yeah the memories have made me smile a ton as well. He really was unique. I know every hamster is unique in their own way, but Browney honestly wasn't a hamster. He was a dog stuck in a hamster body!
I have been stuck in a hole for a while. I have felt guilty that I did a full cage clean last sunday and then removed him less than 24 hours later for him never to get back. The full cage cleans never bothered him much, but I do wonder if I stressed him unnecessarily. I would really have liked him to pass in an environment he felt safe in too. On the other hand though, had I not taken him to the vet and found him dead after work, I would never be able to forgive myself. What if he had been in so much pain that he would be squeaking for hours? He did have that lump under his eye after all. So at least I know that he went peacefully as my vet checks on her patients very very often. If anything had seemed wrong or if she had the smallest doubt that he was in pain or about to pass, she wouldn't have waited until it fit her schedule.
Her own thought was that he passed of old age.
I have manned up to look through his cage. He had a busy night before he left. He made his 2 usual nests and stocked up on food in his cup. I gave him one of these
pear hamster houses as well and had stuffed it with loo paper strips. He made a nice nest in there too, so I'm sure he approved of it. He has spent some time moving his rock away from the wall too. He always loved to sleep inbetween the rock and the side of the cage. It looked hilarious! There really wouldnt be more than maybe 1½ cm of space! He would squeeze himself in there, all there way at the buttom and if you looked at him and giggled a bit, he would move and come up on top with his eyes closed and nose in the air. All like 'mom don't laugh! It's comfy okay! I'm a big boy and not cute! I'm dangerous!'
He really was a lovely boy. I wanted to frame a picture of him and place it on the table where his cage is right now. I do have a difficult time deciding which though