Q&A for How to Mourn a Hamster's Death

Losing a pet is difficult, and being bullied about it is even more traumatic. Tell an adult or teacher, as they should never allow bullying regardless of the situation. Also, take a moment to tell your loved ones about your feelings. Talking about your grief can help you overcome it.

All creatures die eventually, and hamsters in particular have short lifespans. There's nothing that could have been done about it. There's no way to know for sure how your hamster felt about you, but as long as you gave him a good life, he was probably happy to have spent it with you.

You should look back on photos and videos you have of them. Look at things they may chewed on, or played with.

A hamster's lifespan is very short, only one to two years, so if your hamster died when it was one year old, then it's normal. This is a good time to address your need to burden yourself with guilt over the death of another being -- unless you harmed a creature or person deliberately, it is not healthy to carry around such guilt and this is a good opportunity to work out why you do this.

Create a small ritual to honor the hamster's life and all the joy it brought to you. Let the kids decorate a small cardboard box. Be creative, use natural materials. Gently put the hamster on a bed of leaves and flowers. Take the box to a nice corner of the garden or the forest. Let the kids dig a small grave. Take your time. Talk a little about its life and the joy it brought. Sing a song. Maybe it helps a little to remind the mourners of the impermanence of all things. Even small children will understand if you choose an example appropriate to their age. Close the ritual with a 'meal' of cookies and juice. Yes, life goes on.

Talk to someone else who loves pets. It's hard to get past a pet's death sometimes but listening to how other people have coped can be helpful. It can also help to remind yourself that you gave your hamster a good life and in the wilds it could have been eaten or injured and died a much earlier death.

Just remember that he's in heaven watching over you and also having a good time. Also, try to think about the fun times with him and do not focus on the sad parts.

The best way is to focus on all the happy times you had together and look at any pictures you have of your hamster. Know that a hamster's life is quite short and therefore the time you had with your hamster is special and something to cherish. The grieving process is just a natural part of the human condition, and a result of loving someone or something, so allow it to happen.

Yes, crying in this situation is totally normal, you're going through a lot. Try to focus on the good things in life, but feel free to let your emotions out when you need to. If "thinking about the good times" with your animals is too upsetting, don't do it. Distract yourself with something else. Remember that the animal world is often cruel, in terms of predators and prey, it's the circle of life.

Crying is natural. If thinking about your hamster makes you sad, try to only do it when you're alone and can have time to understand your feelings. If you feel like you're about to cry at school, take some deep breaths and focus on what's going on around you. Look at the different people, the colors of the walls, what's outside. It can help. I've found that focusing on nature is also a helpful solution to sadness. Remember, you're not alone.

Talk to a loved one who knows what you're dealing with. Let them know how you feel and ask for support and comfort.

Of course!

The longest lived Syrian hamster lived for over 10 years, but this is incredibly rare.

Put on plastic gloves and remove the dead hamster from the presence of other hamsters. Put the dead hamster into either a cardboard box or a bag.

You can't stop your hamster from dying eventually, but you can take it to the vet and follow the vet's instructions to care for it the best way possible.

Just try to remember all the happy moments you had together, and know that you gave it the happiest life it could have.

Provide yourself with some closure by celebrating his life with a memorial service, if you haven't already. Think about and talk about the fun you had with him when thoughts about his death arise. Focusing on what he brought into your life rather than what you've lost should help.

I'm sorry for your loss, but you have to know that it is in a better place now. You have to move on and if you loved it then visit his grave once in a while. Just remember him. And I'm sure you took good care of it, it is not your fault. It's okay to be sad.

You may be feeling worried about your rats dying as well. Death is a part of life, and it's hard to accept that. Try not to let it ruin your experience with your new pets. As long as they are healthy and well-cared for, they should live long and happy lives with you.

Maybe he didn't have enough food or water. Or sometimes they only live for a short period of time.

This is normal while mourning your pet. Writing about the pet in a journal usually makes people feel better. Do things that you enjoy to try and distract you from your hamster's death, because after some time has passed it will get easier. Eventually you can get a new hamster if you want.

You can cry, it's healthy. Maybe you can get a new pet, like a bunny, another hamster or a cat, dog, fish, guinea pig, and a gerbil.

Best to avoid plastic. Wrap them in tissue paper, or toilet paper, and then put them in the box. Plastic is not biodegradable.

Honestly, sometimes pets from the store are already sick when you get them, there was probably nothing you could have done. You did your best to give him the happiest life possible.

It is natural to feel distressed about a pet's death, especially from one that was very dear to you. But you shouldn't let that grief control your life. Death is natural and can come at anytime for many reasons, try to get your mind off of it.

I love the idea of a tree that symbolizes your hamster. How about you move it into a different space so you don't see it as often? Maybe on your front porch? This just means you won't see it whenever you enter your room. Another thing you could do is print out pictures of your hamster and hang them on the tree. You don't have any reason to feel guilty. Hamsters do not live very long, unfortunately, and you probably gave him a great and happy life. Cherish the memories you have of him.

Accept your mom's decision for the time being. It may be too soon after your hamster's death.

I'm so sorry about your hamster. I think you should research about pets and/or take a quiz on what pet you should get. Or you could get another hamster. You wouldn't be replacing your hamster, just getting a new one, which will make you a lot happier!

Think about it: a cardboard box is biodegradable and will disappear without a trace. So much nicer than a garden or forest littered with plastic. Try to avoid plastic, not just when mourning a hamster.

It can be really heart wrenching when your little guy gets sick. Feeling guilty is normal. To make yourself feel better, just keep telling yourself that this is normal for an animal with a life span of only 2 to 4 years and that he/she had a wonderful life and was loved deeply. Sometimes you can't help but feel like its your fault so talk to friends or family who know what you're going through or just have a good cry.