About an hour ago I saw my hamster laying on the second floor of her cage. I thought she was dead until I went closer and saw she was moving slightly. She is breathing fast and moving slowly across the cage, almost like she is dragging herself along. It's breaking my heart to see her like this. She's almost 2 years old. Is she dying? It seems so sudden as yesterday she was fine running around in her wheel and stuff. I don't know what to do. I don't want her to be suffering for hours, but no vets are open and my parents think it's stupid to take her to vets just to pay money out to have her put to sleep.

I really hope your hamster gets better My advice would be to take her to a vet, and immediately! It might be that she has reached her old age, 2 years is the average life span, but I've known plenty of hamsters to live longer than that.  if your parents won't take her to a vet, the least would be to call the vet and describe whats happening. But I hope your parents are able to understand that just because she is a hamster does not mean she can't feel pain, or can't suffer.. in a way, putting a suffering hamster to sleep is one of the best things you could do for it. Sometimes there just isn't any other thing to do.. I really believe that every person has at least an ounce of compassion for a suffering animal to bring it to a vet, say a last few words or cuddle before they have it put to sleep.. and know that it was the only thing. Try your best to explain that, but there is probably a good chance that this may not be the case at all.

If your hamster is on their way off from this world (certainly sounds like it from what you have said) then rushing her to the vet wouldn't help anyway, I can always tell when mine are on the way out, I hold them in my hands until they pass away.

Its horrible but I'd prefer them to pass with me than alone in their cage.

sazzauk:

> hours, but no vets are open and my parents think
> it's stupid to take her to vets just to pay money
> out to have her put to sleep.

Under the new animal welfare act,implimented this April, you have a duty of care to provide "immediate access to veterinary care when necessary".  If you are unable to unwilling to do so, you should not have a pet. This is now law and, as such, is enforceable by fines and possibly imprisonment. Please inform your parents about this. This is DEFRA's website on the matter.
http://www.defra.gov.uk/animalh/welfare/act/index.htm

I echo everything already said above...

I hope we have such law in the US!

edrieharris70:

> I hope we have such law in the US!

In some states it is even against the law to keep hamsters... they are regarded as vermin.  So perhaps they should have a similar legislation to the British one regarding animal welfare..