Good bye Percy

[Ria P]

Our dear Percy passed away early this morning.

I found him unresponsive but breathing in his nest yesterday morning and he never regained consciousness.

Percy looked like he was sleeping and eventually drifted over to his forever sleep.

We are very sad to have lost him but glad that he died peacefully in his sleep at home in his nest surrounded by people who loved him.

[LunaTheHamster1]

Oh Ria, I am so sorry to hear this, Hugs to you and take care.

[Vierville]

Rest In Peace dear sweet little Percy.

[RolyRocks]

I am so very sorry Ria, always the hardest part of having animals.

Sweet dreams Percy X

[cypher]

I'm so sorry for your loss Ria. Percy had a lovely life with you & I'm glad he was able to pass to the bridge peacefully at home.
Run free & play well at the bridge little Percy.

[Ria P]

Thank you all for your kind words.

Percy was only 13/14 months old and i knew that his life expectancy wasn't great soon after i had adopted him but we still hope for that little bit longer.

Last year i did away with a small herb garden because the neighbourhood cats fertilized it and put two large slabs down instead with herbs and lavender in pots on top. Never liked that spot because it reminded me of a grave but it became the obvious place for Percy's last resting place. I ought to put a cucumber plant on top of his grave instead of lavender because he loved cucumber.

[sushi_78]

I'm sorry for your loss. I'm glad he went as peacefully as possible.

[Coco61]

I am so sorry about Percy, Ria. He had the most loving and caring home with you. He slipped across the bridge from his own nest and I know that always feels like the best way.
His last resting place sounds very peaceful.
Rest in Peace little Percy.

[Pebbles82]

I am so sorry Ria. He was lucky to have you adopt him and a loving home. RIP Percy and enjoy your cucumber bed.

[Ria P]

Thank you all.
Its my first experience of losing a hamster and i had no idea its so tough. I'm really struggling to concentrate at work tonight because i keep thinking of Percy. Percy departed peacefully and i don't even want to imagine how people feel who lost hamsters in accidents or other traumatic circumstances. I will view those posts completely differently now.

[Pebbles82]

It is a huge thing - we expect to see and hear them. A big loss. You have other hamsters,which helps. You still miss Percy but it helps to keep the feeding routine and caring routine I find. Much harder when you only have the one and they go. The others can be a comfort.

A few tips that help. You need to feel ready to clean out/empty his cage- sometimes it's too hard straight away but seeing the empty cage with their presence and habits can really exacerbate the grief too - so covering the cage over with a blanket helps until you're ready to empty it - disinfect and then put it away somewhere out of sight. After that stage it's a bit easier. Then it is time. Eventually you get past the last moments thoughts and start remembering the happy times with him.

One thing I am aware of when they have passed is gratitude. They give so much and we have to thank them for being in our lives and giving such happiness.

[Vierville]

Ria P, I completely understand how you are feeling.

Having had two of my beloved hamsters pass away in different circumstances (one peacefully at home like Percy, the other put to sleep very suddenly at the vets), I really agree that it is one of the most awful things I've ever experienced - and I've experienced some pretty bad things. Their passing affected me more than even the passing of some close human relatives has.

Hamsters are such pure, innocent souls who we as hamster lovers want to care for and protect and the thought of them suffering in any way - whether through illness, old age or injury - is indeed very hard to cope with. There is an element of helplessness that is very difficult to come to terms with.

I grieved (and cried) for weeks for my litttle Admiral Lord Nelson and for sweet little Monty, and I'm a big, supposedly tough military-minded man.

I too struggled to focus for a while after both the Admiral and Monty passed away.

I can only say that the pain does eventually get better, and one is gradually able to recall the lovely memories of them without quite as much sadness as when it is still new.

[Vierville]

One thing I am aware of when they have passed is gratitude. They give so much and we have to thank them for being in our lives and giving such happiness.

Serendipity7000, I completely agree. Very well said. I know it probably sounds very very wierd but I still 'talk' to Monty and the Admiral in my thoughts and I often send them thoughts of gratitude and love. I have absolutely no doubt that they have a soul and that they can sense much more than we think.

As for the practicalities of the cage, the Admiral passed away while I was at work and luckily my wife was off as it was a Sunday so she cleaned, disinfected and stored away his cage the same day. I couldn't face handling it.
With Monty, it took a week before either of us could face the task so we covered the cage until we felt able to deal with the sad task.

A while after her passing, we decided to separate the two linked cages she lived in and attach one cage each to Norman and Baldrick's existing cages, giving them a much bigger play area. I tell them regularly that this was Aunty Monty's gift to them.

[Ria P]

Thank you both so much for sharing your experiences, it really helps.
I had spent many hours with Percy when he was dying so had said my good byes and coped well with the burial itself. I put a Whimzee in his coffin and lots of substrate to keep him comfy which may sound a bit silly.
I disinfected and cleaned his cage and things directly after, Edwina inherited his flying saucer wheel because it runs smoother than hers but i had to put his kitkat mug hamster taxi or plane rather, away. This item is too personal to reuse for another hamster, everything else is fine but not this mug. Isn't that strange? I didn't know myself that i would react that way.
I won't put the cage away but set it up for another hamster. I'll set it up differently though because Percy's set up was personal to him.
On my way home from work today i stopped at a pets@home to buy some parsley for Henry and to my delight saw that they are selling hamsters again.
I couldn't resist to have a look and saw a young dwarf who resembled Percy. I was drawn to this hamster like a magnet but i think that i'm searching for Percy who has gone.
I'm overcome with emotions now as i write this but at the same time knowing that i don't have to look at an empty cage has also made me feel a lot better.
I think that i'll have a look at adoption sections to see if there is a dwarf who has been stuck in a small tank for a long time, like Percy had been and Gordon and take it from there.

[LunaTheHamster1]

I totally get that Ria, somethings of Luna I have never been able to use with any of my other hamsters. I intend to put some plants in her old labyrinth house or something like that.
Sunny's favouirte place was to perch on the end of her guinea pig house, so I couldn't use that in a cage for a while. I got it back out for free roaming, then needed it to stop Twinkle making such a mess in his cage.

How you set Percy's coffin up does not sound silly, it sounds thoughtful and caring. I think I put Luna on some fresh bedding and placed her fleece pouch on top that I had made her for when free roaming.

I am sure the right little hamster will come into your life when the time is right.

Take care
xxx

[Petite]

I've only just seen this thread, Ria P, and wanted to add my commiserations on the loss of little Percy. I'm glad his passing was peaceful, and that the life he shared with you was a happy one. It will all be feeling raw just now, but please be kind to yourself. It's a positive thing that you plan to set up the cage for another hamster. You have so much to offer another little furry friend.

[Engel]

Oh my god Ria, I'm so sorry to hear about Percy. Quite a few are crossing the bridge at the moment. Let's just hope they're having a good time

[Charlie Dunn]

Ria I am so sorry to that Percy left you far too quickly but at least his passing was peaceful and you were able to be there with him. They are such a big part of our lives and when they go over the rainbow bridge it is so hard. Be kind to your self and take your time to grieve. You will know when you are ready to welcome another ham and they will be lucky to come into your family. When our previous hams died we always put some of their favourite things in their coffins with them so I completely get why you would do that. Play well at the bright Percy x

[Ria P]

Thank you again all. Yes, quite a few have left us of lately.

[Pebbles82]

I can totally relate to the "personal items". Some things of Charlie's were just "his" and I thought I'd never be able to use them again. Time heals though and the items take on new associations in time. Charlie's little plastic pod house (from the Hamster heaven) has since been used by other hamsters in the pet carrier. It is the immediacy of having seen them use it, but time helps.

I can also relate to looking at other hamsters and not being ready. I desperately wanted to adopt a little girl hamster in our local pet shop after Charlie went. She had been there for ages and looked so sweet. But I just couldn't -found the feelings overwhelming. The right time and the right hamster will come along. It does help to have one that looks different or a different species/colour so they can become their own individual to you.

[Coco61]

Nothing you describe sounds daft, Ria. Maestro was totally surrounded by his Fitch nest when I buried him with his favourite seeds. That thought brings comfort to us.
I have since read about your new arrival. Percy would certainly approve.

[Thin Lizzy]

Ria, I'm so sorry for your loss, Percy was an absolute cutie and joy and gave you so much happiness, I'm glad he drifted over to the rainbow bridge where he's now at peace and forever in your heart.
I agree with Coco, I kept back a couple of Master Harvey's favourite toys as he got so much fun out of them. xxx

[Chicleteer]

Rita, I’m so sorry for your loss. May the good memories, and the companionship of your other hams, be a comfort to you.
Run free and play well at the bridge, little Percy.

[souffle]

I'm so sorry for your loss.
Run free at the bridge Percy x