Blanche Has Left Us

[Die Fledermaus]

Two days ago I handled her and she looked and acted fine and normal. Last night I went to feed her, thought she was sleeping, gave her a poke.. . and my heart sank: she was hard and cold.

It was a thoroughly sickening, oppresive feeling I had at that point.

Blanche's brother, Stanley, died 11/21/04, and their mother. Makeeda, 11/4/04. They both died of what was apparently Cushings Disease. I have no idea what happened to Blanche.
Their dad, Zeb, is still OK, at 2 years and almost three months. (It was an accidental litter owing to an escape, and they were the only two to survive).

Zeb and Makeeda were very dark brown Syrians, and curiously Stanley was jet black and Blanche all white. Such are genetics.

Blanche when a baby:



Blanche with Stanley and Makeeda:



Blanche. 11/7/03 - 2/27/05. RIP

Dammit. This one is especially bad.

[Hamsters82]

Aww..I'm so sorry she died. She was a very cute hammie, she'll be in hamster heaven now playing with her brother & mom.

Just try and remember the happy times with Blanche. So sorry again.

[rasputin]

So sorry to hear of her passing.

It seems this winter brings more tragedy than usual.

[Die Fledermaus]

Thanks. For me it averages out about the same. The occasional surprise death still bothers me a lot.

Well, at least Zeb still seems OK: jeannie was right about the dandruff - just old age dry skin, not Cushings as happened to Makeeda and Zeb's son, Stanley (Blanche's brother).

[Die Fledermaus]

I just wanted to add this. A little smile, perhaps, is best to leave with.

Compare the baby photo above to the below photo of actor Karl Malden. I always thought baby Blanche was a ringer for Karl. All she needed was a fedora!