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AIBU?

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Original poster

About what happened to the hamster

31 replies

Metalguru · 05/01/2015 20:11

New Years Eve I went to check on our little hamster, and found he had died :( he was the last of three, and around two and a half, so good innings for a hamster. I stroked his stiff and lifeless little body and then popped him back in his little house and put it in the bin, then took the bag up to the big plastic bin (the last pet we buried was dug up by the cat) I told the DC who were sad but philosophical, with my DD8 commenting, "he was a very special hamster because he died on the last day of the year"

Yesterday my DH took the lid off the bin to put a bag in and the hamsters little face suddenly popped up out of the now partly shredded bin bag, sniffed into the air a little, and then darted back inside. After the initial WTF we ripped open the bag, and found the poor little hamster, very much more alive than the last time I saw him, and apparently keen to cling onto this new found freedom. Gave the cage a damn good clean and popped him back in, with treats galore and more attention from the DC in one hour than the whole previous week. Also fielded lots of awkward questions, "but how did he dig himself out of the special place where you buried him in the garden Mummy?" etc

So here's the aibu :( I cannot seem to stop crying over the hamster, and even had multiple dreams about him last night. My DH is perplexed and keeps telling me what an adventure it must have been for him, and how he seems to have a new lease of life. My sister thinks he must have been dying and the fresh air brought him back to life, or maybe she's just trying to make me feel better. But I feel horrible, really awful, and tortured by the fact I put him in the bin. It's not lost on me that I'm far more upset now than when I thought he was dead :( I've since googled it and realised he must have been hibernating, but he was stiff as a board with his eyes half open, he really did look dead, plus I'd never heard of a hamster doing that!

I need to get a grip don't i? Or do I deserve to be feeling like the most evil person in the world :

WIBU to try and raises some awareness of hamster hibernation? It might make me feel better.

OP posts:
Toughasoldboots · 05/01/2015 20:13

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

Toughasoldboots · 05/01/2015 20:13

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

Marcipex · 05/01/2015 20:14

At least you didn't go for cremation!
He's rescued, be happy.

LIZS · 05/01/2015 20:14

Lol. I still have thoughts that maybe we buried some if my childhood hammies prematurely or they were running loose in the house. Glad you found him in time.

babyiwantabump · 05/01/2015 20:16

Aww your not evil - my mum did something similar when I was a child .

So every hamster after that she hair dried for at least 30 mins to either bring it back to life or make sure it was actually passed on.

Kids in the neighbourhood used to bring theirs over too as she was known as the mum that brought hammy back to life!

londonrach · 05/01/2015 20:18

Dont worry about it. He safe. Think dh might be right.

FoxgloveFairy · 05/01/2015 20:18

Don't feel awful! No hamster expert but I gather the wee blighters do this. He's fine, and extracting his rodent revenge!

Fabulous46 · 05/01/2015 20:19

A few hamsters hibernate in winter. My mother buried my tortoise only for it to appear in the garden in the spring, it had dug itself out.

Justmuddlingalong · 05/01/2015 20:21

Oh Christ. I buried a 'dead' hamster in a jar about 26 years ago!

Namechangeyetagaintohide · 05/01/2015 20:22

My aunt did this too. It happens. You didn't know ! It's not your fault honestly.

Usernamerunningout · 05/01/2015 20:25

I did very similar as you, hamster was laying in the middle of the cage on his back sprawled. I Presumed he'd died hanging off the bars on the top.

Threw him out I mean carefully buried him in a black bin bag and put it out the back door.

2 nights later I awoke to a mouse running around my bedroom. Placed a crate over the top of it to deal with in daylight hours. In the morning looked at the mouse to discover it was the hamster.

He lived for another 18 months and died at 5.5 years!!!

I left him for a week in the middle of his cage next time to ensure he was 100% dead!

WhenMarnieWasThere · 05/01/2015 20:25

We put dd's deceased hamster out in the wheely bin last week. I did check a couple of times in case there was any movement but luckily (or not for the hamster involved) he was very much dead.

And very quickly replaced.

VanitasVanitatum · 05/01/2015 20:25

You poor thing, you've had a real shock! He's safe and happy now though, and it really wasn't your fault.

Justmuddlingalong · 05/01/2015 20:27

Anyone else read Pet Cemetery?

HighwayDragon · 05/01/2015 20:33

sounds like he was hibernating

Roseformeplease · 05/01/2015 20:36

Ours did this after his corpse was put in the shed (ever after known as "The Resurrection Shed"). However, it was the beginning of the end and he sort of shut down a few more times until he really died.

We knew he was really dead because he had not been seen for a couple of days and, when removed from his straw, had gone mouldy.

SmellsLikeHorses · 05/01/2015 20:37

When our hamsters died as kids they would be put in a box on a warm room for a day to make sure, it is fairly rare but they do sometimes do this, as you have found out! (The only one we didn't do this with was the one who hung himself, he was defiantly not hibernating!)
Be glad you didn't bury him, you in effect saved him.

Original poster
Metalguru · 05/01/2015 20:38

You're all too kind, thank you

OP posts:
BirdhouseInYourSoul · 05/01/2015 20:43

I threw my DD's hamster and entire cage in the communal bins last year when I found him sprawled on his back exactly like others have described... I think I'm going to have nightmares now!

At least he was with his cage and food etc.

But thinking about it, the little Houdini had chewed his way through his cage so he'd been living in the cage placed in the bath so if he did manage another escape he'd be confined. (I was going to replace the cage the following week on payday) He was probably just freezing in the bathroom and hibernating...

We will carry this secret to our graves MN....DD need never know!

Rollonpayday · 05/01/2015 20:43

Awww poor you. What a little tinker!

TeaAfficionado · 05/01/2015 20:44

Slightly concerned I may have prematurely buried a hamster now...

What a shock for you, but don't feel bad about it, I'm not sure how you would have known based on your description!

NeedABumChange · 05/01/2015 20:44

Yeah I had one that came back as I was digging his grave, shock of my life. Subsequent hamsters were left dead in cage for a week just to be sure.

CornChips · 05/01/2015 20:45

OMG!!! I had no idea hamsters did this! Thank you for the education, not least hamster owning will be in our near future. You may well have saved some of our future as-yet unborn hamsters.

teenagetantrums · 05/01/2015 20:46

Our old hamster 'died' about 4 months ago she was nearly 3, was in my teenage sons room and he said he would deal with it in morning, next morning she was up and running, was glad we had not put her in the bin( no garden here) she lived another few months, the next time she died, we left it 72 hours just to be sure.

NancyPurple · 05/01/2015 20:47

Oh my goodness! Please don't be upset, I would have done the same!

He's a rodent, he probably had a great time.

When you've gotten over the shock I'm sure you'll be able to laugh about this Smile

Is hamster called Jesus by any chance Grin

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