Comments on: We Have Hamsters http://www.mcgees.org/2000/12/16/we-have-hamsters/ Website of Joshua McGee Sat, 22 Nov 2008 18:15:45 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.6 By: mcgees.org » Blog Archive » Anyone read Dutch? http://www.mcgees.org/2000/12/16/we-have-hamsters/#comment-55 mcgees.org » Blog Archive » Anyone read Dutch? Fri, 28 Apr 2006 01:05:33 +0000 http://www.mcgees.org/wordpress/?p=4#comment-55 [...] Note added 18 Jun 2003: OK, I heard back from the author of the hamster post.  Apparently she was saying the hamsters are ‘zielig’ — ‘miserable’ or ‘pitiful’.  I think it is because there are several in the same cage.  And she is right!  But in my defense, shortly after the picture was taken I moved the hamsters to individual, much larger habitats.  Chronologically, here are the posts about hamsters: [1], [2], [3], [4], [5], [6], and [7].  The last link is about the hamsters’ deaths.  Note also that “eulogies for hamsters” was one of the searches in my Two Years of Google Searches. [...] [...] Note added 18 Jun 2003: OK, I heard back from the author of the hamster post.  Apparently she was saying the hamsters are ‘zielig’ — ‘miserable’ or ‘pitiful’.  I think it is because there are several in the same cage.  And she is right!  But in my defense, shortly after the picture was taken I moved the hamsters to individual, much larger habitats.  Chronologically, here are the posts about hamsters: [1], [2], [3], [4], [5], [6], and [7].  The last link is about the hamsters’ deaths.  Note also that “eulogies for hamsters” was one of the searches in my Two Years of Google Searches. [...]

]]> By: Joshua <i>(Site Owner)</i> http://www.mcgees.org/2000/12/16/we-have-hamsters/#comment-47 Joshua (Site Owner) Wed, 26 Apr 2006 09:28:45 +0000 http://www.mcgees.org/wordpress/?p=4#comment-47 I know the hamsters look really pathetic in there. Too little space! This enclosure was intended to last a couple of days until I could build a much more elaborate Habitrail system for them. But then the events in the <a href="http://www.mcgees.org/2000/12/17/hamsters-and-small-business/" rel="nofollow">first pingback</a> happened. We ended up with two hamsters in separate Habitrail enclosures. But, it turns out, hamsters can chew right through them. Who would have thought? Anyway, we ended up getting them each a large multi-level wire cage, which we stocked with cool stuff for them. They seemed a lot healthier in there. Probably better air circulation. But anyway, a year and a half later and they were both dead. Which sucks. I still miss them, and someday I'll write a post about this. I feel like crying whenever I think about it. I really loved them, little neurotic rodents that they were. So, learn from my experience: get them separate cages to start with, skip the Habitrail thing, and only get them at all if you think your heart can handle their untimely demise. And think twice about getting them for children. I mean that. There is plenty of time to learn about death. You don't need to give them a headstart by giving them a lovable and quick-dying pet. I know the hamsters look really pathetic in there.  Too little space!  This enclosure was intended to last a couple of days until I could build a much more elaborate Habitrail system for them.  But then the events in the first pingback happened.  We ended up with two hamsters in separate Habitrail enclosures.  But, it turns out, hamsters can chew right through them.  Who would have thought?  Anyway, we ended up getting them each a large  multi-level wire cage, which we stocked with cool stuff for them.  They seemed a lot healthier in there.  Probably better air circulation.

But anyway, a year and a half later and they were both dead.  Which sucks.  I still miss them, and someday I’ll write a post about this.  I feel like crying whenever I think about it.  I really loved them, little neurotic rodents that they were.

So, learn from my experience: get them separate cages to start with, skip the Habitrail thing, and only get them at all  if you think your heart can handle their untimely demise.  And think twice about getting them for children.  I mean that.  There is plenty of time to learn about death.  You don’t need to give them a headstart by giving them a lovable and quick-dying pet.

]]> By: mcgees.org » Blog Archive » Hamsters and small business http://www.mcgees.org/2000/12/16/we-have-hamsters/#comment-46 mcgees.org » Blog Archive » Hamsters and small business Wed, 26 Apr 2006 09:20:31 +0000 http://www.mcgees.org/wordpress/?p=4#comment-46 [...] Well, the hamster saga has turned out well, I think.  The pet store was willing to take the two hamsters back, and gave us a half-hamster worth of store credit (about $7 total) for each.  We went to Petsmart to purchase a second habitat so the two kept hamsters would have their own spaces.  It seems to be working out.  Both built nests from shredded bedding after they realized they were alone. [...] [...] Well, the hamster saga has turned out well, I think.  The pet store was willing to take the two hamsters back, and gave us a half-hamster worth of store credit (about $7 total) for each.  We went to Petsmart to purchase a second habitat so the two kept hamsters would have their own spaces.  It seems to be working out.  Both built nests from shredded bedding after they realized they were alone. [...]

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