But when I checked on them this morning, I knew something was wrong. Tristan was up and moving around by himself, seeming a little out of sorts. But Izzie was nowhere to be found. I poked around in the bedding and found her curled up in the corner. She'd died in the night, apparently in her sleep.
Well, I'm a forty-one year-old, supposedly grown adult who probably shouldn't be overly sentimental about a hamster, but yeah, I'm pretty bummed. Izzie was a tough little critter, and her passing feels, I don't know, portentous.
More to the point, Schuyler likes to come and see the hamsters, mostly because she likes Izzie so much. Tristan is too twitchy and quick-footed for her, but Izzie would let Schuyler reach in and pet her and even hold her. As I said, when she lost her mobility, Izzie had long ago learned to trust the big hands.
When Schuyler woke up, I told her I had some bad news. I took her into our bedroom and showed her Tristan. She noticed immediately that he was alone; he was never without Izzie, not in the past year or so. I explained to her that Izzie had died in the night. Schuyler gave me a long hug, and for a moment I thought she might cry. But instead she just watched Tristan for a moment.
She looked up at me. "He's sad," she said, signing sad to me. "He needs a new friend."
So I suppose I know what we're doing today.
Goodbye, Izzie. For a tiny, broken rodent, you were weirdly inspiring.
Update, 3:45pm
Izzie is dead. Long live Zizzy.
(Schuyler's naming protocol is pretty straightforward.)
I'm sorry for the loss of your little friend. I know what that is like. (So here I sit crying over someone else's hamster, I'm a nut.)
ReplyDeleteOh, poor little Izzie :*( My deepest sympathies.
ReplyDeleteOh, Izzie.
ReplyDeleteI actually first discovered you through your Hamsterical site so many years ago. Your little movies about your hamsters were some of the funniest things I had ever seen. I don't know how nature fits such huge hearts inside of such small, fuzzy, little bodies. I am so sorry for your loss and I hope that Tristan finds the perfect new love of his life soon.
Sorry to hear about Izzie. :( I'm dreading the day we go through this with one of our cats, because I'm not sure Connor will understand what happened. Luckily they're pretty young right now, so hopefully we have a while.
ReplyDeleteAw, sad. I think that's why I could never have pets with such short life spans. It would be too heart-breaking too quickly...
ReplyDeleteYeah, tears for someone else's hamster. I'm too sappy for my own good...
ReplyDeleteI hope Tristan holds up well and that you can find him a suitable new mate.
Hugs to everyone.
I never fail to be impressed by Schuyler's compassion. Rest in peace, Izzie.
ReplyDeleteI'm sorry to hear that. What a good pet owner you are. I lost my cat of 15 years this past September and I balled like a baby even though I'm 35.
ReplyDeleteIt's been said that one of the great injustices in the world is that we live so much longer than our pets, who are our companions and friends, live.
ReplyDeleteMy condolences, and also my congrats on helping Schuyler handle it so well. Long live Izzie!
Sad. :(
ReplyDeleteBut I'm glad she had such a good life with you guys...and I'm glad poor Tristan has a new buddy already- Schuyler was right on the money in wanting to get him company right away.
Welcome, Zizzy. You have big shoes to fill.
ReplyDeleteSorry to hear Rob.
ReplyDeleteIf you don't mind, I've got a question regarding your Roborovskis?
We currently have three hamsters, two syrians and a Campbell, but since two of them are old I expect to replace them during the spring.
We've been thinking about Roborovskis but it seems that they prefer to live in couples and doesn't that result in loads of babies? Would two males get along?