Dd's hamster has died.

[wishywashywanda]

Dd is just coming up to 4 and this is the first pet we have had, should I tell her her hamster has died or replace it and hope she doesn't realise?
If we do get another hamster will I need to replace the cage or will a good clean and disinfecting it be ok. Never dealt with pets dying before so advice would be great.

Assuming the hamster is stiff and cold not hibernating (unlikely in May)....

Please don't just replace it, of course she'll notice- the new one will be an untamed baby hamster, not one that comes to takes seeds from you or even be held!

IMHO pets dying is a sad but gentle introduction to the hard realities of life and death. Better to deal with endless queries about Hammy ( and 4 is an age they start trying to sort all this sort of thing out) than a beloved relative.

Matter of fact dealings with kids and death seem the way forward, not " gone to sleep" or " gone away" as these lead to imaginings that just scare. Hold a full requiem mass if you need but a match box in the garden and a few flower sis usually the way.

I think a really deep clean/petsafe disinfect of the cage and let it lie empty for a while too so it's really dry etc should be fine . My gerbils are in a second hand cage ...

The first Hamster we had died last year. It was awful! Me and my girls were gutted. They were 9 and 6 at the time and explained gently but matter of fact about death and whilst obviously they were upset they understood. I wouldn't just get replacement as she'll notice and an untamed hammy might just nip her.

We had a little funeral for Ruby and buried her in a massive plant pot we havering our garden. This is a little cross that they made out of Lollipop sticks with her name on and they often go and look at 'rubys grave'

As this was just before Christmas I initially said we'd wait till after the festivities to get another...but I couldn't wait. On the 23rd we brought home a gorgeous white syrian Hamster who we all adore.

I explained
Have in our garden
Matter of fact
I keep getting interrupted when I come on here lately!

Matter of FACTLY!
Jesus!

Oh and we used the same cage, I just gave it a good clean.