This morning at like 6:30am I checked on my hamster and she was alive. But after I went to school and came back my mom said that she was not moving and that was at like 9:00am. I don't really know what happened between the two time frames. Is she dead or hibernating?

It's been getting pretty cold here and the room she was staying in was also pretty cold.

Details: She's laying on her side with her eyes closed. She doesn't feel cold or anything, and not exactly hard, she still feels soft. Her paws are pinkish grayish. I can't tell if she is breathing or not. I put my finger on her and I thought that I felt it moving up and down but I'm not really sure if that was just me pressing down on her.

Just in case she is hibernating I put her by a heating pad.

I was really sad when I saw her like that and I thought that she was dead. But when I found out that there was a chance that she was hibernating, I kind of got a little happier and had a little hope. So I really hope that she is hibernating and not dead.

Can you please help???

...it's dead...

I would suggest that you check the pulse. Feel the hamster for body heat. He could just be getting old and sleeping.

Your hamster may have gotten to cold and went into hibernation. If I was you I would get a glove(in case it is dead) and pick her up and see if she moves. Then you can may also can actually feel if she is breathing better. Also if you still can't tell you can just let her lay there for a few days and see if she gets stiff. It wouldn't take very long.
Also keep the room warm or get a heating pad to lay her on that way if she is hibernating she might wake up:)
Good Luck and I hope your little hamster is okay:)

Hamster owner

Sounds like the poor thing is sleeping. Pick it up, if its limp as a noodle and cold, then its dead. You could try to wake it up too, but its most likely just cold and sleepy.

Breeder for over 20 years; cavies, rabbits, and hamsters

dead

me

Sometimes you can see the whiskers twitch when they go into a state of torpor. Technically it is not hibernation, but their body functions do slow down considerably so it appears to be hibernation. The heating pad is a good idea. Wrap her in something for extra warmth and you could also hold her close. Body warmth is often beneficial to warm up small animals. I will give you two links. One discusses ways to awaken her if she is in a state of torpor, and the other details torpid. The links are as follows: pets question and answers,www.5d2d.com

http://www.hamsterific.com/HamsterUniver…

http://www.hamsterhideout.com/faq.html#4

If she does wake up, and I sincerely hope she does, give her a mix of 1/2 unflavored Pedialyte and 1/2 water. Use either an eye dropper or non-needle syringe to administer it. It will help rehydrate your little one.

Please post in Additional Details if she does wake up. I am sure a lot of people would love to hear she was alright.

If she won't wake up she is dead :(

A domesticated hamster cannot hibernate successfully. They don't have enough reserves and attempt at hibernation usually fails and they die, unless you can rouse them quickly and warm them up.

I'm so sorry for you if she is dead :(

Ex owner of 7 hamsters
Current owner of 2 Cavies

Well when my hamster died she was cold and stiff, she may still be alive, I would monitor her for a day and if there is no change then she is probably dead

pets question and answers,www.5d2d.com

Hope this helps x

Hamster owner

um... im sorry but hamsters don't hibernate

I just answered this question for someone else- my sisters hamster did this and she was dead. :(

If there is hope, someone said this happened to there hamster, and she put it on the heating pad for like 2-3 hours, and she came back to life...keep doing what your doing.

Believe me, I know its hard to loose a hamster... :( Sorry!