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Biggles - Our sweet hamster

~ILoveMyBunny~

Alpha Buck
We just lost our little Biggles. Both sort of expected and not. On Sunday I noticed his abdomen was distended. We took him in yesterday and had him scanned but had him rerferred to the exotics specialist today. I wasn't expecting surgery to be done the same day but they did. Turned out he had a massive tumour. I couldn't see it properly on the video conference call but the vet described it as golfball sized. I truly cannot believe I did not notice anything until Sunday. I feel like I've failed him so badly for not detecting it earlier.
It was on his liver and he had adhesions on his intestines. I cannot praise the vet highly enough for just how incredibly hard she tried to save him. They resuscitated him twice but he'd lost a lot of blood. It looked like he might recover but he fell asleep an hour or so afterwards. I cannot get over how incredible they were, they were going to take him home themselves to try to get him through the night.
I cannot believe it. I sort of knew earlier he was unlikely to survive the surgery but at the same time he was so full of life and spirited that I thought he might be able to fight through.
We're utterly devastated. He was only 2. We were hoping we had at least another year with him - and deep down hoping for more.
We knew what we were getting into taking on an animal with a short lifespan. What we didn't know was just how precious he would become. He was the sweetest thing. He adored being picked up. As soon as you put you hand in up he'd climb. Never tried to bite, he was the most loving little wriggly thing.
I found him advertised locally as free. I got the thought it my head that he could end up being picked up by a snake keeper or something so decided to take him. He was a christmas present the child got bored with by May.
He learned his name within an hour of us saying it to him. He came whenever you called with his beautiful little face. He was like a little puppy.
I cannot believe he's gone. He was so full of life today. He fought so hard.






 
Aw!. So sad to read of your loss. He looks like a Syrian. I have a female and she is very intelligent, but this one bites.
 
Yes he was a syrian. So very gentle. He'd take food from you so delicately and put his little paw up on your hand while he ate. He adored being held, he got so excited to climb on your hand. He'd always come when you called his name.
It's not sinking in that I won't see his adorable little pink nose poking out for his food tonight. I'd just bought him some new toys and a soft new bed. I was looking forward to giving them to him when they arrived :(
 
It looks like he had a wooden cage? Did he chew the wood at all? My Hamster tries shredding it so she can't go in there anymore as it makes an awful noise.
 
Yes, I couldn't stand the tiny things the pet shops sold, it felt cruel to keep him in such a small space. I found one online that was pretty big (I would guess about the size of a 'rabbit cage' that pet shops feel are approppriate - iirc it's 100cm long and has 3 floors)
This was just after being built (before adding litter etc)

I cut up some pet mats to protect the floor in case of accidents.
He seemed to really like it, he had a small nibble at the corner but overall left it alone. I did try to make sure he had other things to chew but he wasn't really too bad with chewing to be honest.
 
I'm so sorry you have had to say goodbye to Biggles. He looks such a bright little hamster in the photo and I hope happier memories of his life will you will bring comfort. x
 
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