Meet Pearl

[Ria P]

I am so so sorry to hear this that i'm a bit lost for words.

People here know how you feel just now when the grief is so raw and life without Pearl looks bleak. I know it's a clichè but time is a good healer. Pearl will always be with you, in your heart and in your thoughts.

You and Pearl were meant to be together and you certainly made the best of the time you had.

Please stay here and talk about how you feel. This forum has helped me so much when our first hamster passed and many after, one of them young.

I know it's way too early to even talk about this but you have so much love to give and there are so many little hamsters out there desperate for a home.

A rescue hamster moved into our first hamster's cage and Henry watches over him from a photo placed above, like a guardian angel with whiskers.

I looked at him just now and told him that a little hamster called Pearl has crossed the rainbow bridgeand that she's on her way to join all the others.

Play well at he the rainbow bridge little Pearl.

[ilguy]

Thank you guys so much for all the support, and great advice as well. She was such a special girl, and will always have a place in my heart. If she does meet Henry in the big void, I bet they'll get along great.

Maybe if any dwarf hamsters in the area come up for adoption I can give it a try.

[cloudy]

It is really nice to see you post. I have been thinking of you and hoping you are okay.

[Ria P]

Originally Posted by ilguy

Maybe if any dwarf hamsters in the area come up for adoption I can give it a try.

I'm glad that you are not disheartened by Pearl's early departure.
I was when our rescue dwarf hybrid Clarissa died of cancer at only 10 months old. She was tiny but had this huge personality and lived her short life to the full.

I had promised myself never to take in a dwarf hybrid again because of their poor genetics and health issues that are so common.

And then rescue Romy arrived who is absolutely lovely.....

[ilguy]

Originally Posted by Ria P

I'm glad that you are not disheartened by Pearl's early departure.
I was when our rescue dwarf hybrid Clarissa died of cancer at only 10 months old. She was tiny but had this huge personality and lived her short life to the full.

I had promised myself never to take in a dwarf hybrid again because of their poor genetics and health issues that are so common.

And then rescue Romy arrived who is absolutely lovely.....

Wow, the grief is hitting hard today. I guess the bulk of it was just delayed, I'm feeling it a ton tonight. She was so special, I'm going through and saving all the videos + pictures I have of her in a big album.

This one of her looking for me in the morning a month ago just has me in tears. Right before I put in that platform you suggested under her sand bath. Our morning time was such a treat, a good night with all the love in the world from her.

I think I will try my hand at adopting one when I'm ready, with everything you guys have taught me + more things to play on. I never knew such a small little creature could be such a bundle of joy & love.

Where's my Buddy?

[cloudy]

Originally Posted by ilguy

Wow, the grief is hitting hard today. I guess the bulk of it was just delayed, I'm feeling it a ton tonight. She was so special, I'm going through and saving all the videos + pictures I have of her in a big album.

This one of her looking for me in the morning a month ago just has me in tears. Right before I put in that platform you suggested under her sand bath. Our morning time was such a treat, a good night with all the love in the world from her.

I think I will try my hand at adopting one when I'm ready, with everything you guys have taught me + more things to play on. I never knew such a small little creature could be such a bundle of joy & love.

Where's my Buddy?

I can understand this. I think at first we can feel a bit numb and it is only when that wears off that the realisation hits us.

The routine you had with Pearl was so special and she was a huge part of your life. I think it is natural you feel this way because she was so precious to you.

It is a good idea to save any pictures and videos. I find I am not able to view those for a long time after the passing. We are all here for you.

[Ria P]

I can imagine that Pearl left a huge void in your life.
The grief can be overwhelming at first but will ease with time. It takes many people by surprise that a creature that small can become such an important part of our lives.
They capture our hearts.

[Pebbles82]

I have only just caught up with this - I'm not sure how I missed it. I am so very sorry to hear about Pearl. It must have been an awful shock. It could have been Pyometra - womb infection. There are two types - one type antibiotics can help - the other type it can mean they need spaying - but even then it is often fatal. There was nothing you could have done more and it's just incredibly sad.

Play well over the rainbow bridge little Pearl. She isn't suffering now. The hardest thing for us, I find is the empty cage. I am sure you've got past that stage now as I see you have Cupcake which is great news.

[ilguy]

Yeah, that is what they thought it could be. I had a little syringe for giving her those meds and she would just sit
flat on my hand and lapped it up.

It was so hard to see her like that. After you guys suggested the new wheel, she loved it so much. It was her jam after human time every night, just running for hours on end with little breaks. If I put my hand in during her wheel time, she would dart over and put her front paws on my hand like "look what I can do!", then zoomed back over.

But then one day she just struggled to keep it moving. She was licking and grooming her lower body a lot. Then she would try to start going again and it was obvious she was in pain, looked like she was slowly trying to waddle over something invisible.

After coming home from the vet, she just stopped coming out at all for the most part the next few days. She would do what was normally her angry click from inside her burrow, instead of our together time. I gently scooped her out, and she just lapped up those antibiotics from the syringe. She wasn't moving much by then.

Pearl was always up to greet me every morning. At some point on the last day, she must have decided to come out to our together corner. I woke up and found her laying stiff on her back there. She was so amazing, and I wish I could have had a few of those last mintues together.

It took a few days after for it to really sink in. Everyone on here has been super nice, and it's great to learn from experienced hamster owners. She really came alive after the new wheel + platform, and was just pure joy.

[Pebbles82]

So sorry. She had a lovely life with you and disease is a horrible thing. I have a little wooden sign I found in a junk shop once, to hang on the wall. It says "every day is a gift". In different ways. I have it there to remind me.