s very difficult to establish exactly the day of the death, even though a post-mortem examination can give you a quite rough indication of it. Please take him as soon as possible to your local veterinarian. Hope this answer was helpful, but please do not hesitate to contact us again on the forum or by requesting a consultation if you have any more questions or to discuss it any further. If this answer was helpful please let us know, this will be used to improve our service!

Sorry about your hamsters. Heat stroke would be a possibility as hamsters with heavy coats are unable to cope with excessive heat, especially if over 80 F. A veterinary visit could perform a necropsy in an attempt to determine cause of death. Sorry again.

I'm sorry for your loss. Unfortunately, without a necropsy (animal autopsy) it would be hard to say what caused Star to pass. If there was swelling and discharge from the ear, or from a gland on the body, the infection could have become septic and caused the passing, or there may have been an underlying illness or medical condition that caused it as well. It sounds like you were caring owners, so Star had a good life and lots of love while he lived. If you're having trouble coping with his passing, checking out some sources such as the Rainbow Bridge where you can make a pet memorial online may bring you some comfort.

Thanks for reaching out about Hazel and am sorry for your loss. Increased water consumption could have been due to kidney, liver, uterine or endocrine problems. There is also psychogenic polydipsia (behavioral increased water consumption). Without an autopsy, an answer can't been given. Sorry again for your loss.

Sorry to hear about Midnight. Intestinal infections, liver disease, and other possibilities can lead to diarrhea. A veterinarian can probably perform a necropsy to determine a cause of death, if that would help. Sorry for your loss.