How to Bury a Hamster

Hamsters are sweet animals that bring their owners a lot of joy. It can be difficult to say goodbye to a hamster when it passes away. Giving your hamster a proper burial can be a nice way for you and your family to say goodbye to your little friend.

Method 1

Method 1 of 3:

Burying your Hamster at Home

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Animal remains immediately biodegrade and start to smell. Place the hamster in a sealed plastic bag and keep it cool. You can keep it in the freezer. Be sure you dispose of the body within 24 hours.
If it is not legal, you can have your hamster disposed of by professionals such as veterinarians and pet cemeteries.
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In many cities, pet burial is legal but there are still health ordinances that regulate burial so that that animal remains do not spread disease. Some cities mandate that graves are two to three feet deep, others require a grave to be four feet deep and the body to be covered with lime. Bury your pet in biodegradable material and make sure the grave is well away from sources of water.^{[1]XResearch source}
Dial 811 or your local utility company to make sure that you won’t hit any water mains, electrical, or gas lines with your shovel.^{[2]XResearch source}
Wear disposable plastic gloves when handling your hamster’s remains. Be sure not to touch the remains to your clothing or to throw out any contaminated clothing.^{[3]XResearch source}
Don’t bury your hamster near a flowerbed or anything else that might be dug and replanted. Make a cross or paint a stone to place at the grave as a reminder.^{[4]XResearch source}

Method 2

Method 2 of 3:

Burying your Hamster at a Cemetery

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Pet cemeteries should provide transparency when it comes to how your hamster’s body is tracked and handled. They should care for you as an aggrieved pet owner and be a trustworthy businesses. A good place to start researching cemeteries is the International Association of Pet Cemeteries and Crematories.^{[5]XResearch source}
Cemeteries offer many different services each with different price points. You will be charged a fee for the burial and for maintenance of the grave. It will cost more if you want the grave to be in a special location or the hamster to have a special casket.
Your cemetery may allow you to host a gathering to say goodbye to your hamster. If not, consider taking a moment at your house, a favorite park, or some other meaningful place to get some closure. ^{[6]XResearch source}

Method 3

Method 3 of 3:

Cremating your Hamster

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You can have your hamster cremated at a veterinarian’s office or at a pet cemetery.
As with professional burial, there are several price points associated with cremation. The least expensive option is to have your hamster cremated with other animals. If you would like your hamster cremated by itself so that you can take home the ashes, it will cost more.
Again, check with your city to find out what is allowed. Some ideas are to scatter your hamster’s ashes in your yard, a park, or in river or lake. Make sure that you are not disposing of the ashes on private property.^{[7]XResearch source}^{[8]XResearch source}
You can chose to have the ashes buried or scattered. Some businesses will provide you with a certification of cremation and a small memento of your pet.

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Question
What should I put my hamster in after it dies?
Community Answer
A cardboard box like a shoe box will work fine.
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Question
Where is the best place to bury a hamster at home? Under a tree?
Community Answer
Yes, that would be a nice place, as long as you don't have any other pets (like a cat or dog) that might dig it up.
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Question
Would I put it inside a Ziploc inside of a shoe box and then bury it? Why would I freeze it?
Community Answer
I recommend just a shoe box, as it's more easily biodegradable than a plastic bag. As for freezing the body, it can preserve it if you want to get blood work done or something to see the cause of death.
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