It's a sad day in Bike Town...

Sam died this evening.

I knew it was going to happen, as, when we let them out to play in their new hamster playpen, she looked distinctly...weak.

Her body was frail, she had trouble walking, she looked emaciated, and she looked, well, she looked like she was at death's door.

She still ran up and down my arm, and between my two hands, but it was like a ball of fluff.  She was so light.  Even for a dwarf hamster.  She wasn't fluffy, she kept falling on her back and struggling to get up, she looked so sick.

I quarantined her in the upstairs part of the cage when we put the hammies back in.  Gave her some food and water, a part of a paper towel tube to crawl through, some bedding...attached the loop to that side, so she'd have some room to move around if she wanted to.

And that's where I found her curled up at around 20:30.  Somehow, I knew, even before detaching the loop.  She wasn't moving.  Her little chest wasn't going up and down.

The tears started to well up even as I detached the loop.  Reached inside.  No warmth.  No pulse.  Stiff.  Eyes coated white.  My poor little Sammy.

At least she's no longer in pain.

May she rest in peace.