Hamster Hideout Blog

HuHam Bond #3: Do hamsters take after their owners?

by wiffy on May 5, 2010

Author::
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Note by editor: This article is written for HuHam Bond, a series of short stories celebrating the close human-hamster bond and friendship. Check out how you can submit your story here. It is a very interesting, light-hearted and insightful article written by HH writer, ViggySidney.

Is it true that pets take after their owners, after spending a lot of time with them? The answer is, yes; at least, in my case.

I have seen it everywhere. Owners talking about how much their pets are like them. Some even say their pets begin to look like them. I believe it, and I believe in the chemistry each one of us has with our pets.

Viggy wasn’t an exception. As soon as I saw him lurking (for the lack of will to say, he was just being lazy in the tank), at the store. I knew he was the one for me and I felt he was like me. Yes, I admit I can be a bit lazy and hide in a dark tree lodge, like any other hamster – just kidding.

After a few days, the truth emerged. Viggy not only adapted to the environment, but also picked up my personality. Oh, that copycat rat! Ha-ha.

He slept on his back. I tend to sleep on my back.
He snored. I …well…snore…rarely…but not loud.
He was hyperactive. I’m very hyperactive to the ultimate power.
He didn’t like vegetables. I don’t really like vegetables (except for a few).
He loved nuts. I love nuts, but Viggy and I were never coconuts.
Strawberry yogurt drops were his favourite snack. I love strawberry yogurt.

The list goes on and on…

He had favourite corners in his home. In addition, he was very organized, fancy and clean. Perhaps, it was because I encouraged those things to him with my expensive hamster products purchases.

Pets are our friends and become part of all of us. It’s the love you pass onto them, that opens their hearts and minds to absorb our traits and imitate us. They look up to us, in their own little way, because they feel we’re right for them. Which is why, no matter how much time they would spend with other family members or friends, they know at the end, to whom they belong in heart, mind and soul.

It’s easy to mimic an action, a trait, a feeling, but for these little creatures, it’s not just that. For them, their enrichment of love comes out naturally. It’s how they communicate in a way we could understand. A single squeak can mean a lot, if you look into their bright eyes and feel that connection.

The best way I can think of to share a real connection is by re-telling Viggy’s loyalty to me on his final days. I felt reluctant to tell him that I was ready to let him go. Seeing him suffering for days was not what I wanted for him, but I also didn’t want to be dishonest to him and tell him I was ready for him to move on, when I wasn’t. He knew this so deeply, that right after I truly said to him that I was going to be okay, he crossed the Rainbow Bridge. Not to mention, he sent me a rainbow as soon as my family and I buried him.

Whether you own a hamster, a rat, a dog, a cat, a fish or other pets, take a good look at them and try to find yourself in them. You will be amazed at all the new things you might discover.

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If you love this article, you have to check out Viggy’s other article – Movies to Watch with your Hamster

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HuHam Bond #2: Hammy

by wiffy on March 19, 2010

This article is written for HuHam Bond, a series of short stories celebrating the close human-hamster bond and friendship. Check out how you can submit your story here.

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Written by forum member DolphinDreamer for her hamster, Hammy

Hammy had always been a great hamster. He was my first hamster and always special to me. I remember waiting outside of a local pet shop on April 22, 2007, waiting for them to open. When they did I immediately went to look at the hamsters. Out of all of the hamsters in that tank, one stood out to me the most. There was something special about him. And he looked like the perfect one, so I chose him and brought him home. I tried to think of a good name that day. Butter and Oatmeal are among the many names that I remember thinking about naming him, but none were good enough. Due to my lack of creativity in names I chose to name him Hammy. Hammy was a name that suited him well.

When I got him, I didn’t realize that he would be so amazing and eventually change the way I thought about life. I tried my best to take care of him. I remember being so scared to hold him, because I thought he would bite me, but he never did. Soon I began to trust him and he began to trust me. During the first few months I had a lot to learn. I found Hamster Hideout and joined the forum, and soon learned how to properly take care of him. I had made my share of mistakes in the past, but he still seemed to love me and be so patient with me learning. One event early in his life that I remember so well, was his first escape. I had only had him about 2 weeks at the time. I was watching a movie, called “Flushed Away” (its about a pet mouse and his journey when he meets some wild mice.) Well all of a sudden I heard the lid of his cage moving around. I got up and went to go see what he was up too. I turned the light on and looked in the cage, only to find he was not in there, instead he was happily sitting on top of the cage. How he escaped is still a mystery to me. I carefully put him back in his cage and hoped he wouldn’t escape again, and he didn’t.

Hammy enjoyed living in his bin cage with all his toys. He had a pink igloo because pink is my favorite color, but he didn’t seem to mind. Everyday I would take him out for playtime. And each day was like no other; he would always find a different way to surprise me. He loved coming out to play and he loved treats, especially cheddar cheese. We had so many adventures together. Hammy also seemed to have a little mischief in him. He loved to move his cage around, climb up the front of his cage, climb out of the playpen when I would clean his cage, and make as much noise as he possibly could at night. Once I remember having him out to play in his favorite spot, on my bed and the shelf behind it. He was hiding behind some beanie babies when I heard a noise. I moved the beanie babies away to find him sitting proudly beside his pile of un-stuffed cheek contents that he thought he would hide on my shelf. One time I caught the little guy climbing on the top of his bin cage. He was holding onto the wire-mesh on the lid and looked like an acrobat. That scared me so much when I saw him climbing around like Tarzan. Hammy seemed to love attention. He would always find someway of getting my attention when he was awake and letting me know that he wanted to come out to play. Hammy was so loving and gentle. He not only let me hold him, but he also let other people hold him and pet him. He seemed to be the perfect hamster in everyway. He was even potty trained…when he wanted to be. Sometimes he would decide not to be potty trained just to annoy me a little. Hammy had so many cute and mischievous ways.

Hammy was always there. I had always had trouble making friends during my life. Hammy became more than just a friend; he became part of the family. He listened to me when I talked and always seemed to find ways to make me smile. On some of my saddest days, he would find some way to make me smile, even laugh sometimes. He had more love to give than I could have ever imagined. He was with me through so much during the time he was here. He helped me live. Near the end I noticed something. Hammy seemed to have one more thing to teach me before he left. I remember taking him out one night to find that he was coming to the end. He just slept in my hands for over an hour that night. I thought for sure that he would die that night, but he lived longer than I expected. I did all I could for him, but it was his time. He didn’t seem to want to give up though. Through this time he seemed to teach me a valuable lesson. I had noticed that it seemed like animals didn’t want to give up. Hammy didn’t want to give up. And neither did one of my other hamsters in the past, Ruby. Hammy seemed to be slowly dying and yet he still wouldn’t give up the fight for life so easy. I wondered why humans seem to give up so easy; why did I want to give up so easy in my life. Anytime something gets hard in life it always seemed easier to just give up. I several times just wanted to give up. How is it that a life so small and thought by most to be nearly insignificant could fight so hard to live? A human’s life is so much longer and thought to be so much more significant, yet we sometimes seem to give up so much easier. Hammy never let me give up on my life all of the times I wanted to. There were times I needed someone, but my friends couldn’t always be with me every minute; Hammy was there. My friends were half of the reason I didn’t give up, but Hammy, and my other hamsters were the other half of the reason. He was there for me so much. Hammy seemed to teach me that no matter how hard things get, I shouldn’t give up. It will be hard sometimes to keep living and keep fighting, but I know I will try. He seemed to want to prove to me that life is so very special. Who would have ever thought that hamsters, especially one little hamster, could change my life so much.

Hammy finally passed away on October 28, 2009. I woke up that morning to find that he finally passed away. Now that he is gone I miss him so much, but I am so thankful that he got to be part of my life. Hammy left so many tiny little paw prints on my heart and I will never forget him and the good memories we had together; and I know that I will also never forget the lesson he has taught me about life.

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Credits: HH Designer Maremoto for designing the lovely logo, dusty and maremoto for coming up with the name for this series.
Click here to find out how to submit your story, and to read all the issues.

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Hamster of the Month – December 2009 – Hermie

by dusty on February 10, 2010

Author::
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Hamster Hideout is pleased to present the winner of December 09’s ‘Hamster of the Month’ award!

Entries: 8

Votes: 9 out of 24 (1 vote per member)

Winner: kisetsu’s Hermie

HH: Hi Hermie, congratulations for winning Hamster of the Month! How are you feeling now?

HM: (Speaking into Google translator for ham-language to English) *squeak squeak shriek shriek*

Ham-rrific! I never felt so achieved before in my life. It’s so fulfilling, I think I can retire now. See owners, I told you I am cute. The people in HH have spoken. There is a certain degree of cuteness in me. (owner -> ) Thank you so much to all who has voted for me. It’s a tough competition because all the hams are so cute. It is an encouragement for a hamster who’s being labeled as ugly since young. Thank you for supporting me!

HH: You mentioned that if you win, you would like to share your life story with our readers! Sounds interesting!

HM: Yes yes. I have a story to tell. The human world is a conspiracy! (owner -> What! *pokes Hermie’s nose*) Ouch! I was born somewhere and transported to another country’s petshop as the first batch of Motted Winter Whites. I arrived into a brightly lighted tank and was housed with many of my same kind. I was constantly being bullied! They bit my ears and wouldn’t allow me to play with them and the toys. Everytime I went near them, they would gang up on me. So in my days there, I was usually at the more vacant corner, sitting alone.

One day, I was sitting in my little corner when the biggest bully came up to me and demanded that I gave up my space for him. I had it with him and decided to fight back! It was a loud and furious fight, I gave my all! But I lost and ran into the hideout to take cover. As I was crying inside, the humans lift up the hideout and the female one pointed at me saying: “This one gotta go.” The man in uniform grabbed me and sealed me up in a dark box. I thought this was it, they must have thought I was the troublemaker and were sending me to exile. The box opened up after a long time and I slid into a tank and inside; there were abundant food and water, some small toys and a hideout. For many days I stayed in the hideout and never came out. (owner -> “Hermie, you are such a crybaby, you cried everynight!” ) Then one day, during housekeeping, I met an old wise grandham. He was the pioneer hamster there and he told me “Welcome to Hamsty World. This is your home.” He died of old age not long after that.

HH: What’s it like living in Hamsty Hamster World? Do you have a lot of friends?

HM: The Hamsty World is maintained by 2 owners and currently there are 9 ham hams staying within close distance. This means I do have a lot of friends with me here. Our cages are located very closely, we can talk to our neighbours. It’s never quiet here. When I first came to Hamsty World, there were a lot of hammies here already. I was the youngest back then. Most are winter whites except for 2 small little talkative ones they call themselves the robos. It was a male dominated world then. We were brothers and the owners treated us equally. Gradually, the owners started adopting females. I was so happy when the owners told me one day that they would find a bride for me. Fast-forward 2 years later, I’m still SINGLE and AVAILABLE! What happen to the proposal?!

HH: So do you have a girlfriend now?

HM: Like I said, the proposal never come true! The owners did find a partner for me. She was the most beautiful hammie I ever seen! She has big round eyes, soft fur and a pair of pinky ears. We grow up together. She’s my closest neighbour staying just below me. But then alas, a young fat hamster called Earl came into Hamsty and he hits off with her. The owners pronounced them as a couple instead of me . So here I am, hopelessly single. Any ham here interested in me? I’m cute you know. *Winks*

HH: How did you get your name as Hermie? Do you have any nicknames?

HM: See, the owner is one nasty person. Because I hid in the hideout during my initial days at Hamsty, the owner said I am a hermit! So when naming me, she called me Hermie, derived from the word Hermit!

The co-owner is also another meanie. Because my right ear is torn from all the bite holes, he nicknamed me ‘Pirate of the Caribbean’. The owner also keeps pronouncing my name the wrong way as ‘Hei Mee’ which sounds like ‘prawn noodle’ in their dialect language. I’m made a laughing stock by the rest of the hams.

HH: Describe your likes and dislikes.

HM: Well, I love to hide. I prefer a shelter over my head, it’s safer. The wheel is another equipment I like, it keeps me fit and active and I run every night without fail. I also love to spend time in the communal playpen which has lots of different toys and the owners change it often so that we do not get bored. I also like to listen to conversations. Unaware to my owners, I do understand their language.

What I dislike? Being played by my 2 owners. They like to swing me in the air or put me on a big pillow then started shaking as if it’s an earthquake. Not fun at all to me. I also do not like being overfed. Let me reveal the human conspiracy! They want to make us as fat hams! The owner always says I’m malnourished and thin. But I’m just the right size unlike some of my fat neighbour hams! Everytime they give me lots of food, I will take whatever I want and pee in the bowl so that they will remove the rest. I’m clever. (owner -> “Now I know why you pee in your foodbowl! )

HH: Anything else you would like to say to our readers?

HM: Lastly, thank you HH readers for voting me and do keep HH spirit alive. The owner always tells us that HH is the most informative and exciting place to be in. Paws up for it! Now, owner, when are you going to print out the HH calendar? I’m also featured in it too you know. (owner -> “Coming soon, be patient!” ) Adieus lovely hams and people!