Has a heartbeat but limbs are stiff

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Expert Answer

A hamster that is cold, stiff and motionless all over is likely in pseudo-hibernation, a near-death frozen state caused by temperature below its survival range; warm it and take it to the vet for rescue at once.

If breathing is normal and body temperature has not dropped but the limbs are stiff and still, it may be a self-protective fear response that usually returns to normal in 10 to 20 minutes, though it varies by individual; some recover in minutes, others take over half an hour.

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