How do you get over the guilt of accidentally killing your hamster?

Answer 1

Unfortunately guilt is not something that just goes away, you will just have to learn how to live with it. It has been 40 years since I was making circles in my driveway on my bicycle with our dog cocoa beside me, I still remember vividly how I made one circle too close to the highway and cocoa was run over by a passing car. He was just being a good friend and I killed him by not being careful. The memory will always be there but the pain will fade in time and hopefully as with me you will have learned the lesson your pet died to teach you.

Answer 2

The loss of a pet can be a deeply upsetting experience, no matter what species your furry friend was. It is important to recover at your own pace. Here are a few things that might help you find closure.

If you have not given your hamster a funeral service, you should seriously consider doing so. Either burying or having your hamster cremated can provide necessary closure and can get the ball rolling on the healing process. If your pet's remains have already been cared for, but you haven't had a service, consider doing so. Clear out a small space in your room where your hamster's cage sat and put all of the things that make you remember the good times you had with him or her in that corner. Ask your family or friends to join you in saying a few words if you feel it might help you. It is often comforting not to grieve alone and I am almost positive your family would not begrudge you this courtesy.

Some people find it therapeutic to get a new pet to fill part of the hole left by the pet that passed. Some people feel like this is a betrayal of their previous pet. Consider this option if you feel it would help you, but know that you are not weird for not wanting a new one, nor is it strange to feel like a new one might help you.

The most important thing to remember is to grieve at your own pace. It might hurt deeply for a long time and it may seem like you should "just get over it, already". This is dependent upon the person. You will "get over it" when you are ready to move on. This may take days and it may take months and it may take more. It varies greatly from person to person and no one should decide for you how long you can grieve. If family or friends suggest that it is time to move on, know that they are doing this out of concern for you. It hurts them to see you hurting and they want to stop it from happening. Be grateful for the concern, but explain to them that you aren't ready yet and that you will move on when you are.

Remember not to let anyone belittle your sadness based on who or what you are grieving for. Your feelings are legitimate, no matter the species you are grieving for.

I personally had my pet rabbit pass away when I was a little girl. We had her cremated and I set up a small table in a corner in our house filled with everything that reminded me of her. I piled my plush bunnies, plastic Easter eggs (she liked to push them around) and a blanket I had made for her by hand during her life. I wrote her a letter that I framed and set on the table as well. My family was very supportive and we kept it up for several months, even past the end of my acceptance of her death. At first I thought it was going to be difficult to put the things away, but when I was ready, it turned out to be simpler than I thought because I had already accepted her passing.

Remember that you are not strange for feeling the way you do. Anyone who has cared for a pet has experienced this feeling. It feels consuming, but it will pass with time.

I am deeply sorry for your loss and I hope these tips end up helping you in some way. Feel free to send me a message if you need someone to talk to.

(thx for the advice, my hamster died about a month ago and it was devistating, but this helped me a bit)