# did i kill him? Im crying please reply



## kayla3915 (Apr 2, 2009)

Hi im kayla im 17.

I had a hamster, and he was 4years old. And he was dying. I cae home and he was laid awake but breathing bad, and he was cold, so I wraped him up in my dressing gown with me, and sat by the fire stroking him.
For an hour he was wheezing, and making the occasional sqeek, but then i stroked his belly and he jolted twice, and died.
I havent stopped cryng, it was only an hour ago. Was it my fault? Why did he jolt?

Ive never seen death before.

[http://www.facebook.com/home.php#/photo.php?pid=6217519&id=667555516&comments

just before he died.


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## marion..d (Nov 12, 2008)

hi kayla, you didnt kill him, he was a very very old hamster, you did everything you could for him, he was just very old.... you did exactly what i would have done.. please dont think it your fault.. it wasnt


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## Guest (Apr 2, 2009)

kayla3915 said:


> Hi im kayla im 17.
> 
> I had a hamster, and he was 4years old. And he was dying. I cae home and he was laid awake but breathing bad, and he was cold, so I wraped him up in my dressing gown with me, and sat by the fire stroking him.
> For an hour he was wheezing, and making the occasional sqeek, but then i stroked his belly and he jolted twice, and died.
> ...


No of course it was not your fault. Usually a hamsters lifespan is approx 2 years so your hamster lived a very long life. Please dont blame yourself. I have no idea about the jolts but it's definitely nothing to do with anything you've done. Im so sorry for your loss. xxxx


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## poshmog (Mar 2, 2009)

Bless you,death is awful the first time you experience it.
I don't think you killed him ,he was by the sounds of it ,very near.
My girls all had hamsters and they didnt have a very long life span ,just think that at least he had you with him when he went.


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## jade (Jan 27, 2009)

so sorry your hamster has died but you didnt kill him,you did what was best and it not uncommon for that little jerk he has died with you and its brave thing for you if you have not experianced it before.take carex


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## frags (Feb 5, 2009)

oh huni you didnt kill him he was just old and he obviously felt it was time to go and went while he was in the best place, with you.
the jolting was the last of his life ending hun.
dont feel bad he is at peace now and he must have felt comfortable to be with you and pass over to rainbow bridge.
you did what any great pet owner would have done.


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## hobo99 (Aug 18, 2008)

hi Kyla , no you didnt kill him that was a very good age so you must have loved him and looked after him very well, and he died with you holding him.i am so sorry for your loss . suz xx


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## kayla3915 (Apr 2, 2009)

thanks everyone, i just done understand why he jolted i googled it and found nothing, i keep thinking me touching his belly shocked him


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## frags (Feb 5, 2009)

kayla3915 said:


> thanks everyone, i just done understand why he jolted i googled it and found nothing, i keep thinking me touching his belly shocked him


kayla it happens to humans too when they pass over, it can either be a murmer or a jolt its the life slipping away babe, you did nothing wrong he was just ready to go and felt it the right time being with the owner he obviously loved very much.


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## Guest (Apr 2, 2009)

kayla3915 said:


> thanks everyone, i just done understand why he jolted i googled it and found nothing, i keep thinking me touching his belly shocked him


As someone said that can happen when an animal or person dies. It is just a reaction in the body but nothing at all to do with you touching him. Honestly you did nothing wrong at all. Im just so sorry you had to see it. Most of us dont always see our pets die, so that is what's playing on your mind. xxxx


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## DKDREAM (Sep 15, 2008)

no you didnt kill him as others have said he lived twice of what a hamster normally lives, the jolts would have just been movment from his body like it was just closing down etc, its normal. So sorry for your loss but be proud of you hamster he knew love right from the begining to end not all hamsters get the chance to pass away with there owners support and comfort im sure you helped him more then you'll ever know


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## MissD (Mar 2, 2009)

Hi Kayla

I'm sorry to hear about your hammy 4 is a ripe old age and I don't think for one minute you killed him.

Run free little chap


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## PoisonGirl (Oct 24, 2008)

Hi, don't feel it's your fault- if anything, you gave him a long happy life, I've never had a hammy live past 3!
My rat did exactly the same when he died at 4 yrs. He was ill and on the sunday I said to myself if he's worse on mon I'l take him to the vet. I went to him again after lunch and he couldn't stand up so I put him in a towl and stroked his head. He couldn't breath properly then he had a little jolt and stopped breathing.

Death is horrible, first time or not, just think about him when he was young, and you definately did something right 'cause 4 is very very old for a hammy. He died happy in your hands.

xxxx


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## kayla3915 (Apr 2, 2009)

another thing is i was told i should have let im die alone because i may have made him uncomfartble. (accordingtogoogle)?

Im still crying. All my frinds think Im being silly.Were burying him in a wodden boxin a plant pot, and growing an evergreen.


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## MissD (Mar 2, 2009)

kayla3915 said:


> another thing is i was told i should have let im die alone because i may have made him uncomfartble. (accordingtogoogle)?
> 
> Im still crying. All my frinds think Im being silly.Were burying him in a wodden boxin a plant pot, and growing an evergreen.


You're not being silly Kayla - you've just lost your beloved pet. I'm sure he went feeling safe and secure knowing you were with him. Big hug x


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## Guest (Apr 2, 2009)

Kayla - you little fellow is now at Rainbow Bridge, He must have loved you very much because he stayed with you so long, but nothing you could have done could have kept him here on earth any longer, he was just so tired.
Bless you.
DT
Sending you a cybe hug


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## StolenkissGerbils (Aug 8, 2008)

kayla3915 said:


> another thing is i was told i should have let im die alone because i may have made him uncomfartble. (accordingtogoogle)?
> 
> Im still crying. All my frinds think Im being silly.Were burying him in a wodden boxin a plant pot, and growing an evergreen.


Well whoever wrote that advice on Google was very irresponsible. You didn't make him uncomfortable, and you certainly didn't kill him. At his age he just will have died of old age, that's usually a very painless and peaceful thing. A little jolt at the time of death is just the nerves twitching. As someone already said it happens in humans as well as animals and it wasn't because of pain or anything bad you did. That it happened when you touched his belly was just a coincidence, nothing bad. 4 is a great age for a hammie! I think he must have had a great life if he lived as long as that. You must have taken very good care of him. Many hamsters don't live more than 18 months.

You're not being silly for grieving for him. Your friends obviously don't understand the pleasure and love you can get from an animal. It's not like "oh well, whatever, we can get another one" if you take proper care of your pet. Cat, dog, mouse, hamster, horse, lizard, it's all the same. I cry every time one of my gerbils has a stillborn baby, or one dies as a newborn. Maybe your friends might think that was stupid too but it's their loss for not knowing the joy an animal can give a human.

It's natural to cry and grieve. And burying your hammie in the garden is good too. I had 3 gerbils as a child and when each of them died we buried them in a shoebox in the garden with a little wooden cross over their grave. We put flowers in the shoeboxes and sometimes I'd look at the little cross and remember the 3 little gerbies. Every time you look at the evergreen you plant you can smile or cry and remember your hammie for all the good times he gave you. Cry because you miss him, but smile because he was a great pet and you loved him - and I'll bet he loved you just as much.


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## EmGrace (Apr 3, 2009)

you should be proud you looked after him well enough for him to live so long anyway  xxx


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## suzy93074 (Sep 3, 2008)

Awww Im so sorry for your loss, but as all the other peeps have said it was nothing you did, you stayed with him in his final moments and that is a vry brave thing to do, my thoughts are with you at this sad time.xxxx Sending Hugs(())))))


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## Trevs_mum (Jan 5, 2009)

Awww, sounds like you did the very best for him. I'm sure he'd rather have spent his final moments with you than alone. xxx


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## Indie (Nov 6, 2007)

Awww hun i'm sorry. Like everyone says you didn't kill him he was an old boy. And stuff google he would have felt very safe in your hands xx


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## Leah100 (Aug 17, 2008)

Bless you, he was a very lucky hamster to have someone care so well for him and to love him so much. As said alerady , he was a very good age, a testament to the care you gave him.
Death can be shocking when we experience it for the first time, you certainly didn't do anything to distress him, it was just his nervous system gradually shutting down. There can be jerks and jolts as this happens. Because we don't see this in pictures or in films, it can be a great shock when it happens, but it is purely involuntary spasms, nothing that could hurt him or cause him upset.
Take care of yourself, and listen to all these experienced pet owners when they tell you that you did nothing to blame yourself over. His last moments would have been quiet and warm and comfortable.


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## MADCAT (Nov 21, 2008)

Aww hun you didnt kill him, as others have said 4 is a very good age.

I lost a water dragon a couple of years ago and he had what was like a fit before he died but he was ill and i think it was the last life he had in him coming out, it was horrible to see, take care, i am thinking of you xxxx


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## sandymaynard (Feb 21, 2009)

Hi Kayla,
No you did not kill your hampster! He lived to a good old age! Most hampsters live until2 or 3 years old! He was very old! This must of been very upsetting for you!
I fully understand that you might feel this way! the jolt was your hampster taking it's last breath! So now you did not kill the hampster!
It is good to cry as this is your first sight of seeing a loved one die! I feel sorry for you! I understand the grief that you are going through!
sending you big hugs! let all your tears out! I am sure your hampster is happy! Think of it this way! you gave the hampster a good long life!


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## Animals548 (Feb 22, 2009)

No Kayla
He was a very Old hamster And I'm so suprised he lived that long because everywhere that iv'e read it has sid they live up to 2-3 years not 4 so you are very lucky! Just try too imagine that he is in Heaven being happy! Or with tons of other hamsters!! Well I hope I helped!! I'm so sorry


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## Nina (Nov 2, 2007)

Your little furry lived a good age for a hamster, and I agree that you must stop punishing yourself for something you did not do.

Hopefully in time, you will start to remember the good days and what a lovely home you gave him x


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