In memoriam
This morning when Matthew went to put the hamster cage back into his room (they spend the night in our downstairs bathroom so that the noise doesn't disturb any one and so that the cats can't get to them) we found that the albino, Chippy, was dead. It appears as if most of her head has been removed. I find it hard to believe that the other hamster could have done that sort of damage, but the cats couldn't get near the cage. The two hamsters had been fighting, but we were assured by the woman from whom we adopted them that dwarf hamsters like to live together. Syrian hamsters don't. While Matthew is at school today I'm going to clean the cage to make sure there aren't any bits left in there for him to find when he does the regularly weekly cleaning tomorrow.
Matthew is upset, understandably. The son of one of his teachers died a few weeks ago and now Matthew is asking if he's going to die. Both Ed and I were quick to tell him no, not for a very long time, we expect.
Hazel, the other hamster, appears to be perfectly healthy. He worked so hard to earn his hamsters and he has taken excellent care of them. He feeds them a varied diet, gives them clean water, plays with them, and cleans their cage regularly. He worries that he did something wrong, but I've assured him repeatedly that no one could have taken better care of Chippy than he did.
Death is a fact of life and pets are one way to teach kids some of the lessons of life and death. Knowing that doesn't make anything any easier.
Poor kid.
Matthew is upset, understandably. The son of one of his teachers died a few weeks ago and now Matthew is asking if he's going to die. Both Ed and I were quick to tell him no, not for a very long time, we expect.
Hazel, the other hamster, appears to be perfectly healthy. He worked so hard to earn his hamsters and he has taken excellent care of them. He feeds them a varied diet, gives them clean water, plays with them, and cleans their cage regularly. He worries that he did something wrong, but I've assured him repeatedly that no one could have taken better care of Chippy than he did.
Death is a fact of life and pets are one way to teach kids some of the lessons of life and death. Knowing that doesn't make anything any easier.
Poor kid.