Passing of a life

Today my little baby Amber passed away. Before anyone panics, Amber was my hamster and she we worked out she was three years old, which for a hamster is very old.


For the last few months she had been showing her age. I believe she had arthritis, as she seemed quite stiff in her back legs, but she was till eating and drinking fine, stuffing the chocci drops as fast as she could get her little paws on them.


But last night I had a fright, because I thought that she was dead, as she was cold and very still. but after a bit of stroking and a chocci drop, we decided she had gone into hibernation mode as the temperature had rapidly plunged. However, I think although she had a brief revival, I think she was already on her way, and when hubby got home from work this afternoon, she was very still and cold again. But when I got home, while she was still quite cold and still, she was alive, moving a little when stroked.


We warmed the hot water bottle, to try and warm her, but she quietly passed, with both of us there.


My previous hamster, Mango, had a stroke and had to be put down. The thing I wanted most for Amber, was that she did not suffer, and I believe that she didn't. She really just shut down, waiting until we were both there to draw her last breath.