I need advice...

[NatureLover]

It's been a couple of days since I found out about the brutal fate of my little angels :'( and my friend's Syrian hamster recently gave birth. She doesn't have anymore space for them so she's offering to give them to me, she told me it would help...but it just doesn't feel right. I really don't know what to do and I couldn't think of any other place to ask for advice, sorry if I waste your time...

[racinghamster]

Hi. If you can be sure that you will be able to give a hamster a safe environment to live in that`s the most important factor. If you travel a lot or depend on others to oversee your hamster(s) and those people are not really knowledgeable about hamsters or what to do in an emergency, then I would decline. You have to look at your situation as it is and only keep pets if you know they can be safe and cared for. Otherwise you may just be taking on someone else`s problem. x

[NatureLover]

Thank you, I do have the time and resources for them but taking them in only a few days after I found out about Romeo and Juliet's death just feels wrong...

[racinghamster]

If your friend has young Syrian hamster`s due to a pregnancy, you don`t say if this was accidental or intentional? The baby hamsters will have to be separated anyway and kept as single hamsters as Syrians cannot and should not be kept together, so you would only be offering to take one of the babies, or more if you could house them separately in good sized cages. The babies need to stay with their mum for a set amount of weeks anyway as removing them early could jeopardise their health. I don`t breed hamsters so someone with that knowledge could advise on that.

Whether you feel ready to have another hamster is up to you, but the cats or cat that got to your other hamsters needs addressing. Was it your cat or did a cat get into the house when you were away?

[Pebbles82]

I think the cat was at her Aunt's house RH - is the right Nature Lover? I can understand you don't feel good about getting another one so soon after your little ones have gone - it's a difficult one. But they do say when someone is grieving for a dog the best remedy a new puppy :) I can understand if you feel it is too soon, and if your friend didn't have these baby hamsters you would probably wait a bit longer. Have you been to see them? That might help you decide.

As RH says each will need its own cage, and you probably know that as you had two before.

Maybe I'm being too positive here, but it sounds like this was meant to be to me. Your friend has some baby syrians that need a home and you have the time and resources :) and when you get to know them they will be your new babies :) and they will need a good owner, which you are. I also think it's important to say goodbye properly to a lost pet so you can move on, maybe you could have a kind of personal little memorial for them. You can do it on here if you want, or you could make something to have in the home and say a few words for them over it and say goodbye. They are safe now and free to play on the rainbow bridge.

I think it is so hard to find someone to look after pets when you have to go away, but you can be prepared another time and find somewhere that is just right, rather than having to ask someone at short notice. Check out all the local pet sitting services, see what they offer, ask them questions. A friend of ours recently told me about a service they use where the lady comes to the home every day to put out food and water and lets them out if you want her to and she follows all the instructions they leave so they go away with peace of mind. And there are people on here who offer to ham-sit as well, who know about hamsters. Sadly most people aren't used to hamsters and what happened to you has happened to many people. Hugs.

I should get the baby syrians. Two of them anyway.

[Shannonmcn]

It might help to get a new little baby or two, I know when I had to have my last ham put to sleep I thought it would be months before I could get another but the empty cage was just pointing at a little empty space in my life and a week later I rescued another girl and I didn't regret it at all. If these babies need a good home and you're able to give them one then it doesn't mean you won't miss Romeo and Juliet, you can miss them and feel sad while learning to love a new ham. If your friends hamster has just given birth then you should have some time to get used to the idea before they're ready to leave mum anyway.

Whatever you decide I'm very sorry about your two little ones and I hope you're okay soon

[DrKMcK]

Hi NatureLover. I have had many, many, hamsters and gerbils. Each and every one has a place in my heart. None can take the place of another. Your story was rather ghastly and I'm sure you were really devastated on finding out what happened. If the only thing stopping you from getting another hammy is your concern that you are being disloyal to Romeo and Juliet, that is far from true. Giving another hammy a good life would be a tribute to your other hammies. If you feel you need more time to grieve, then follow your heart. Depending on how it felt at the time when I lost a hammy, there were times I couldn't bear to bring another hammy home right away, and there were other times when I just had to go and get another hammy right away. Only you can make the decision. But you are not letting another hammy take the place of Romeo and Juliet. That will never happen. :-(

[NatureLover]

Serendipity7000, it was my aunt's neighbor's cat...
And thank you all very much for the help

[Miss kiwi]

I totally agree with the people above. A couple years ago my dog that I grew up with had to be put to sleep and that absolutely crushed me. But after a month or so I felt a big hole in my heart without having a dog to love. So a month later after begging my mother she bought another family dog. And although the one that I grew up with can never be replaced getting another dog really helped me to move on. Now I know that a dog isn't a hamster, and thankfully I haven't been put in this situation yet, but I really feel like if you're ready to have another hamster then definitely go for it!

[Pebbles82]

I think it's important you try and distract yourself from thinking about what happened and how though or it could make you ill - hugs. Time to move on and say goodbye to them and know they are at peace now. Do something different for a few days - it helps with getting rid of unwanted thoughts. Like walk or drive a different route to work and notice new things. Or have a bit of a clear out and rearrange your wardrobe. Or go out and do something fun that will distract you. Whatever you decide it's lovely to have a hammy in your life and you were a good hammy Mum - you didn't do anything wrong. Other people aren't as careful or conscious of things when it's not their pet.