Hamster Hideout - Readers' Contributions

A Great Mistake
By: PufffyPenguin

Sometimes the greatest things in life are mistakes. When I first saw my hamster Piggy, I thought what a cute BOY hamster. Well, it turns out Piggy was a beautiful girl hamster. Even though she wasn't what I wanted she became my best friend.

She was an escape artist. I mean every night she would escape. As soon as I saw her scuttling across the floor I said Piggy, and she would stop in her tracks and I would pick her up that easily. She was so smart. I taught her so much and she remembered it all. She was the sweetest hamster. I loved her so much.

About 2 years went by. I started to notice that Piggy was having breathing problems. Her fur was also falling out. One night it was so bad I was so scared she would die. I stayed up all night trying to nurse her back to health. I fell asleep with her in my arms. When I woke up she was dead.

I looked up her symptoms on my computer later. Cedar bedding had caused her to die.
Now every time I walk by a pet store I can't help but go look in and see if I can find Piggy, because it still feels so unreal that she is dead. A couple of days ago I was looking at the hamsters in a pet store. There were three baby hamsters huddled together. They had just been winged from their mother. One of the babies looked like an old friend. And just like my old friend the baby was trying to escape.

It wasn't Piggy but like so many hamsters it needed a home.

The Story Of Ashley
By: Becca

(This piece of writing is dedicated to my fantastic poser hammy called Ashley, who is a grey and black syrian, I think that’s the best colour, don’t you?)

My hamster is the best. When I got her she was the odd one out, and for me, the odd ones have always been best. She has the only grey striped and the only one who refused to wake up when the attendant tried to get her out!

She has had no disasters so far, though one time, while I was busy cleaning her cage out, I put her in a den I made just for her in a box. I put another box on top and a rock on top of that. I went indoors to watch a little TV before continuing with my cleaning. I looked through the french windows into the kitchen, and shock, horror! The box had fallen off, she was gone! I rushed into the kitchen, and there she was, a small grey ball cleaning herself, right next to the box! Thank goodness for the fact that my baby was so vain!

Her cleaning herself will probably save her life several times in the future, and I shall be very thankful! I have recently made her a new cage, it was very easy. My friend gave me an old cage and I bought a hamster puzzle (only £3.99) which fitted quite nicely (using a tube made out of a cut up plastic bottle) onto the other cage. I then used another tube to connect the two and attached the puzzle to the cage using wire for extra safety. There we go, its amazing what one can do with a couple of pounds!

The Great Escape
By Becca

(This is a little story I made up that includes my hammy Ashley, and all the other hamsters I know, including Scabbers, for I know how hard it is to lose a precious friend.)

It was a bright sunny day in Ashley’s home, and she was fast asleep. Her owner called Becca had opened up a hamster sitting business, and was happily cleaning out her many cages. What she hadn’t realised was, that she had not screwed on any of the hamster’s ball lids properly. So, behind her back, they all escaped. Several hamsters ran off to hide under the washing machine, but 7 of them all stayed put. They were Ashley, Sammy, Pippin, Fudge, Scabbers, Goldie and China. “OK, so what do we do now?” asked Ashley to the ball next to hers. “Clueless. What about you?” answered Goldie, turning to Pippin. “Hey! I dunno, do I?” screamed Pippin, suddenly panicking. “Ok, Ok! Keep your hair on!” said Goldie, trying to calm her down. “Well, I think we should all get out of our balls first” suggested Sammy, glancing at Scabbers for approval. “Good idea” agreed Scabbers, climbing out of hers. The rest of the hamsters followed, though China, a tiny Chinese had some difficulty. “Here, I’ll help” offered Fudge, holding her paw in his. She scrambled down, tightly holding the orange and white hamster’s paw. Once the group was out, they set off towards the door, with Scabbers leading. When the procession had halted outside in the hall, they discussed where to go next. “I vote we go downstairs” said Ashley, sticking her paw up. Four other paws went up. “I say we go back” said China, for her small legs were already tired. Sammy agreed, for he was very hungry. The two were outvoted, so they trooped down the stairs, while China was getting further and further behind. All of a sudden they heard a loud hiss coming from behind them. China was right in front of the household cat, “HELP!” she squealed. The cat lifted its clawed paw to swot her, China closed her eyes tight with fear. “Shoo!” said Becca, arriving on the scene. The cat was locked in another room, and all the hamsters put back into their cages. ‘Phew’ thought Ashley to herself, as she looked around at all her new hammy friends. She smiled, and snuggled down to sleep, it had been an exciting day!

Chicago
By SammiAnn

LHello. I am here to tell you about a great hamster. He lived not in fear but courageously. He prevailed over obstacles laid before him. He was Chicago - my first hamster.
You’re probably thinking, what’s the big deal with that? Well, Chicago accomplished many things that many other hamsters have not. He faced sorrow, tragedy, and pain. He also experienced joy and love.

Chicago was born a runt. His mother, Precious, belonged to my best friends’ sister. I wanted my own hamster very badly. When I asked my parents if I could get one they said yes. I could only get the runt but I didn’t care- I was going to get a hamster! So on Saturday, August 31, 2002 my dad and I went out to buy my hamster’s stuff. I had already decided what the hamster’s name was – Chicago.

When I got to Kristi’s house she was not there. Instead Marissa (my best friend) was there to hand me Chicago. As she picked him up he bit her. When Chicago was irritated or didn’t want to be touched he bit the person touching him like a snake.
One day my mom brought Chicago to my Girl Scout meeting. My troop is very loud. So when he came he was upset. To make matters worse, my sister and her best friend were poking him. That’s probably why he became so unruly.

One morning I woke up and went to hold Chicago. But he wasn’t in his house. So I checked his bedding. He wasn’t there either. He escaped!! When I came home from school Chicago was in his cage. He had gone under my dresser and started to build a nest. The next few nights he escaped again. I was away but when I came home Chicago was in a new cage. My parents told me that he went to the same spot.

During the summer I got a second hamster. Her name was Ruby. Chicago liked Ruby and she liked him back. But everything wasn’t picture perfect.

Chicago was big- there was no doubt about that. His whole family was big. He was still the runt compared to his brothers and sisters, though. Well his bigness was noticeable. So noticeable that he was called fat. Now I don’t mean he was called something to be implied to be fat, the actual word was said. Being fat is not a joke to some hamsters because their natural illness is getting too fat. This was the case with Chicago.

Well the months passed and Chicago got older. Then one day I noticed that Chicago wasn’t acting himself. He was sleeping out of his house and curled up in a ball. This was not normal. After five days, tragedy struck. When I came home on Friday, January 31, 2004 Chicago would not come out of his house. I couldn’t feel his body warmth and when I poked him gently he did not move. Less than a month after Ruby passed away. That my friends was Chicago- the real story.

Writings on Hamsters
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