Stumpy and her litter

This is Stumpy and her girls, Lucy and Shasta. Stumpy is so named because she is missing one of her front paws - I don't know what happened, I adopted her that way. I also adopted Stumpy's two boys, Hans and Franz, a couple weeks later when the MSPCA decided to not allow them to remain on the adoption floor because they were biting. This put them at risk for euthenasia. I don't blame them for biting - human hands mistreated these little guys and they were only trying to protect themselves.

In my care Hans and Franz quickly stopped biting, in favor of climbing onto my hand for a snuggle ride. Also, while still living together in two setups, Shasta turned out to be a male, siring a litter with Lucy of 4 adorable babies. I let them stay with their mother for about 6 weeks, and then took them to the pet store and sent each on his or her way with a kiss and a good luck wish.

Franz passed away one day while in his exercise ball. I don't know why.

I took to giving the hams free-range time (the girls in the studio and the boys in the rest of the house). They were all good about coming up to me when they were ready to go back into their habitrails. They even knew about the life-trap, and would occasionally intentionally trap themselves to get my attention.

Lucy and Stumpy passed away just a few days apart, while loose in the studio. In the time it took me to find them, Hans had a problem. I picked him up one night and his body was cool to the touch, he was lethargic, and kept nudging up against me for warmth and balance. I knew his time was coming, so I held him until I fell asleep. I knew in the morning he would be gone. I buried Stumpy, Lucy and Hans together, near the other hamsters I've buried.

Shasta remains, happy as can be. It's been a long time since I separated him from his siblings, and he's quite used to the solo life of luxury that he's enjoyed for so long.

Epilogue:
One night while just finishing working in my living room at about 3 AM, Shasta suddenly began stirring in his habitrail, and obviously wanted me to pick him up. I did, and instantly noticed his time was near. He was a bit cool to the touch and he curled up in my had, lethargic as could be. I held him all night until he passed.

This candle burns for Stumpy and her entire litter, which all lived nice long lives with me.




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