My hamster… slightly gory. You’ve been warned.

[Paradigm]

Went to clean my hamsters out today. As far as I can tell my more active hamster is dead and my lazy hamster (both dwarfs) as eaten part of her. I can see something slimy and a tuft of fur. They are both very old and so she likely didn’t die from fighting. 

I’ve read this sometimes happens but I’m not sure what to do. I don’t want to throw away a potentially alive hamster but I also can’t stomach fishing around with bits of dead animal. I’m really not good with dead things. 

I think I’m in shock.

[Paradigm]

I need to do something because I have to leave soon but I’m not sure I can.

[MK]

I would remove the ones you know are alive and dump the bedding in a bucket that way you can see for sure. I’m so sorry this happened

[Paradigm]

Yeah, I’ve been reading and it seems it’s not all that uncommon. I guess I’d heard of it happening, but all the times I’ve thought about discovering them I never thought it would happen like that.

I’d also always thought that Cola would outlive Popcorn. I’m still too shocked to really be sad. There was nothing but a tuft of fur. I can’t fathom how it happened because I saw them last night and I’m sure Cola was bigger than Popcorn. The latter is looking quite fat today, though.

[Paradigm]

RIP Cola, you were a good hamster.

This is a picture of them in their youth, Cola is the brown one.

[MK]

Aww they’re both sweeties!
Hamsters can be surprisingly brutal sometimes.

RIP Cola.

[MoxieMeadows]

I’m sorry for your loss.
(((RIP Cola))).

[Cottontail]

Oh no! I’m so sorry!
{{RIP Cola}}

[LongEaredLions]

I’m so sorry, I know you must be heartbroken.
(((((Cola)))))

[Paradigm]

I’m mostly okay about Cola, but I do keep beating myself up because I did hear squeaking in the night. I can’t remember if it was the night Cola died or one of the nights before. I keep wondering if Cola did die in a fight.

Also, Cola had become very skinny at one point and we’d started adding extra meal worms to fatten her up. All was fine for a few months and then she became bloated with a slightly stiff leg. Since she was still very active we assumed it was just old age.

Popcorn was also getting thinner. We were concerned that if Cola had been ill that Popcorn might have injested the illness.

Now Popcorn is bloated and I’m not sure if she’s just also really old (being sisters coincidental timing isn’t impossible or if she’s ill). Unlike Cola I’ve realised that she’s become less able and now can’t get upstairs to her water or seemingly into her “tall” food bowl (both food bowls were fine for them for years).

I offered some water to her by hand but we can’t think of any way to get her water to her safely without her having to climb even a slight incline. So the water is now in a short dish and the food is on the cage floor.

She hadn’t been eating for a while, which was why I was checking into it before I realised she couldn’t go up the ramp. She began eating again once she could reach her food.

As we were away last night, I’m not sure that she had eaten or drunk in a while. I’m hopeful that she will improve with some substance in her but after Cola I’m not hopeful.

We’re not sure whether just to make her comfortable or to take her to be put down.

[LongEaredLions]

I am so sorry your hammies have been struggling so much lately, Paradigm.
The decision is one only you can make, as you know Popcorn best, but I just wanted to provide you ((((comforting vibes)))).
Keep us updated if you are feeling up to it.

[Sr. Melangell]

Aww what a shame, problem is with little animals even if you did split them up if you caught them fighting, unfortunately even a slight cut on them there is not a lot we can do, small cut but massive to them, I had one when I was little, his cage was slightly cracked, we were going to get him another cage but we lived along way from the pet shop, sadly he cut his hand in the night and went to bed and died, the other one trapped his back leg in his wheel and limped about for the rest of his life, but he was lucky, it put me off having a Hamster. too delicate.
lil Hamsters xx

[Elliriyanna]

the eating the dead is a natural instinct so the body does not draw predators. She may not have died in a fight at all.

If your current girl is bloated offer a little olive oil it can help with constipation if thats the cause.

I am very sorry for your loss I know how hard it is

[Author]

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