Pictures Of H.T. (The Hamster) Days Before His Passing  (November 9, 2003)

(Click on any of the thumbnails below to view the full-sized photo.)

Devrim and I had shared a hamster (named "H.T.").  Devrim had to return to Turkey when H.T. was about 2 years old.  H.T. eventually developed a severe respiratory illness.  Although treatment with antibiotics was somewhat effective, it was clear that H.T. was also quite elderly (no hamster ever lives beyond 3 years), and would probably not make a full recovery.  Near the end of his life, he was seemingly unable to reach his water bottle, and I would use a syringe to give him as much water as he could drink twice a day.

H.T. had a marvelous personality.  Looking around the web, I find many web pages people have devoted to their hamsters.  Hamsters have a certain innocence and simplicity of purpose that makes them adorable.  H.T.'s life was pretty simple: it consisted only of turning on the wheel (his favorite thing), sleeping, eating, and hiding his food.

H.T. died on Saturday, November 8, 2003.  The datestamps on the pictures below indicate how close to the end of his life these pictures were taken.

This is H.T. in the corner a little more than a month before he died.  When he became ill, he would spend a lot of time in the corner and never turn on his wheel.

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This is H.T. about 3 days before his death.  His personality was still great, but he was ill.

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All of the following pictures are H.T. after his death (photographically, it is hard to tell).  He died in approximately the following position.

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Although dead, he looks very alive in the pictures below.  In the photos below, his teeth have grown excessively.  Although I provided him with food and chew toys, he was apparently unable to keep the length of his teeth normal due to his illness.

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H.T. was buried in the back yard near some flowers.  (The hole is substantially deeper than it looks in the picture.)

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You are missed, H.T.!

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