[Pebbles82]

Do keep coming on here. We have all been able to help each other through these times. We share fun things about hamsters too, and share tips and there’s a monthly photo competition as well.

A lot of people find it helps, after losing a hamster, to have some kind of little memorial. Either a burial or some kind of little tribute to them. Some people bury them in a plant pot and plant something in it. Or in a garden or back yard with something planted there to mark the site. Or scatter ashes and then create a little marker memorial. But basically a way to say goodbye to help accept they are now pain free and at the rainbow bridge.

Different cultures and people have different beliefs but at the core of all of this is what Souffle calls, the circle of life. They never really die, they just go somewhere else where they can’t feel pain - and they didn’t want to leave us, and we miss them, but we thank them for the love and joy they gave us in their little lives and honour them after they have gone.

Your hamsters knew they were loved and that is very important because some pets don’t have loving caring owners. You gave them a wonderful life.

In time we start to remember the nice memories when they were younger and the funny moments. And the pain is less raw.

But it is a process. I read somewhere that when we love a person or pet, our hearts are joined by an invisible string - attaching us. And when they die the string is snapped and the end attached to our heart is wavering around feeling lost with no attachment. But in time that string settles down and gets smaller but stays attached to our hearts and the pain disappears- and we then grow new strings which attach to another loved person or pet. We don’t forget the previous ones - they are still there in our hearts and looking down on us. Imagine them happy and running free, free from pain.