I need a "death of hamsters" icon
(Pterry fans will get that :) )
Yes, folks, Benny has gone to the great....hamster habitat....in the sky. I was cleaning out his cage when I peeked inside his little house, touched his little claw, and went "Jesus Christ, am I the hamster deathbringer or something?"
He was laid to rest in a shoebox with a bit of fluff, a carrot, and some food, that was then gently laid in my trash can. (I live in a sea of concrete, and am not that dedicated to drive this over to my parents' and bury Benny next to the cats.) I'm not exactly broken up about this - I have no idea how old he was, and hamsters aren't really known for their sturdiness/longevity.
What I *am* curious about is how he died - I know there's at least one rodent expert out there (Hi Catherine!), and if anyone has any ideas, I'm curious. I don't think he starved - he was fed not long ago, and he died in true Elvis fashion, mid-dook, telling me that he was at least getting some sustenance. About a month ago, maybe a bit more, his urine and/or faeces took on a *really really* strong ammonia scent. I mean, it made my eyes water when I cleaned his cage. His faeces also changed - they went from brown to black, also with a strong scent. He was active up til the end, though, and didn't seem to be any weaker or more lethargic. Plenty of water, and my apt stays around 70-80 degrees at all times.
The dwarfs do NOT have any of these symptoms - their faeces are still dark brown, and there's no ammonia scent, just the usual hammie musk.
Anyone have any ideas? Thanks :)
Yes, folks, Benny has gone to the great....hamster habitat....in the sky. I was cleaning out his cage when I peeked inside his little house, touched his little claw, and went "Jesus Christ, am I the hamster deathbringer or something?"
He was laid to rest in a shoebox with a bit of fluff, a carrot, and some food, that was then gently laid in my trash can. (I live in a sea of concrete, and am not that dedicated to drive this over to my parents' and bury Benny next to the cats.) I'm not exactly broken up about this - I have no idea how old he was, and hamsters aren't really known for their sturdiness/longevity.
What I *am* curious about is how he died - I know there's at least one rodent expert out there (Hi Catherine!), and if anyone has any ideas, I'm curious. I don't think he starved - he was fed not long ago, and he died in true Elvis fashion, mid-dook, telling me that he was at least getting some sustenance. About a month ago, maybe a bit more, his urine and/or faeces took on a *really really* strong ammonia scent. I mean, it made my eyes water when I cleaned his cage. His faeces also changed - they went from brown to black, also with a strong scent. He was active up til the end, though, and didn't seem to be any weaker or more lethargic. Plenty of water, and my apt stays around 70-80 degrees at all times.
The dwarfs do NOT have any of these symptoms - their faeces are still dark brown, and there's no ammonia scent, just the usual hammie musk.
Anyone have any ideas? Thanks :)