cornishrobos
04-05-2011, 10:26 AM
.....it seems we have a run of bad luck again, last Thursday we lost our Bailey.
Bailey was my first Syrian hamster and named after my favourite alcoholic beverage and was just gone 2 years old.
He was a shy and timid little thing at first but soon became a real confident hamster. He loved his wheel, would run for ages but his favourite thing was trying to escape from his tank. He managed to chew the sealant strip away from his tank which we didn't realise until we saw him trying to lift the entire lid and get out, little bugger, so we had to mask the edging back down. This is turn just made him chew the lid, so we had to without fail make sure he came out everyday, even if it was for just a few minutes.
He enjoyed a loving, fulfilled life, loving his treats and sweetcorn and his cuddles. As time went by, he still loved his wheel but instead of running it was more plodding.
It was only at the beginning of the year that we noticed the change in him, he was sleeping more than usual but with his age creeping along, we thought it was only natural and he was still eating, drinking and looking well. Then 3 weeks ago I noticed his heart was beating really fast whilst he was sleeping, i woke him up and he seemed fine, but doddery on his feet. I texted my OH who was at work and said I think there is something wrong with Bailey but by the time he got home he was ok. However, on and off for the past few weeks his heart would race and then slow down. We spoke with the vets and they just said it was probably age related. We'd have him out but again he was doddery on his legs so in the end thought he'd be happier being left to rest but He would still be up mooching for treats when we put them in his tank and polished off a whole corn on the cob.
However, last Thursday I went in to check them and bailey was out of his nest (wouldn't sleep in house, no matter how many we provided), heart racing again, I opened his tank to check on him, touched him and he felt cold but when he felt my touch he tried pawing me off, like he used to, so again thought he would be alright and covered him over with his bedding. Later that afternoon my OH went upstairs to change after leaving work and checked on them, he called me to say he thought something was wrong with Bailey as again he was outside his nest. I went up and we put his tank on the bed and lifted him out, he was feeling cold again but sleepy looking, I held him to me to warm him up and started rubbing his nose which he loved. He wasn't wriggling around or trying to get away, so placed him on the bed and he tried walking but would fall over and looked lopsided. We thought he'd had a stroke. I picked him up and just burst into tears thinking we'd have to have him put to sleep, I couldn't leave him like that.
My OH went to get my mobile for the number for our vets but no sooner had he come back up, we thought bailey was in fact just sleepy as he began to move and climb around on my chest but suddenly he lurched back and began to gasp for breath, we knew he wouldn't be with us much longer, so we got a fluffy towel, placed him on it and held him close until his passed 10 minutes later. We gave him a little kiss and then placed him back in his nest for he last time as I was so worried he hadn't gone, even though deep down I knew he had.
It was so upsetting, brought back memories of our first puppy dying in my arms whilst racing to get him to the vets, only for him to sort of perk up, give me and my OH a look and then just pass away 200 yards away from the vets.
Bailey was buried the following day alongside his former neighbour at Hamser Heights, Henry who only passed last month.
We are now down to 3 hamsters and our Syrians are approaching 2 years old and we're not sure about Percy our Robo as we rescued him. We love our animals and it's getting harder losing them, so have decided not to have anymore hamsters for now. We've said never say never and have kept the cages and tanks and if there was a desperate little hammy needing a home, then no doubt we would give help them out.
So rest in peace sweet little Bailers, you will be missed dearly by us all. Especially Harry as he won't have you to watch anymore.
Attached are 2 pictures of Bailey and 1 of Henry. We couldn't attach his picture last month and Bailey won't mind us adding it his memorial.
Play well.
Love all of us.
xxx
Bailey was my first Syrian hamster and named after my favourite alcoholic beverage and was just gone 2 years old.
He was a shy and timid little thing at first but soon became a real confident hamster. He loved his wheel, would run for ages but his favourite thing was trying to escape from his tank. He managed to chew the sealant strip away from his tank which we didn't realise until we saw him trying to lift the entire lid and get out, little bugger, so we had to mask the edging back down. This is turn just made him chew the lid, so we had to without fail make sure he came out everyday, even if it was for just a few minutes.
He enjoyed a loving, fulfilled life, loving his treats and sweetcorn and his cuddles. As time went by, he still loved his wheel but instead of running it was more plodding.
It was only at the beginning of the year that we noticed the change in him, he was sleeping more than usual but with his age creeping along, we thought it was only natural and he was still eating, drinking and looking well. Then 3 weeks ago I noticed his heart was beating really fast whilst he was sleeping, i woke him up and he seemed fine, but doddery on his feet. I texted my OH who was at work and said I think there is something wrong with Bailey but by the time he got home he was ok. However, on and off for the past few weeks his heart would race and then slow down. We spoke with the vets and they just said it was probably age related. We'd have him out but again he was doddery on his legs so in the end thought he'd be happier being left to rest but He would still be up mooching for treats when we put them in his tank and polished off a whole corn on the cob.
However, last Thursday I went in to check them and bailey was out of his nest (wouldn't sleep in house, no matter how many we provided), heart racing again, I opened his tank to check on him, touched him and he felt cold but when he felt my touch he tried pawing me off, like he used to, so again thought he would be alright and covered him over with his bedding. Later that afternoon my OH went upstairs to change after leaving work and checked on them, he called me to say he thought something was wrong with Bailey as again he was outside his nest. I went up and we put his tank on the bed and lifted him out, he was feeling cold again but sleepy looking, I held him to me to warm him up and started rubbing his nose which he loved. He wasn't wriggling around or trying to get away, so placed him on the bed and he tried walking but would fall over and looked lopsided. We thought he'd had a stroke. I picked him up and just burst into tears thinking we'd have to have him put to sleep, I couldn't leave him like that.
My OH went to get my mobile for the number for our vets but no sooner had he come back up, we thought bailey was in fact just sleepy as he began to move and climb around on my chest but suddenly he lurched back and began to gasp for breath, we knew he wouldn't be with us much longer, so we got a fluffy towel, placed him on it and held him close until his passed 10 minutes later. We gave him a little kiss and then placed him back in his nest for he last time as I was so worried he hadn't gone, even though deep down I knew he had.
It was so upsetting, brought back memories of our first puppy dying in my arms whilst racing to get him to the vets, only for him to sort of perk up, give me and my OH a look and then just pass away 200 yards away from the vets.
Bailey was buried the following day alongside his former neighbour at Hamser Heights, Henry who only passed last month.
We are now down to 3 hamsters and our Syrians are approaching 2 years old and we're not sure about Percy our Robo as we rescued him. We love our animals and it's getting harder losing them, so have decided not to have anymore hamsters for now. We've said never say never and have kept the cages and tanks and if there was a desperate little hammy needing a home, then no doubt we would give help them out.
So rest in peace sweet little Bailers, you will be missed dearly by us all. Especially Harry as he won't have you to watch anymore.
Attached are 2 pictures of Bailey and 1 of Henry. We couldn't attach his picture last month and Bailey won't mind us adding it his memorial.
Play well.
Love all of us.
xxx