Yesterday I came home from school getting ready to clean out Bamboo, my 1 year old Syrian Panda hamster's cage and instead I see her buried under all her bedding. Dead.
About a month ago she escaped from her cage and we found her in my dads bedroom and returned her, but I also have a cat and do not know if she had got to her before we did. There did not appear to be any damage on the outside of her.
Then a couple weeks later she stopped letting me hold her. I tried to pet her and she'd run, and if I tried to pick her up she'd squirm and threaten to bite each time.
I feel like it's my fault because I never cleaned her cage as often as I should have, and I know that can cause respitory problems because of the ammonia from their urine.
Oh gosh, I just realized something. I just changed bedding about a week ago.. she seemed to be doing fine but maybe now that could have been the cause?
Also, could she have starved to death? I noticed when cleaning her cage for the last time her
Food bowl was completley empty, and there wasn't any buried in the cage.. but I don't know how long she didn't have any food. I checked a couple days ago and her bowl was full of grain. Her water bottle was half full.
There was no bedding anywhere on her face or mouth, so I'm assuming she didn't choke. She does like to eat her bedding. I had mixed her old bedding with some of the new bedding because I didn't have enough left for 1 change and I didn't want to waste it.. could that be the problem too?
I'm devastated. She was my baby and now I don't know when I'll ever be able to get another.. but when I do I'm definatley getting 2 dwarf hamhams.. they're so tiny and cute
And having multiple hammies will be more fun. I love how they pile up on each other when they sleep..
Here is a picture of bamboo... and her grave