Hamsters are adorable, but sadly, these fuzzy animals live only for two to three years. Losing your beloved pet hamster is always heartbreaking. After taking a moment to mourn the loss of your furry baby, you must ensure that you dispose of the remains safely and according to any law that might be in place.
Here are nine steps that describe what you should do when your hamster dies:
- Wear a pair of disposable gloves and a face mask.
- Place your hamster in a sealed plastic bag.
- Check to find out if you can bury your pet at home.
- Call the utility company to check if it is okay to dig.
- Choose a spot to bury your pet.
- Bury your hamster.
- Mark the grave.
- Wash your pet’s cage, accessories, and toys.
- Wash your hands.
Burying is a convenient, inexpensive, and humane way of disposing of the remains of your pet hamster. However, you can also cremate your pet or throw the remains in the compost bin.
What To Do When Your Hamster Dies
In this article, I will describe the steps of burying your pet hamster, cremating it, and disposing of the remains in the compost bin.
1. Wear a Pair of Disposable Gloves and a Face Mask
Wear a pair of disposable waterproof gloves and a face mask before handling your pet’s body. You may not know, but your hamster might have had an infection. While the chances of you catching anything from your hamster are low, it’s better not to take chances.
Read How To Take Care of a Hamster
2. Place Your Hamster in a Sealed Plastic Bag
Put your hamster in a plastic bag and preserve it in a cool place to delay decomposition while you decide what you want to do with the body. A zipped top bag is ideal. However, you must dispose of the remains within 24 hours.
Burying your hamster is an inexpensive and very convenient way of disposing of the tiny body. However, there are other ways of disposing of the remains:
Cremating Your Hamster
Cremating your pet is usually the most expensive way to dispose of their remains. You can contact a veterinarian or a pet cemetery that provides cremation services for a fee.
You can choose to have your pet cremated