And just *try* finding a vet who can deal with hamsters, let alone justify the expense of taking one in.
I've had similar things happen, and it is, on occasion, just old age--it's hard to tell how old the beasts are, and as they only live 18-24 months on average, "old age" is a relative thing. The longest I had a hamster was 3 years, and I'm pretty sure he was just a fluke old Lazarus hamster.
But really, the ammonia and hard nasty poop sounds like he had kidney failure.
I will never, ever make enough money to justify taking a hammie to the vet :) I loved Benny very much, but he was still a short-lived, happy little hamster who I spent something like $90 on *in* that short life.
I think old age by way of kidney failure is the reason - I have no idea how old he was, other than he was fully developed when I got him. And he was an odd colorway for a Syrian hamster, so was probably inbred to within an inch of his ickle life :)
I am so sorry to hear of Benny's death. It is so hard to lose these guys so suddenly and unexpectedly, and so easy to get attached incredibly quickly. (At least, for me
( ... )
You were wonderful! My apologies - for some reason I had it in my head that ferrets were rodents, not mustelids.
Please don't go out of your way finding out what he died of - it's more curiosity on my part than anything else. Your suggestions were great; I don't know what would have caused that stomach/upper GI bleed, other than perhaps him getting some straw? I'm tempted to go with kidney disease; he was also a fairly rare color pattern (a false albino - white fur but dark eyes and fleshtoned ears), so if he was inbred it's possible that he got some wonky internal organs.
They're also simply not what you'd call hardy creatures; short lifespans equal a lot of disease and disorder, I believe.
Again, thank you for the advice, and the condolences :)
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I've had similar things happen, and it is, on occasion, just old age--it's hard to tell how old the beasts are, and as they only live 18-24 months on average, "old age" is a relative thing. The longest I had a hamster was 3 years, and I'm pretty sure he was just a fluke old Lazarus hamster.
But really, the ammonia and hard nasty poop sounds like he had kidney failure.
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I think old age by way of kidney failure is the reason - I have no idea how old he was, other than he was fully developed when I got him. And he was an odd colorway for a Syrian hamster, so was probably inbred to within an inch of his ickle life :)
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Please don't go out of your way finding out what he died of - it's more curiosity on my part than anything else. Your suggestions were great; I don't know what would have caused that stomach/upper GI bleed, other than perhaps him getting some straw? I'm tempted to go with kidney disease; he was also a fairly rare color pattern (a false albino - white fur but dark eyes and fleshtoned ears), so if he was inbred it's possible that he got some wonky internal organs.
They're also simply not what you'd call hardy creatures; short lifespans equal a lot of disease and disorder, I believe.
Again, thank you for the advice, and the condolences :)
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