Our hamster died...

[junior_n_sweetpea]

I went to check on him this afternoon and figuredhe was sleeping. Then later when I noticed he hadn't moved I nudged himand realized he was dead. He was still alive this morning. We only hadhim a few days. Poor little guy.

 

[MyBunnyLovesMe]

aww, that's so sad! Poor little guy. *hugs*

 

[Dolores Lindvall]

It doesn't take long to become very emotionallyattached, does it? Very many years ago, my family had a teddybear hampster. I cried some big tears when shedied.

 

[pamnock]

I'm so sorry he was only with you for such a short time

Pam

 

[mygrl2k3]

sorry about your hamster. Its rough nomatter if they were in your care for 3 days or many many years. I justhad to rush my cat of 13 yrs to the vet. She isnt doing well. Wish usluck. Again sorry about your son's pet. Maybe he was sickwhen you got him. I am sure you guys did nothing wrong. I feel bad foryour son. It was your sons pet right.

Cristy

 

[junior_n_sweetpea]

Yes, it was my 4 year old son's hamster. Myhusband didn't want to tell him, he wanted to replace it with another.I decided to tell him. I thought it would be a valuable (although sad)experience since we have a dog and two rabbits whom he is very attachedto. He has never had to deal with death before. We are going to buryhim under myhis Elephant earplant that he plantedall by himself. He cried but took it pretty well.

I believe that after some internet research he may have had wet-tail. Inoticed that some of his bedding would stick to his behind. I didn'tthink this was abnormal, but apparantly once they develop the diseasethey almost always die quickly.

 

[junior_n_sweetpea]

Cristy, Sorry to hear about your cat. I hope he gets better soon. It is amazing how attached we become to our little friends.

 

[Carolyn]

Oh J&S,

You did such a good thing for your 4-year-old son. It was important for him to see you grieving too.

He'll probably remember this experience. And as nature takes it's course, his little friend will be there to greet others.

Someone once gave me an analogy of the body/soul as a peanut in ashell. The peanut shell is your body, but the peanut is your soul.Although the shell is broken, the peanut is fine.

I'm sorry for your loss.

-Carolyn

 

[batbunny]

aww guys, im so sorry...losing a pet is so hard-no matter how long youve had it.

 

[CuddlesMom]

Awwwwwwwwww so sorry to hear! I had a hamsterthat had wet tail ( bottoms always wet)and once they have iti dont think they really recover from it....i noticed it over a periodof a few days and when i went to treat him it was to late. If you aregonna buy him a hamster again, i would maybe try a new petstore morethen likey the petstore where you got the hamster from they wholelitter can be infected.

 

[junior_n_sweetpea]

Thanks for the thoughtful replies everyone.

 

[DaisyNBuster]

junior_n_sweetpea wrote:

Yes, it was my 4 year old son's hamster. My husband didn'twant to tell him, he wanted to replace it with another. I decided totell him. I thought it would be a valuable (although sad) experiencesince we have a dog and two rabbits whom he is very attached to. He hasnever had to deal with death before. We are going to bury him undermyhis Elephant earplant that he planted all byhimself. He cried but took it pretty well.

I believe that after some internet research he may have had wet-tail. Inoticed that some of his bedding would stick to his behind. I didn'tthink this was abnormal, but apparantly once they develop the diseasethey almost always die quickly.

I'm so sorry. The loss of a pet no matter how small is always a sadtime. Your poor son. Give the little guy a hug from us all. No matterhow young they are, they do in a way understand. My 2 year old didn'tunderstand what happended to our 3 rabbits until I said they have goneto heaven and then she said "It's ok Mummy they have gone to baby Jesusnow."

I personally have had 2 hamsters die of wet tail. As soon as I foundout they died pretty much straight away. They do die veryquickly.

 

[junior_n_sweetpea]

He says he wants another. I'm kind of leary aboutgetting another hamster though. I would hate for him to have to gothrough this again. Does anybody know anything about gerbils or guineapigs? Are they a little sturdier? I do want something fairly easy totake care of because he wants to do most of the care himself (withsupervision of course He thinks his big brother is so cool fortaking good care of his rabbits and wants to be just like him.

 

[BunnyMommy]

I had to wait a while before I respondedto this thread because it brought back an unhappy memory forme. My own beloved hamsterdied in October (I'vebeen saying January for some reason--old age, I guess--but he actuallydied in October). He was three years old. I knewthat he hadn't been feeling well. His body was changing toreflect his age, it was obvious that his vision was fading, and hewasn't moving around as well as he had been.

That night I gave him a treat and I noticed that he was packinghis jaws. He also made his bed. I just thought thathe was going to sleep.

Normally in the mornings when we would wake up he would get upand watch us as my husband got ready for work and until I went back tobed, then he would go back to bed. He didn't get up thatmorning so I thought that he was just sleeping late.

Finally about midday I went to arouse him. I keptcalling him but he never came to the side wall. Finally Ireached in the top of the condo and shook him with a little stick andhe was rock hard. He had passed over. I guess hehad "packed" for his journey to the Rainbow Bridge.

I cried and cried. Most people couldn't understandhow I could grieve over a creature so small ... but he was mybaby. I grieved over him for some months and it wasn't untilApril of this year that I was able to let my heart open up enough againto get another pet ... my beloved Sherman.

I write all this to say that I think I have an idea of how youfeel. I'm so sorry for your loss and hope that your sonadjusts well to his passing. I would suggest going ahead andgetting another one. This is a good opportunity to explainthe circle of life and a teaching tool for loss of a loved one.

Good luck to you and your whole family.

Hugs from both Sherman and me.

 

[DaisyNBuster]

BunnyMommy wrote:

I cried and cried. Most people couldn't understandhow I could grieve over a creature so small ... but he was mybaby. I grieved over him for some months and it wasn't untilApril of this year that I was able to let my heart open up enough againto get another pet ... my beloved Sherman.

BunnyMommy - I have shed many a tear over our little hamsters dyingtoo. Your not alone - its funny how one can get soattatched to such tiny little babies. However as you will know they aretheir own little character and it is so easy to get a bond with them.

J&S - In my expreience Gerbilsare just the same ashamsters only I have found them to be more skitish and not as easy tohandle. I have never had a guinea pig so it wouldn't be right tocomment. My sister has one called Barnaby. Hes a lovely little guy, shejust takes care of him like a bun with shavings and hay. Maybe a guineapig would be a better option. Here is a link that I found for youtohave a look at - Its basically saying why they are suchfamily pets and giving things like their lifespan etc. Please keep usposted on what you decide to dohttp://www.coldal.org/cavie.htm

Vickie

 

[mygrl2k3]

i have had some good lucks with piggies living 5 yrs or so and some bad luck under a year. They are so cute!!!

Cristy