??? Hammy

[Rains27]

ok...this is going to sound weird. Our hammy is not moved this evening and I'm afraid he's not alive. Iknow aside from the obvious, by picking him up, how can I check? I've banged on the cage and nothing and a freind of mine said their hammy is a very deep sleeper. Any ideas out there?

Raina

[Leahv1]

Why can't you pick him up?
Maybe mess with the bedding around him?
Leah

[Rains27]

Just wondering if anyone has a hammy than needs a home. Tomorrow I don't think the pet store is open and I don't want myson knowing his hammy died. If you do and you live in Wpg M.B.,please email me at thehoops@mts.net

Tha a bunch

[Rains27]

OK...my son's hammy is gone.

[Leahv1]

Just wondering if anyone has a hammy than needs a home. Tomorrow I don't think the pet store is open and I don't want myson knowing his hammy died. If you do and you live in Wpg M.B.,please email me at thehoops@mts.net
Tha a bunch

I just wanted to say as a 14 year old, if my parent/s went out and got me a new hamster because my old hamster died i would be very mad. A kid needs to learn that pets do eventually die, by going out and getting another one, that is saying to the kid that pets are replaceable and that you can just go out and by one.
Just my thought about that.
Leah

[Rains27]

My son is 5 years old is already dealing with a rabbit that died at his dad's and also a fish. So I think replacing the hammy would be the best right now.

[Leahv1]

Why did the one hammy die? Before you buy another one, make sure you know why the one hammy died.
Do you know how old it was?
What kind of bedding are you using?
Just couple questions.
Sorry for your loss.
Leah

[Rains27]

Sorry to say but I have no idea. Skate was only 6 mths old. We used all the right food to the right bedding. Was running around tonight at supper. My son went to feed him...and he did not move and right away I knew.

Thanks

[o0sapphirerat0o]

well thats great but what is "all the right food and all the right bedding" because it is different for everyone.

example, there is NO right commercial hamster food out there, I mix my own ;) thats right, and thats my opinion (therefore being right FOR me ;) )

[Rains27]

I buy my food and bedding from the same place I bought my hammy. Not once have a changed. The same I've used for 6 mths and the same my friends use with their pets. All in all, I'm going to let my son decided if he wants a new one...Tha all.

[o0sapphirerat0o]

see though, you never answered me. What kind of bedding you use (and they don't make the bedding, there is always a chance of getting a "bad batch" of bedding containg parasites).

Just because everyone and their friends are using it, does not mean it's safe. I know *LOTS* of people that still use pine and *gasp!* cedar for their pets and insist it's safe and that I'm a worry wart that cares to much for "those animals".

[Rains27]

We use pine bedding.

[o0sapphirerat0o]

pine and cedar contains phenols that give animals respirtory infections.

Try using aspen shavings, care fresh, cell sorb, "critter care" (from wal-mart, looks just like care fresh). With any new hamsters you get.

What kind of food do/are you going to feed? Don't know if I've already stated this, but I trust no commercial diets for hamsters and make my own mix, if you would like to know this mix, just ask. :D

[Jiffykat]

I recommend corn cob bedding.

[o0sapphirerat0o]

corn cob is one of the WORST (up there with pine and cedar) it swells when wet (so dangerous when they pouch it chew it or swallow it), and it dries out the "skin" on their paws.

[Zouave]

Sorry to say but I have no idea. Skate was only 6 mths old. We used all the right food to the right bedding. Was running around tonight at supper. My son went to feed him...and he did not move and right away I knew.

Thanks

That happens sometimes. They are EPHEMERAL, a word you can teach him. So enjoy every day you have.

I never liked it when my parents took old teddy bears and sent them to a "hospital" to be repaired - to this day I think they replaced them without telling me, but I am not sure; I was very young. Never do that sort of secret stuff especially with pets.

[Cammiehammie]

I am sorry about your son's hamster. I to have a 5 year old. My daughters hamster Snowy died Labor day weekend, or something like that. I kept her mind off her, until I replaced it like 2 days later. I just kept telling her leave him alone hes sleeping. I finally found a guy that looked to be the same hehe he went from a boy to girl,and she has never noticed. I was sad but Snowy II has been a joy. If you can distract your son and replace him. Good Luck!

[o0sapphirerat0o]

I wouldn't do that, to me it represents a false sense of security that may come back and bite you in the butt one day with a "I blame my parents" type thing (JUST an opinion!)

Plus it represents that animals are replaceable and don't die. You do not have to teach your child that death is bad, say that they went to *insert relgious "heaven" here* and won't be coming back, not even to visit. If your child cries say something along the lines of, but remember how happy *sonny* was when he played in his ball, when he fetched the stick, or *insert activity of fun pet liked* and keep pictures around....

again, just my opinion!

Goodluck in whatever you do!

[Cammiehammie]

After such loss a kid can go into depression, my daughter lost her dad in Iray Oct 28th, and I do not want her to feel any more losses. Kids are quick to recover, but they can only take so much.

[Cammiehammie]

Sorry for the mistakes in spelling

[praymanna]

What is your homemade mix recipe? I'd love to know...so would many others, I'm sure. :)

[praymanna]

I'm so deeply sorry for your families loss of your husband/their father. Thank you for your sacrifice for our country's safety. God bless you.

[o0sapphirerat0o]

I'm so sorry cammie. I'm sure there is nothing that anyone can say to take away the pain.



Sure my mix is the suebee rat mix. I use it for all my rodents.

Dog food (holistic, I use california lamb and rice) about 6lbs
puffed wheat 2 bags
puffed rice 2 bags
cheerios 1 box
mueslix (all natural cereal) 1 box
wacky mac veggie spirals (or any tri colored pasta) 2 bags
about 3-4 cups of oatmeal

All my rodents clean out their food bowls, occasionaly they will leave one thing or another, but not usually.

[Jiffykat]

After such loss a kid can go into depression, my daughter lost her dad in Iray Oct 28th, and I do not want her to feel any more losses. Kids are quick to recover, but they can only take so much.I am very sorry for the loss of her father. A way that could have helped ease the pain instead of hiding the fact that the hamster died could have been by telling her that the hamster went to live with daddy in heaven. That might have helped ease both pains a tiny bit because then she wouldn't worry about either of them being alone.