Sadly, he passed away yesterday. Hamsters only have about a two year life span, and we had him for just over a year and a half. Last week, when she was cleaning out his cage I noticed that he didn't look so good. He was dragging his hind legs, and he had lost a lot weight. Ivy and I took him to the vet. I was worried that the girls might have hurt him, and that he was in pain. Turns out, he was just old. Every day since then, I've been checking on him. Yesterday, after the girls left for school, I went to check on him and found his little stiff body.
When Ivy and Addie got home, I broke the news to them. They took it better than I thought they would. They both asked to see his body which I had placed in a box. Ivy wrote him a goodbye letter, and Addie drew and colored a paper bed for him to rest on. When Jason got home he dug a little grave, and we held a little funeral service. Everyone said goodbye to Snappy, we said a prayer, and Ivy placed him in his grave. Addie and Ivy took turns putting the dirt in the hole. Ivy and Jason finished up while I took a sobbing Addie back in the house. Shortly after the funeral, we left for Lake House for the long weekend. I think that is helping to ease the pain, and I am super thankful that Snappy chose Friday to die and not Saturday. We wouldn't have found him till Monday night, and I think that would have been much more traumatic for everyone!
Overall, I think this has been a good experience for our family. The process of life and death is a beautiful part of our existence. It is bitter-sweet, and I love that my girls are learning how to deal with it now. On that note, I do not look forward to the day our dog Penny dies. I don't think any of us will handle that well at all!
When Ivy and Addie got home, I broke the news to them. They took it better than I thought they would. They both asked to see his body which I had placed in a box. Ivy wrote him a goodbye letter, and Addie drew and colored a paper bed for him to rest on. When Jason got home he dug a little grave, and we held a little funeral service. Everyone said goodbye to Snappy, we said a prayer, and Ivy placed him in his grave. Addie and Ivy took turns putting the dirt in the hole. Ivy and Jason finished up while I took a sobbing Addie back in the house. Shortly after the funeral, we left for Lake House for the long weekend. I think that is helping to ease the pain, and I am super thankful that Snappy chose Friday to die and not Saturday. We wouldn't have found him till Monday night, and I think that would have been much more traumatic for everyone!
Overall, I think this has been a good experience for our family. The process of life and death is a beautiful part of our existence. It is bitter-sweet, and I love that my girls are learning how to deal with it now. On that note, I do not look forward to the day our dog Penny dies. I don't think any of us will handle that well at all!
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