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View Full Version : Goodbye my dear Nony


Hekomi
06-26-2014, 03:44 PM
It all started with a look.

http://i.gyazo.com/e60740720ccce850d4aa5d9e936f610c.png

I had called to ask if they could let me know when they had more "calicos" in. I think my SO and I knew Cora was fighting a downhill battle. They said they had three and I jumped on it. My SO was confused, but so was I.

I got there, and there were three little girls. One was a black banded, but two had lovely tort colours. The employee let me handle all three (I wanted to check for size, temperament, and to ensure they were all females) and ended up picking the largest girl. Then began the preparations. What do we do, how do we get a tank?

We got everything sorted out and our little wee one came home with us on June 8th at 5 weeks old.

We let her explore her new home a bit.

http://i.gyazo.com/25dd072cba8b78411b648c3cf51c1c43.png

She had a little smudge on her side the first day, but she groomed it off pretty quickly. She was fast, and jumpy like most babies, but I did get to hold her a bit while my SO took pictures.

http://i.gyazo.com/f7ea3070f1e2c56e46ab02494c6c7a46.png

She felt so much better than Cora, and was a fairly decent size. I didn't mind her flighty personality, as most of it was likely because of her age, and she had little hand taming done.

http://i.gyazo.com/b350bdea33444bddf877666686ea9960.png

She had such big ears that she loved to hold nice and high.

http://i.gyazo.com/be8293b30bf702bec3522c70c3861079.png

She loved to explore and dig in her cage.

She spent a few days without a name. We couldn't find one we liked. Cocoa? Caffeine? Hmm. We spent a lot of time on this and finally I just started calling her Nony, short for Anonymous, because she needed a better name than just "hamster baby". So it stuck, and we lengthened it to Nanaimo.

Nony was a pretty addictive name, and when Cora passed, she was a wonderful delight to have. I was assured they were unrelated, as they're from different breeders, but I am inclined to believe that they share some genes, somewhere.

http://i.gyazo.com/3addde04474c4ea3b87ee8bd331f2765.png

Nony loved sitting under her water bottle. She peed there too, but it didn't seem to deter her much.

http://i.gyazo.com/469caa0f73abfe41dd2647837abec286.png

She loved yoghurt drops and sunflower seeds and we'd put them on her little bridge for her to play around on.

Suddenly she didn't look super well though, and wasn't exercising or eating as much. We weren't really sure why, but we talked to Nancy about it, and we thought maybe the AC was hitting her and it was cold - so we moved her and she seemed to begin improving. In about 8 hours she had perked up some, but still wouldn't really use her wheel.

http://i.gyazo.com/ddb361bf61943c2608996596444dbcf5.png

Her ears weren't up fully, but we were keeping a close eye on her. We offered her supplements for her food but she was never interested. She liked the food she was on, and so we were happy.

http://i.gyazo.com/7565bfb63899f8beca756be2975e0490.png

She would often go and groom right after I handled her, so we thought she was likely really scared. Her breathing was fast after she was handled, so we were worried she was scared. Monday morning I had picked her up and given her a kiss goodbye and a quick weigh in. She seemed to be doing well. My SO came in to give her a kiss and she panicked. Luckily, he caught her and we put her back in her tank. She immediately rolled onto her back submissively. I felt terrible but we figured it was fear and just closed the lid and let her be and calm down.

My SO and I came up with a plan to keep her more comfortable and I contacted my vet on Monday morning. She said that it might be something she couldn't help us with, but referred us to three other clinics where we could do blood work and imaging. I appreciated her help, and my SO and I were all geared up to call one of the places that evening and look at our possibilities.

I got a text from my SO when I got home from work. Funnily enough both of us had splitting headaches from about mid-morning to the end of the day.

"Let me know when you're home."

Full stop.

I think I knew immediately why. I guess you just know, right? I texted him back but I knew I needed to call him. So I called his cell.

"She's gone."

Our hearts sunk. He had come in and checked on her and she had passed. He was already knitting her a little blanket. We skyped a bit, and then finally I caved and asked my mother if I could take the car over to be with him (for those who don't know I'm living with my mother for a bit during the summer as she has a car and we don't). She, I suppose in her understanding, said yes. Though while I angrily and sadly ate dinner, she said "maybe we should change something about what we're doing and stop treating them like dogs and kissing them". I was pretty annoyed that she was insinuating my behaviour had caused this. Cora had only passed just over a week ago. The wound was so fresh already and pulled apart even more now.

I drove over in a rainstorm, and somehow managed to keep it together for almost the whole trip. I got there and we cried. He finished up Nony's blanket. I knew I didn't want him to have to deal with her alone, and I needed to say goodbye. He offered to take her out of her tank, but I wanted to do it... no I needed to do it. I brought her home and into the tank, I would bring her out.

I lifted off her house. The poor thing looked like she was climbing into bed, her eyes even partially opened. I picked her up and cradled her in some boxo, closed her eyes and gave her a very gentle kiss. I don't usually like to kiss animals after they have gone - I knew she wasn't there anymore - but I didn't feel like I was able to say goodbye without it. We wrapped her up in the blanket with some of her favourite treats and her whimzee. We had a box and I decorated it, and we put it in the freezer to wait until I was home.

I called the pet store - it was a huge long thing that went over two days. I did get my money back for Nony... but I haven't spent it. I have a hard time rationalizing that the $30 gift card in my wallet is essentially what my hamster's life is worth. I don't know what we'll do with it.

I'm going to write a letter to head office and complain - I know the store is likely blaming me for the two deaths, but I'm sure now after thinking about it and talking with my vet and other members here, that there is simply something wrong. Maybe not with every hamster, but both Cora and Nony had a congenital defect - Cora's was likely her kidneys, and Nony's likely her heart. There is no reason why this should have happened, and the fact that I got two babies who failed to thrive is uncanny, too coincidental, and just not right. I am just thankful that I got these girls and they were able to live with me, even for a short time, and not with a young child who would be traumatized by these deaths.

The draft we thought was a draft wasn't. The house was fine. I have had Biscotti, who was younger than both girls, and smaller, thrive and grow into such a strong young boy. He is so very sociable. I had hoped for both of these girls to be the same. Obviously this was not the plan.

Two girls, taken from me too soon. Too beautiful for here, they needed to be angels.

Nony lies beside my second hamster I had in highschool, Willow. While Willow has likely become earth, her linen cloth still remains. I hope that my Willow, and all the other hams at the bridge will help Nony. I'm sure Cora was waiting there with open arms for her new friend. I like to think of them having chats over their whimzees.

"Aren't those humans so crazy? They thought I'd want to eat off a spoon!"
"What?! You mean you didn't like that?"
"Well, no, and I didn't like the one who smelled kinda like flowers!"
"Oh she was nice, I liked her a lot. She gave me treats and kisses."
"Really? I didn't want kisses, but I liked treats! The one with the furry face gave me lots of treats!"

Both of these experiences have highlighted the importance of breeding healthy hamsters, and keeping your babies for maybe just a touch longer. Cora's breeder should have held her back - she should have never gone for sale. Nony... well, that may have slipped by, but if the breeder had held her for just even one more week she may have noticed she wasn't doing as well.

While I wish they could be around now, their stories and lives will help guide me in the future. As I wish to begin my own hamstery, knowing what to look for in babies, and thinking about these things before, and after I breed, is essential, and will be done. I hope to never have this problem again - at least, not once a baby is sold. I would not wish this week of hell on anyone else.

Cora and Nony are both so special to my SO and I. I think two sunflowers will need to be planted in their honour.

Play well at the bridge Nony. Please say hi to Cora, she will love you and show you around. You will meet Sparkle, and Coffee, Smokey, and all our other hamsters. And one day, hopefully not anytime soon, you will be there to help welcome our four hamsters. Eventually, you'll all come running into our arms, decades from now, and we'll see each other again. And by then, I'm sure you'll have many more friends from the Hamstarbucks Hamily there to join you.

Rest in peace my darling angel.

Teddy001
06-26-2014, 05:55 PM
I'm so gutted reading this.. My condolences, Hekomi- Nony, RIP precious baby- play well with Cora and the others that have gone to the bridge.. Xx

Esmy
06-26-2014, 06:27 PM
I'm sorry about Nony. :( May she rest in peace. Very nice memorial and photos.

souffle
06-27-2014, 03:13 AM
I am so sorry for both of you and for your losses. It is hard to lose two babies in such a short space of time. Shared sorry binds you closer and you develop a deeper understanding and admiration of each other as you share sadness and happiness.
Play well at the bridge Nony and send a rainbow or a white feather to you mum and dad to show them you are safe xx

ANGELBABIES
06-27-2014, 04:23 AM
Goodbye little princess - your life here was short, but nevertheless filled with so much love from your mum and day. Run free little baby xx

Bec
06-27-2014, 04:34 AM
So very sorry for losses. Run free little fluff, play well with Cora at the bridge.
Hope you are OK x

corrieberry
06-27-2014, 05:30 AM
Beautiful tribute for a beautiful girl. I am so sorry for both of you, and a little proud that you are talking about lessons you can take from this. I can't wait to see the sunflowers blooming.

DrKMcK
06-27-2014, 06:17 AM
This is just the saddest thing. It shouldn't have happened :-(. I am so sorry for the loss of Nony and Cora. {hugs} to you both. Play well at the Bridge Nony :-(

My heart hurts :-(

Truffle
06-27-2014, 07:54 AM
I am so sorry, losing both Cora and Nony is such a short space of time must be really hard. You wrote a wonderful memorial for a beautiful hammie. Sleep tight little one xx

spyro87
06-27-2014, 08:12 AM
beautiful tribute to both your beautiful girls xx and Im so glad to see you're not blaming yourself. Im so glad youve realised its the breeder at fault.

learn & grow is all we can hope to do in the face of adversity...
play well Nony & Cora

Lemon66|
06-29-2014, 05:59 PM
I was reading up on Nony's thread and I was just shocked when I came to your last post! I'm so very sorry to hear about your losses Hekomi - my heart goes out to you. Both Nony and Cora were lucky to have spent their short lives in your loving care, I'm certain nothing could have been done differently to save either one.