Friday, January 20th -The Death of Ms Hammy

We got Ms Hammy in May of 2010. She was already 4 months old. The lady at the pet store advised us that hamster lives are about 2 years. Hammy was Jake's birthday present from Nana. From the beginning, Hammy was mine. She was supposed to be Jake's, but I took care of her. Hammy was a novelty to the kids. She would always bite Liv. Why? Because Liv constantly got down close to Hammy's cage and blew on her. When she'd pick Hammy up, Hammy would smell her breath and know it was the girl who tortured her, so she figured payback was in order. Consequently, Liv would talk to Hammy thru the bars, but wouldn't hold her again. Josey liked her, in the beginning. I'm not too sure what Hammy really thought of Josey, however, she did use Josey as a wee wee pad. Everytime Josey would hold Hammy, Hammy would pee and/or poop on her, without fail. It got to be comical. Josey would only hold Hammy if she had a towel in her hand. Me? She loved me. I'd go so far as to say she adored me. I think she knew I was the one who took care of everything. I bought her new treats, gave her veggies, held her, rubbed her belly and between her ears. She was my buddy. I don't really think anyone in the house knew how much, nor did I, until she was gone =(. I was home all day with her, so she was the one I complained to, talked to, joked with. Yes, I know. Sounds ridiculous to say about a rodent. But, Hammy was pretty cool. She had a funny way of climbing up the cage and hanging upside down , which amused me.
Last week, I noticed she wasn't moving around much in the cage. I went to go in to pet her and she reared back and bit me. At that point, I knew something was up because she's never come close to biting me ever. I noticed that she hadn't really been eating her food (though she was drinking her water). Then a few days after that, I noticed her breathing picked up. I went in to pet her and she hardly moved. Friday am, she was half in the nest she built, and half out, laying abnormal. I started petting her and talking to her. I told her it was ok to go. I turned my head and turned back and around and she was gone...And I cried. I know it sounds so stupid to cry over a hamster's death but she was a family pet, rodent or not. I was worried about how Jake and Olivia would take it (I knew Josey would be ok-she didn't really care of Hammy anyway). I put her in a Kleenex box with some of her bedding so the kids could say their last goodbyes. Liv was pretty sad. Jake was, too, but he was more ehhh, ok she's gone than anything. When I showed Liv Hammy, the first thing she said was "Why is his body still here? I thought it disappeared and went to heaven?" So, I explained to her that your soul goes up and lives with Jesus, and your body stays here for us to bury and to give us something physical to mourn. She seemed pretty ok with that answer. When Brett came home for lunch, he dug a hole. Jake didn't want to go out (uhh, yeah, he was too busy playing his DS) but Liv went out. I was stuck on a call, so I couldn't go. I caught the tail end. Liv came flying into my arms. My poor baby girl was trying so desperately to be a big girl and not cry. She kept saying to Brett, poor Hammy, poor Hammy sniff sniff. I'm going to get the kids a stepping stone so that they can use that to decorate and put over where Hammy is so we'll always know where she's at.



Hammy, trying to chew her way out of the cage.

Please, no pictures...

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