As if burying a pet hamster isn't traumatic enough for a child, imagine how the kid would feel to learn the little guy wasn't even dead -- at least not before it was buried.
Animal experts say hamsters often go into hibernation mode when it's cold, spending several days without moving a muscle or even appearing to breathe.
Before dropping your little pet into a backyard hole, veterinarians recommend checking the temperature around its cage. Hamsters thrive in warm climates where temperatures are at least 68 degrees. So if it's colder than that, you might want to move your pet to warmer spot and hold off on digging for a couple of days. They also advise owners to be patient when checking to see if their hamsters are breathing. A hibernating hamster often goes between one and two minutes between breaths.
Are you looking back and wondering if you ever buried a hamster when it was still alive?
What pet do you most regret getting?
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