Sleep well, my sweetheart Willow xx

[shazzy]

It's with a very heavy heart that I write this, but I have just found my little girl willow forever asleep in her cage.

As you know she had been poorly the last couple of days, and I was hoping she would pull through, but whatever was troubling her was obviously too much to overcome. She was under her log bridge all snug, and had passed peacefully in her sleep. She had had a hot water bottle beside her cage, so would have passed being nice and warm in her bed.

Willow you lit up my days. It's amazing how so much personality was crammed into your tiny body. You were an absolute delight and brought me so much happiness.

You captured my heart when I saw you in pets at home adoption area. I couldn't stop thinking about you, and eventually brought you home. I'm sorry I left you waiting, but we were obviously meant to be.

You were a poorly hamster, suffering from a few ailments in your short life, but they never once got you down and you were so happy.

You loved coming out of your cage, and although you didn't like being handled you had great fun playing with your toys in your playpen. I cherished the moments you let me stroke you while you were tucking into your porridge.

I will miss you so so much, you were taken too soon and too sudden. I love you little Willow bum xx

[leedsgurl]

I'm so sorry for your loss :( Willow had a lovely life with you and passed peacefully.

Sleep well Willow x

[shazzy]

Some photos of the sweetie

http://i1196.photobucket.com/albums/aa411/shazzydazzy10/5679dafa.jpg
http://i1196.photobucket.com/albums/aa411/shazzydazzy10/54476b89.jpg
http://i1196.photobucket.com/albums/aa411/shazzydazzy10/7d95ff75.jpg

Forever at peace and without pain (hope this doesn't upset anyone, she looked so peaceful)
http://i1196.photobucket.com/albums/aa411/shazzydazzy10/88630bc3.jpg

[Hope]

Oh bless her heart :( She was such a beautiful girl Shazzy.

Sleep well Willow, Daisy and Little Mo will be waiting for you I'm sure x

[Mona's Humans]

So sorry to hear this Shazzy, but what a beautiful memorial.

She always sounded like such a character and was a gorgeous ham. She will run free without pain now at the bridge.

Thinking of you x

[Gizmodo ^_^]

I'm so sorry Shazzy, Willow was a beautiful little girl, and had a life filled with Joy with you

She looked so peaceful xx

[SnickersTheFirst]

I'm so sorry Shazzy, she was such a little cutie.

She went through so much in her life but she's in peace now and she passed peacefully.

Little baby looks like she's sleeping...

Play well, Willow. xxxxxxxxx

[souffle]

I am so very sorry.
That was a beautiful tribute and her short life was so filled with love that it made up for everything.
Play well at the bridge Willow x

[Humphrey Furball]

RIP lovely little willow, I'm so sorry for your loss Shazzy x

[suga]

Sleep well lovely Willow x

[shazzy]

Thank you all so much. It all feels very unfair at the moment, but I know I tried my hardest to give her a good life. I hope she passed happy

[fluffymunchkins]

I'm very sorry Shazzy :(
Shes had a rough road, but despite it all I'm sure she was always happy.
Shes earnt her place as one of Gods little hammy angels and I hope she is now restored to full strength and watching over you.

Rest in peace Willow xx

[SnickersTheFirst]

Thank you all so much. It all feels very unfair at the moment, but I know I tried my hardest to give her a good life. I hope she passed happy

The good ones are always taken too early. :( I know it's not much, but she's at peace now, no more illness. xxx

[Peachesmum]

Aww bless her, hugs from me and Peaches xx :(

[shazzy]

Thanks again xx

I think Darcey is trying to cheer me up... She just stole my tissue and ran off with it under the book case. Silly girl

[RachK]

As I've already said on FB. I am so sorry Shaz. She had a wonderful life with you. RIP little Willow xxxx

[TraceyH]

Oh no, sorry you lost her.

[Hamtastic]

Oh what an unexpected sad turn of events :( Hams really are too quick for us sometimes, in many ways :( I am certain Willow is eternally grateful to you for giving her a loving home and is now simply on a new chapter of her hamventures at the Bridge.
<3

[Pompompoms]

Beautiful little girl :(:(:(.

You gave Willow the best possible life you could have done, I'm so sad and so sorry she passed. I know it feels so awful, and so unfair :(. Run free at the bridge little lady with all our dearly missed little ones xxxx

[waycoolsnoopy]

Very sorry to hear about Willow. She was definitely loved I can tell. Their lives are so short even under the best of circumstances. I really am very, very sad for your loss. You have wonderful pictures to remember her, by the way. --Snoopy in Wisconsin, USA

[racinghamster]

I`ve just read this shazzy and am so sorry to hear that Willow has passed on. She looked so bright and happy in your photos and even in her final rest, she looks peaceful. Prinny and I send our love and she will always be with you. x

[shazzy]

Thanks to all that have shared their thoughts. It's a great comfort to me, and I will tell Willow how much she was loved.

RH - she really was a bright little girl. Thats what makes it so unfair as she was clearly enjoying life.

Im going through the normal phase of feeling guilty for things, like being away for 3 days last week so Willow didnt come out for those days. She actually got really excited when she heard my voice on Friday eve when I returned, and came out for one last run around on Friday night, and it was saturday morning that she started going downhill so she had fun until the end.

I also feel guilty for dragging her out to the vets on Monday night and prodding her around. But it was in her best interests, and I really thought she'd pull through as she ate well after the visit - gobbling up egg and porridge

I know I need to stop thinking about those things.

I'm undecided whether she will be buried or cremated. I am waiting to hear from a couple of pet cremation places locally. I may however bury her in a pot with some flowers at the weekend and put her in the garden with Mo and Daisy.

[racinghamster]

I know that feeling shazzy. I have gone through so many mouse deaths in the past that I know what it`s like to watch them go slowly downhill yet hope they will fight on and get through their illness. It`s never easy to know what is going on in their little bodies. You were there for her when she needed you and going away for a few days shouldn`t have been detrimantal to what happened. Hamsters, mice and gerbils are very good at surviving, believe me, so a few days either way wouldn`t have made much of a difference to Willow. Sometimes fate just lends a hand and they take ill for no reason and if the timing happens to be when you are away or can`t be there, it doesn`t mean that was the reason. So please don`t think about that.

I know this isn`t the time or the place to ask, but would you get another chinese? I know that`s probably a daft thing to ask because it`s so soon after Willow, but my personal feeling is that when one light dims, there is always another one waiting to be bright again. x Once again, I`m so sad that Willow isn`t with us anymore.

[shazzy]

I know RH, its so easy to let the what ifs creep into your mind, but I know she was not suffering too long and I mustnt think of the sad times, only the sheer joyful times.

I hope to get another Chinese. Willow really melted my heart and showed me how delightful the species is. I wont get one for a little while, as because their colouring is so similar it will break my heart to look at a new one which may look like Willow for a little while. My thoughts turned to a Chinese in Pets at home adoption area I saw on saturday, and that maybe I should help it out...but I know its not the right time now - maybe if it is still there in a few weeks - but I cannot handle it now. It's still too raw. I will sort her cage at the weekend and let my WW have it...there's always the mini duna if I do feel ready for another Chinese soon

[racinghamster]

That`s understandable and you have your wee winter white for comfort. It`s nice to have nother one while dealing with the loss because they are a comfort by just being there. I also have a big male syrian aswell as little Prinny and they are so different. Much as I love Boris to bits, Prinny is just much more of a people hamster.

I often wonder too whether we (and vets) actually understand enough about the chinese hamster even though they have been around for a while, they are not dwarf hamsters, yet are probably treated just the same as any of the other hamster species might be by vets. It`s just a theory I have but one I feel makes sense due to the fact that chinese are not as popular or as well understood as the dwarf hamster or the syrian is. They are becoming more widely available as a species, but I feel we still have a lot to learn about them physically aswell as proper diet.

[Lougarry]

I'm so sorry to hear your sad news, Shazzy. Sleep tight, little Willow xxx

[Hammie.A]

R.I.P Little beauty.

I'm sorry for your loss of wonderful willow.

It's very hard.
My thought are with you

xx

[Mikayla]

I'm not sure what to say :( I've always loved Willow, although I never say much. She was really a key reason in my getting Holly-Jia. I'm so, so sorry. xx

RIP Willow.

[shazzy]

You are all so kind xx

And MMMTDF I'm so pleased my little girl inspired you to own one of these delightful little hams. I hope Holly jia brings you as much joy as willow did me

[Roxie]

I must have some how missed this thread and have only just seen the sad news.

I'm so sorry Shazzy, you clearly loved her very much.

[Amethyst_ice]

huggles beautiful lady, porridge sneaky snuggles will always be treasured im sure xxxxxxx

[Vectis Hamstery]

I'm sorry to hear about Willow (and to be so late in realising). She was such a pretty lady. I hope the happy memories of the times you spent together soon wash away some of your sadness at her passing.
Run free, Willow.

[shazzy]

Thank you both, I still feel sad at times but trying not to and just thinking of her happily skipping around xx

[Lynternette]

What a lovely memorial to Willow. Its brought tears to my eyes. Huge cuddles to Willow.