Hazel the hamster

On Tuesday we went and got Maddie a hamster for an early birthday present. She was in heaven. On Saturday she came upstairs sobbing that she left the top of the cage opened and her hamster was gone! The first thing I said was, "I thought your hamster was dead or something, it's okay if she's just missing, we'll find her." So all her brothers started the search. Nothing. I finally decided to move her dresser out that the cage was on and it was back there dead. Maddie was inconsolable. I felt so sorry for her. She felt so guilty too since she was the one that left the cage opened. I tried to reassure her by saying, "It was an accident that you left it open, it wasn't your fault she died, it was a freak accident." I took her later that day to get a new hamster thinking it would help her forget and she would be okay but she wasn't. She said every time she looked at her new hamster it reminder her of her old hamster which made her stomach hurt. She didn't even want to play with her. The next evening Jon got her out and we all played with her and Maddie said it felt pretty good to play with her. She checks the cage too often to make sure everything is closed and moved it to a lower place in case she does get out again. Poor Maddie. I know she'll get over it eventually. The adventures of having a pet...