Homage to Hammy.
It has been several years since we had a pet in our home. The last few creatures to share our residence were hamsters; two of the Syrian variety to be precise. Our first one was named ‘Ziggy’ (due mostly to his zigzag stripe, but also because of the uber-cool Bowie character) and he was a thoroughly friendly little chap. However, after Ziggy went to the great hamster ball in the sky, we bought Hammy…
Hammy (not the world’s most original name for a hamster) was one in a million. Anyone who says that animals cannot have strong personalities does not know what they are talking about. This little guy was certainly his own man. How many hamsters have you heard about that will sit and watch the television for half an hour? I am not anthropomorphising either; he would sit with his snout pushed through the bars of his cage, taking in the latest happenings in Albert Square or digging fresh tunes on Jools Holland.
Hammy was also a true gent. When it came to his daily ablutions, he had his own private room. There was a small plastic ‘house’ in his cage and he would always go inside this to do his number twos. It is a cruel fact of life that some sweet-looking hamsters can actually be quite nasty; but not our Hammy. In the few short rodent-years of his life he never once tried to bite anyone. He was the gentlest creature I have ever come across. Hammy had a weakness for raisins and when he took one from your fingers he would do it slowly and delicately; not because he was timid, but because he had an inbuilt sense of etiquette.
I would strongly recommend the Syrian breed to anyone who is getting a hamster. They make wonderful pets and have a lovely, quiet nature. I got this tip by my friend who works permanent vet jobs up north, you can also send them to nirvana and back simply by grooming their long locks with an old toothbrush!
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