LITTLE BEAR

Today I lost a sweet little friend.

I have been able to have many Hamsters in my life due to my association with "Wee Companions" a small animal rescue and adoption organization. I handle all the hammies for our group, for that I am thankful.

Little Bear was in our "Sanctuary" program.

That means that an animal has either a "special needs" issue or age issue, Little Bear was an older hamster too old to adopt out.

We received "Little Bear" a year ago when her owner Died and someone showed up with her at one of our adoption events and relinquished her to us. She was kept in a "Birdcage" with no wheel and a very tiny house she could barely fit in. Her food dish was a bottle top. The only good thing was she was healthy and fed regularly, the woman who brought her to us didn't even know her name or how old she was. She is a European Black Bear Hamster, as we call them here.....her only means of exercise was to climb to the top and hang on to the bars of her birdcage.

I brought her home, named her "Little Bear".  You could tell she hadn't been handled and was afraid at first, but when I moved her to her new 3-story chateau, with wheel and roomy home she blossomed and her antics won my heart in an instant.

Little Bear was the hamster that demanded your attention and became "vocal" the more I spent time with her and would squeak until you went and picked her up. The "gourmet" who would stare at you if you dared give the wrong treat....and I swear she threw raisins at me if I ever dared give them to her. (ok so I would do it for fun).

Little Bear would brighten my evenings as together we didn't sleep too much and needed someone to talk to. She was front and center in my living room and nothing escaped her. She had the most wonderful big ears that she would throw up and forward to give me her full attention.

Her timing was like a clock and kept me on pace and on time.

I reallly loved her. I had her for a year....... and then out of no where the past two weeks she started to slow down and change her routines. I could recognize what was coming.

I was able to spend alot of time with her, holding and loving her thank goodness. I kissed the top of her head and put her in her house last night and watched her fall asleep and gently slip away. I feel very fortunate to have her pass in this way as she was in no distress.

I will miss this sweet and lovable character that was with me for a short period of time. I miss my Hamster Little Bear and always will.

Thanks for having this space for Hamster lovers, it means alot.

Rene