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

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