Hamster Dilemma??

[Tinky]

I dont know what to do, As some of you may know I lost my baby hamster this weekend at just 10 weeks, I got him and his sister Pebbles from my best friend whose Neighbours hamster had a litter.

Today she has told me they still have one of that litter left, A little girl, Did I want her.

I DO want her, She is Pebbles and Shadow's sister and currently has no home, My problem is, Do you think its too soon? Its only been 2 days since we lost Shadow and it broke my heart, Is it not being fair to Shadows memory to replace him so soon?
Should I give myself and my family time to grieve or accept his Sister into our Family?

I just dont know what to do.

[cypher]

You wouldn't be replacing Shadow, we never replace hams we just find more room in our hearts when we find another one that needs us.
Shadow will be forever in your heart.
We all take different amounts of time before we're ready but sometimes it seems the decision is made for us & this sounds as though it could be one of those times.

[Piebald]

I don't see any problem with giving the sister a loving home now. Your grieving for the one you lost will run parallel. I don't think it is at all somehow disrespectful, in fact it's a loving tribute. Be sure to sterilise any items you intend to reuse and keep the new one quarantined from the other one for 4 weeks.

[Tinky]

Thank you for your reply, Shadow and Pebbles had separate cages anyway so the new one would just take over shadows cage, I will definately sterilize all of shadows stuff before any other hamster moved in, Just in case he had some illness, we dont know what he died of. x

[Nancy's Hamsters]

I'd sit down with the rest of the family and see how they feel. Sometimes a new hamster can help with the closer of the lost one, but sometimes it can make things much worse. Also if the in need hamster is opposite gender to Pebbles you have to be really enforcing to little ones that they must never ever be placed together as many accidental breeding occurs when little children think Hammy 1 is lonely and place them with Hammy 2 and a date occurs. The children don't mean harm and just want to see the Hamsters happy.

The other thing is if Shadows death was from a genetic issue you will need to accept that very same thing can be within the female hamster. Be sure all family members understand this just in case.

As for being fair to Shadow he is gone from this world and I doubt any Hamster would want a family they loved to not get a new buddy, not to replace him but to add on more love and joy on to what he brought to you in his short days with you.