R.I.P Franklin :(

[Pompompoms]

Oh no, I'm so sorry . It won't have been anything you've done, so try not to worry yourself. Sometimes there is something there we just can't see, and the bridge calls them on so far before what should be there time. I'm glad he knew love and good care with you before he passed. Play well little one xx

[souffle]

So sorry to hear of your loss - his last days were spent happy and loved.
Play well Franklin x

[Sarah McGarry]

Thank you again for the kind words. I just cant help thinking I could have done something. When I spoke to the people at p@h they said they feed them apple so they don't dehydrate and that I should have done the same. I asked them weren't they worried about diabetes and they said hamsters dont get diabetes. So I dont know but I didnt give him apple I just give him two water bottles and I know he was drinking. I just think my confidence is a bit shot about it really because I thought I did everything right and I read up so much on Chinese hammies Luna's doing well in her new zoozone two he seems to like it! xxxx

[Arraminta]

So sorry for your loss!! He had a fab month with you and was very loved..

Play well at the bridge little one x

Arraminta x

[m98025]

Please don't listen to the P@home staff, you clearly did everything you could for Franklin and he looked very happy for the short time he was with you! As you can see from the experience of many forum members, hamsters definitely DO get diabetes and Chinese are one of the breeds that are most susceptible. In all the years I've been looking after hamsters, I have never known a healthy one to dehydrate- they have all managed to keep themselves perfectly well hydrated from their water bottles (and although I have obviously given little bits of veg etc as a supplement, that has never been in sufficient quantities to prevent dehydration if they were not drinking properly). I'm not saying that dehydration never happens, just that it seems relatively rare in healthy hamsters! I have heard this justification before from them when challenged about feeding hams apple and orange and cannot understand why they think hams are so prone to dehydration - makes me a bit worried that maybe they don't give them enough water, or if there are some other health problems prevalent in the animals they sell? If Franklin had been with them for a while, I wonder if the poor diet they fed him as he was growing caused him some internal damage, which you had no way of knowing about and may explain his sudden passing?

On a happier note, I'm glad that Luna is enjoying the zoozone!

[shiny]

Sarah I am so sorry about Franklin I remember that lovely photo of him from when you got him. The store advice is simply nonsense; hamsters don't require apple instead or water - who told them that rubbish?!

You looked after Franklin, took the time to find out about diet & diabetes & gave him a loving home. Some hammies just seem to die early, you will probably never know what it was, I don't expect it was related to diet or anything you did as it was so sudden.

Don't lose confidence, you have shown yourself to be a responsible & sensible hamster owner & I'm sure Franklin had a lovely life with you.

With best wishes,

shiny

[Sarah McGarry]

Aww thanks again that makes me feel better! I was so upset that they blamed me when I was sure I had the info right! But I am not going to let them undermine what I know because I have spent HOURS on this forum and I have enjoyed learning more about hammies. I am going to give another hammy a home when I start to feel better about Franklin. Thank you again everyone for being so wonderful! Everyone on this forum is soooooo nice xxxxxxxxx

[kyrilliondaemon]

Sounds like you did right to me. I'm sorry Franklin passed but he'll have had a great last month with you and I know he'll have been glad

[shiny]

I'm sure a new hammie will find you when the time is right xx

[DrKMcK]

Sarah, Losing Franklin was bad enough. For them to blame you was just wrong. I wouldn't go near them to purchase anything ever again. Somewhere, sometime, the right hammy will be there for you. And we'll be here to celebrate with you when that happens.