Our hamster just died

[Blademaster]

Well, maybe not 'died,' per se... He's still breathing. But he probably isn't gonna last much longer.

...I dunno why I'm making this topic.

He's so small and fat. He never hurt anybody or did anything bad. So I gotta wonder...

Why?

[Mikachu Yukitatsu]

My condolences, Blade.

According to Wikipedia, hamster's lifespans varies from 1.5 years to 3.5 years depending on the species. How old was he?

I have never taken care of hamsters but we did have many other pets when I was smaller in the substitute family. Dogs, cats, sheep, ducks and so on. They all eventually passed away, perhaps the saddest thing was a sheep that strangled herself. I would have been able to save her, but I was only 12 and didn't know what to do since I had just moved into that new family.

[shazza]

That sucks. Losing a pet is always hard. Sometimes it feels like they are the only ones that understand you.

[Telume]

Worst part is when you have to go and put down your own pet because he's suffering.

[Katie]

Take him to an exotics vet in your area to be euthanized, it's extremely cruel to let your furry friend suffer for possibly days until whatever organ that is causing him such excruciating pain finally fails.

[Blademaster]

He was a black bear hamster, about 2 and a half years old, I suppose.

He died during the night, while I was trying to rouse him from what appeared to be a torpor.

It evidently was not: He stirred now and then and I thought he was getting better... until he started chirping a few times and eventually he went still in my hands.

On close examination, I saw small blood stains on my shirt where his nose had been.

[Bear]

I could never euthanize my pet. I mean, some may consider it cruel to let a pet suffer, but I just couldn't be the one to do it and watch it die. I also couldn't let anyone else do it, so I dunno. I'd rather not think about it with my little girl, this is making me tear up...

[The_Missing_Link]

I firmly believe in euthanizing a pet when it's suffering. Our cat developed diabetes and we watched him go from fat to very bony in the course of a year. It got to be that he spent most days lying about in the hallway as opposed to being outside and doing his thing when he was healthy. My sister and mom had him put down eventually and my mom was guilty about letting him live like that for so long. One of the few times I ever saw her cry

I don't relish the day that we have to put our current cat down (if it comes to that) but I don't want to watch her wither away in front of me either

[Link]

I once had 4 guinea pigs die on me when I was but a wee little lad. I was over at a friend from church's house, and they let them out of the cage they were in, and they proceeded to put them into their tiny swimming pool, and they didn't even have the smarts to take them out before every single one of them drowned in the pool. What a way to go, I know, Blade.

[Asilynne]

Awww Blade I'm so sorry for your loss... I know how deeply an animal can find its way into your heart. No matter how good or bad something is, death always comes for it unfortunately. Just know that 2 and a half years is really good for a black bear hamster, the average lifespan for them is 2 years, so you must have cared for him very well. You gave him a good life.

I used to think no one should ever euthanise an animal, until I had to go through it with one of my cats at the shelter. She was over 14 years old, and had thyroid problems, but she was a tough old girl and I thought would keep on trucking, so I tried really hard to find her a comfortable home. But one day I got to work and she wasn't moving, laying on the cold floor. When I picked her up she shuddered, and it didn't feel right, so I rushed her to the vet, thinking if I just got there in time she would be ok.
When I got there, they did tests and told me all her levels were way out of normal range, all her systems were shutting down, and it would be kinder to euthanise her. I still wanted to be stubborn, and told them why don't they try harder, she was tough and could pull through if they gave her a chance. But when I saw her on those hot water bottles, under those blankets, she was trying to crawl away into the cold, because she knew she was dying and she wanted to, and I realised that I was being selfish by making her stay alive and suffering just because I didn't want to let her go. They said if I would have found her 2 hours later than I did she would have died on that cold floor in the shelter, alone.
So I gave her the greatest gift I could. When she died she was warm, and with someone that loved her. So now I know that sometimes you have to, even though a part of me would still like to be stubborn, I know that you have to think of whats best for the animal, even if you don't like it.

Even tough its hard, take comfort in the fact that it had a full life and was loved every minute of it, and that he isn't suffering anymore.

[Crystal Mew]

I've had to put my all my pets to sleep. well, except my ferret... he died at the vets. but even so I went there with the thought of putting him to sleep.

to let them suffer longer than necessary is a cruel thing imo.

for me, the most heart breaki9ng pet deaths was #1 Baby and then #2 my dog.

probably not getting another animal for a very very long time

[Blademaster]

I'd rather this not turn into a discussion about euthanasia...

Anyway, I was gonna just leave this thread behind, thank you all for your condolences, and move on, but I forgot one detail... His name was Nate.

Typically, this means nothing, but I was on a TF2 server just a little while ago that I've never been on. And who of all people was there?




"Healing: Nate."

I stuck with him as a Medic. I healed him constantly... Then he died in front of me. And since it was Arena Mode, that means he didn't respawn.

Fuck you, whatever entity controls timing and coincidences. Fuck you hard.

[Drago]

"Don't cry because it's over. Smile because it happened."
~ Dr. Seuss

[Little_Pikachu]

Aww, poor hamster. Topics like this always get me upset.
It's horrible when pets die, it's like you just lose a part of you. Unfortunately death is a part of life, everyone and everything has to go sometime, no matter how cute they are. At least he's not suffering now and I'm sure he had a great life.

On the subject of putting pets down, no one wants to do it, but it isn't fair to let an animal needlessly suffer. But I also agree with human euthanasia if every day is 24 hours of pain and suffering and life is so unenjoyable you want to die, you should be able to.

[Deadwood_Zen]

We had to put our first dog down on the third day of Yuletide(since Rick and my mom were Pagans at the time). That went over well for an 11, 10 and 6 year old, but there was nothing we could do...

[RedStarWarrior]

Non-serious thread response:

How long did you expect him to live when you kept shoving him up your ass?

Serious thread response:

Losing a pet is always hard. I mean, you really do bond with them, even over a short period of time. My condolences.

[Blademaster]

Er... Thank you, Red.

Thank you all, actually. It's good to know that for all the wiseassery and bullshit I give you guys, you're still there for me. TPM rules.