One day, your hamster will explode if you are overfeeding them. Hahahaha, I am just joking. Do you still believe that it happens? These all are myths; there is nothing truth in it. Please read this entire article to know the reality of the hamster explosion, and let me change your perspective about that.
Some people believe that the overfeeding of the hamsters is the cause of their explosion, but this is not true. It is the wrong theory. However, it does not mean that you should allow your pet hamster to overeat. There are other reasons behind the explosion of the hamsters, which I will discuss below.
Hamsters can explode due to the growing Tumor in their body. The hamster can, unfortunately, explode when the Tumor becomes more significant than its small and weak body. The other cause of the explosion was operating a microwave oven with hamsters inside it. It also might happen when your child is playing with it and unknowingly puts it into the microwave.
However, Hamsters don’t explode due to overheating. Let’s dive deeper to know the actual reason behind the explosion.
How Do Hamsters Explode?
There are two main reasons behind the explosion of the hamster that I will discuss briefly below.
- Due to Tumor
- In the operating microwave
Hamsters Can Explode Due To Tumors:
One of the main reasons behind the explosion of hamsters is tumors. Tumors are quite common in hamsters. In fact, it is a very common disease in pocket pets, But the happy news is that it is mostly Benign tumors. There are two kinds of tumors are observed in hamsters. Please read below to learn more about the tumors.
What Kinds of Tumors Can Hamsters Get?
Tumors are common in hamsters, but most of them are benign. These tumors are not fatal compared to malignant ones because they occur in only one spot of the body and don’t spread to other parts.
Benign Tumors are simple tumors and are easier to diagnose. These tumors are grow in the adrenal gland or lymph gland. These tumors are mostly observed in older hamsters; that’s why vets usually remove them if it is not bigger or can be left untreated if the hamster is very weak.
Malignant tumors can continuously grow in the hamster’s body. If it is left untreated, then it becomes the cause of an explosion because the body of hamsters is very small and weak. This is very painful for the hamster and also fatal for its health. Malignant tumors are very dangerous and different. Unfortunately, they can grow massively, which is very difficult to diagnose because they spread very fast to the other parts of the body.
One good news is that it is rare in hamsters and mostly observed in older hamsters. Only 4% of tumors in hamsters are malignant. However, these tumors can grow in the eyes, intestines, uterus, and brain. Having a tumor in the hamsters is not good news for their owners, but here are the symptoms of having a tumor in the hamsters.
How Do I Know If My Hamster Has a Tumor?
These are the following symptoms that you have to pay attention to:
Breathing Difficulty: If the Tumor is near the lungs, it will make breathing difficult for the hamster.
Less Appetite: Due to discomfort or pain in eating, Hamsters may lose or reduce appetite, making them weak.
Weight Loss: If a hamster has a malignant tumor, it becomes the cause of weight loss, as most of the energy will be consumed by cancerous cells.
Hair Loss: Hair loss around the site tumor may occur, making the lump more visible.
Less Happy: Your Hamster will play less than it is used to.
Diarrhea: Diarrhea is a common symptom if the hamster has an internal tumor. You can also notice blood in its waste.
Digestive Issues: If the Tumor is near the digestive system, it will show problems in digestion, i.e., constipation and vomiting.
Laziness: The hamster may show lethargy as it will spend most of its time in the nest and come out from the nest, which becomes very rare. It shows the signs of tiredness.
Effect Vision: Poor vision and balance loss will occur if it affects the brain.
How to Treat Hamster Tumors?
If you notice these symptoms in the hamsters, then it is better to call the vet to check the hamster. If the Tumor is detected early, removing it from the hamster’s body is easier than the late detection.
The vet will remove it surgically to stop it from spreading to the other parts of the body. If the tumors have spread to most parts of the body, then the best vet can protect the hamsters from pain.
Hamsters Will Explode in the Microwave:
There is no way you should think to put any pet in the microwave if it’s shivering, too, just because it will keep it warm. When you put a hamster in the microwave, you not only give it warmness but also boil its blood and other body fluids by the microwave’s heat.
The water expands, and the body will not expand, which causes the explosion in the hamster’s body. Moreover, the hamster will die long before the body explodes due to the high temperature, which will be this little creature’s unnecessary and extremely painful death.
If you allow it to roam freely in the house, then it can go to the microwave; that’s why you have to keep your house hamster-proof, which will keep your hamster safe from any stunts.
And the other scenario is also possible: your child is playing with a hamster, and he puts it in the microwave. So, ensure that there are no such full things in the microwave before it starts operating. No matter what, Never put a living animal into a microwave! Never! By no means!
Can Hamsters Explode Because They’re Too Hot?
We think that overheating will cause the hamster to explode, but such a temperature rise won’t kill them. Still, it is very dangerous and must be addressed.
Hamster Can Overheat for Several Reasons:
These are the reasons that the cause overheating of the hamster.
Overeating: Hamsters will heat up when you provide too much food to them. Hamsters are natural hoarders, so they collect the food in tier nest, and you continuously give it to it. Then, the hamster can keep on eating, and can cause it to suffer from internal blockages.
Social Stress: Social stress can lead to hamster overeating and eventually overheating. Social stress can mostly observed in younger hamsters. There are several reasons to be depressed, i.e., inappropriate cage size or the presence of another hamster in the cage that will bully them. Like humans, hamsters can also react to stress by overeating to relieve themselves.
Laziness: Hamsters must exercise to release energy and work out their bodies. If they don’t do so, then it can become the cause of overheating in the body.
Boredom: Hmaster needs enough attention to keep himself busy and happy. If they don’t get enough attention, it can cause overeating, which makes them heated up.
Can Hamsters Explode Because You’re Overfeeding Them?
Some hamster owners need to learn how much food the hamster needs to give, and in the end, they give lots of food and end up overfeeding them. This happens when hamsters get extra food and don’t need it; they hoard it and use it for later eating, which will cause overheating. As a pet owner, you must know how much food your pet requires for its digestive health.
The best way to know how much food is required for the hamsters is to consult with the vet to determine the quantity of food. Most hamster species (Syrian Hamsters) require 1 to 2 tablespoons of pellets, and others (Dwarf hamsters) require less quantity of about 1 tablespoon of pellets.
Providing extra food doesn’t become the cause of the explosion, but it causes many other diseases that will not be good for hamsters’ health.
Obesity: Due to overeating, hamsters will gain weight, making them obese and lazy. Fatty Hamster is likely to get joint pain that affects their movement, and the build-up of fat can affect the functionality of several organs. Furthermore, hamsters can suffer from diabetes if they are fed high-sugar foods. Moreover, a hamster’s lifespan can be reduced due to obesity.
Digestive Problems: Due to overeating, Hmaster can suffer from digestive problems, which include diarrhea, constipation, vomiting, etc. It can also lead to internal blockage because it swallowed too much food.
Circulatory Problems: Due to obesity and digestive problems, circulatory problems can also be caused. Blood speed can slow down or stop due to the fatty acid in the body, which will affect the hamster’s life span.
Can Hamsters Explode on a Plane?
You’ve heard before that hamsters are fragile, so it doesn’t mean they can explode when you travel in a plane with the pet. You can take it on a car trip, but it might scare the hamster on the plane.
The pressure is adjusted on the plane, and millions of animals travel daily, so you shouldn’t worry about the hamster’s health.
Nonetheless, You have to check the plane temperature because hamsters are very sensitive to temperature. If the temperature is low, then the hamster’s health might be in danger.
What Causes Death in Hamsters?
A hamster can experience an extremely rare explosion that only occurs when the Tumor gets left untreated. However, other factors could lead to the death of the hamster.
Aging:
The most common reason hamsters die is aging. The average life span of hamsters is about 3 to 4 years. If your hamster is in 4th year, then it will be going to die soon.
After adopting hamsters, Most of the owners are amazed when they see hamsters dying in just 1 week after adopting. So, it is important to ask the hamster’s age while adopting it from the previous owner.
Illness:
Hamsters can die of illness. Most of the time, a hamster can’t tell the owner that he is sick, but these are symptoms that give signs of hamster sickness.
- A younger hamster that sleeps for too long.
- The coat doesn’t look as healthy as it used to.
- A change in bowel movements.
- The hamster is too weak and doesn’t play much, even though it’s not old.
- The animal is losing weight significantly.
- Increased or decreased drinking.
- Your pet is losing its appetite.
- A change in breathing.
- The hamster is excessively grooming itself.
Immunity:
A weak immunity won’t kill the hamsters but allows the diseases to attack easily. When diseases like tumors attack the hamsters, it will affect their health and cause their death.
Several factors make its immunity weak.
Stress can lead to death when the hamster is not happy in the cage or lives with another bully hamster; then it can have stress.
If enough food is not given to the hamsters, it will also cause stress.
Diarrhea:
Diarrhea or wet tails is one the most common reasons for weak immunity. It is caused by bacterial infection. In most cases, the hamster gets infected from food or interacting with other sick hamsters.
A wet tail is hard to detect, but when you notice that the genital area is mostly wet, it is caused by diarrhea. When diarrhea is left untreated, it leads to weight loss and stress, low appetite, etc,
All of these symptoms will lead the hamster to death.
Kidney Disease:
This is the most common reason for death in hamsters. This disease mostly occurs in female hamsters than male hamsters. The scientist is also trying to find the reason for this disease, but modern studies tell us that the high protein intake in the body causes it.
Like other diseases, hamsters also respond well to treatment if the condition is mild. That’s why it is necessary to check your pet to the vet if you notice that it is not eating well or weak.
Pneumonia
Bacteria in their surroundings cause pneumonia and other lung infections. You have noticed that changing its environment will make it dull, inactive, sneezing, and lazy. If you notice it, immediately call the vet to check the hamster because it can be solved in the mild stage, but once it becomes severe, your pet will die.
Conclusion
A hamster can explode, but it will never explode due to overeating.
It can explode due to the Tumor. A benign Tumor can be cured because it is present only in one spot and doesn’t spread to the other parts of the body.
Malignant Tumor cannot be easily cured because it is very massive and dangerous. Overeating and overheating cannot be why the hamsters explode, but it can cause other diseases like digestive issues, laziness, stress, etc.
A hamster can also explode by putting it in the microwave. Because in the microwave, the blood and other body fluids start boiling, which makes it explode. Before operating the microwave, ensure that the hamster is not there.
FAQs:
What are the causes of explosions when we put hamsters in the microwave?
Hamsters do explode when placed in a microwave. They explode because the microwaves will make the hamster’s heart go faster until they explode. I also because of microwave radiation.
Which Tumor is dangerous for hamsters?
Malignant Tumor is very massive and dangerous for the hamsters. You should call the vet when you notice the symptoms of the malignant Tumor. It is better to diagnose it earlier.
What should I do for the hamster’s safety and well-being?
For the safety and well-being of the hamsters, you have to provide an appropriate cage, fresh water, healthy food, and a good environment and take care of him when he roams freely in the house.