Hi all,
Isn't it strange that something so small as a hamster, that spends most of its day sleeping, and the night time running on its wheel, get you so upset when they die
I bought him a year and a half ago as he was the cutest thing I'd ever seen in a long time, I just had to have him, and even though at 24, I'm a bit too old, I thought why not. I'd love a little hamster to look after. He was tiny, barely 2 weeks old. My obsession with Penguins led to the name, it's a pretty random name for a hamster, but I loved it.
He was awesome, was so cute. Unfortunately being a Roborovski, they are near on impossible to handle as they are so fast. The two times I managed to get him, I didn't want to hold him too long as he didn't look too comfortable. But he always made me smile, countless times I got home from work after a bad day and just sit there mesmerised by him running about his cage, making mounds from his bedding to climb to new places or running in his wheel, was quite scary how easy it was just to watch. Luckily he was asleep most of the time during the day so I didn't lose to much time
But everyone that came over felt the same, that you could just watch him and it was fascinating
I loved buying things for his cage and seeing what foods he would eat and cleaning him out was actually fun. Watching him run around in the ball, charging at doors and walls at full pelt
Fast forward to two weeks ago. I got home from a day out and found him hunched up in the corner of his cage, barely moving and eyes shut. I picked him up and he didn't struggle, just lay there not moving and struggling to breath. Turns out he had a little hamster chest infection. So the advice was to feed him warm thyme tea and put thyme around his cage (acts as a decongestant). Cue me sitting on the sofa with him wrapped in a tiny blanket on my knee, drip feeding him thyme tea. Was rather cute I must say, and was kind of nice to be able to hold him and handle him for once
Couple of days later and he seemed better, almost back to his normal self. I left his wheel out of his cage so that he could recover properly. This only meant he had so much energy to burn he turned to being a dare devil climbing hamster, which provided a lot of laughs as he tried climbing on anything and everything. Video here
When his wheel eventually went back in, he wouldn't get off for hours on end
But things still didn't seem right, he wouldn't sleep in his house, he seemed lethargic most of the time and didn't eat much or drink. I just put it down to him still recovering and just kept looking after him like the advice I was given
So I get home today and wonder over to his cage and see him on his side. Eyes closed. I thought straight away he was dead, but when i went to pick him up, he flinched his leg and started breathing.
But that's just it, he's barely breathing. Hasn't opened his eyes and just won't move. Plus there is blood all over his tail, which according to research is game over.
I don't want to stress him out by running him to the vet and trying to save him if there is no point, so I'm going to spend the last hours/minutes left with just making sure he goes comfortable and relaxed. So like two weeks ago, here he is led on my knee wrapped up warm, for the last time
it's actually quite upsetting watching him take a deep breath every 10 or so seconds
I never thought I'd cry over a hamster, it's not like he's a dog or a cat, and I've grown up with him. But it's amazing how attached you can get to something so small, and I will genuinely miss the little git and I hate to see any animal die.
So R.I.P Pingu hope they have a wheel in the sky for you
Sorry to type so much about a hamster, I appreciate many will think I'm being ridiculous but not sure many people at work tomorrow or my house mate would understand. And I know there are a lot of animal lovers on here. Just made me feel better typing that that's all
Isn't it strange that something so small as a hamster, that spends most of its day sleeping, and the night time running on its wheel, get you so upset when they die
I bought him a year and a half ago as he was the cutest thing I'd ever seen in a long time, I just had to have him, and even though at 24, I'm a bit too old, I thought why not. I'd love a little hamster to look after. He was tiny, barely 2 weeks old. My obsession with Penguins led to the name, it's a pretty random name for a hamster, but I loved it.
He was awesome, was so cute. Unfortunately being a Roborovski, they are near on impossible to handle as they are so fast. The two times I managed to get him, I didn't want to hold him too long as he didn't look too comfortable. But he always made me smile, countless times I got home from work after a bad day and just sit there mesmerised by him running about his cage, making mounds from his bedding to climb to new places or running in his wheel, was quite scary how easy it was just to watch. Luckily he was asleep most of the time during the day so I didn't lose to much time
But everyone that came over felt the same, that you could just watch him and it was fascinatingI loved buying things for his cage and seeing what foods he would eat and cleaning him out was actually fun. Watching him run around in the ball, charging at doors and walls at full pelt
Fast forward to two weeks ago. I got home from a day out and found him hunched up in the corner of his cage, barely moving and eyes shut. I picked him up and he didn't struggle, just lay there not moving and struggling to breath. Turns out he had a little hamster chest infection. So the advice was to feed him warm thyme tea and put thyme around his cage (acts as a decongestant). Cue me sitting on the sofa with him wrapped in a tiny blanket on my knee, drip feeding him thyme tea. Was rather cute I must say, and was kind of nice to be able to hold him and handle him for once
Couple of days later and he seemed better, almost back to his normal self. I left his wheel out of his cage so that he could recover properly. This only meant he had so much energy to burn he turned to being a dare devil climbing hamster, which provided a lot of laughs as he tried climbing on anything and everything. Video here
When his wheel eventually went back in, he wouldn't get off for hours on end
But things still didn't seem right, he wouldn't sleep in his house, he seemed lethargic most of the time and didn't eat much or drink. I just put it down to him still recovering and just kept looking after him like the advice I was given
So I get home today and wonder over to his cage and see him on his side. Eyes closed. I thought straight away he was dead, but when i went to pick him up, he flinched his leg and started breathing.
But that's just it, he's barely breathing. Hasn't opened his eyes and just won't move. Plus there is blood all over his tail, which according to research is game over.
I don't want to stress him out by running him to the vet and trying to save him if there is no point, so I'm going to spend the last hours/minutes left with just making sure he goes comfortable and relaxed. So like two weeks ago, here he is led on my knee wrapped up warm, for the last time
it's actually quite upsetting watching him take a deep breath every 10 or so secondsI never thought I'd cry over a hamster, it's not like he's a dog or a cat, and I've grown up with him. But it's amazing how attached you can get to something so small, and I will genuinely miss the little git and I hate to see any animal die.
So R.I.P Pingu
hope they have a wheel in the sky for you Sorry to type so much about a hamster, I appreciate many will think I'm being ridiculous but not sure many people at work tomorrow or my house mate would understand. And I know there are a lot of animal lovers on here. Just made me feel better typing that that's all
