Saying Goodbye To My Oldest Friend

This evening Leo and I said a tearful farewell to our sweet little calico cat, Kate. She was twenty years old and suffered from a variety of maladies, including a thyroid problem, heart murmur, and most lately, a tumor in her jaw. 

We didn't know we were taking Kate to the vet to say goodbye today. We thought we were taking her in for her regular bi-weekly antibiotic shot. The tumor in her jaw caused some infection, and these shots tended to keep the infection at bay. We had noticed that she'd been losing some energy and strength, and she was having trouble with the stairs and had all but stopped using her litterbox. We knew the time was coming, when we'd have to let her go, but I don't think you're ever really ready to say goodbye. But once the vet told us the tumor had caused so much damage that Kate was in real pain, we made the decision that it was time to let her go.

Kate came into my life as a rambunctious kitten twenty years ago. She was with me when I went to college and grad school, when I had my first apartment, got my first job, started my first company, when I was recovering from gall bladder surgery...she was with me through good times and bad. And she most certainly approved of Leo. One of her favorite things was to lay on Leo's chest, patting his face with her paws while he scratched her back.

What was most unique about Kate was that she was, as Leo dubbed her, a "cat-dog." She loved to fetch and would chase after a sponge ball for as long as you'd throw it. She had a stuffed animal all her own, a sheep named "Ewe" that would appear randomly throughout the house, wherever she left it after she'd dragged it around for awhile. She greeted us at the door when we came home and was extraordinarily affectionate. She never tired of playing and being cuddled. Kate was the softest cat I'd ever held- her coat was as soft as a rabbit's.

In the last few weeks, Kate wore a pretty pink-and-white striped sweater, which we gave her because we had to shave off quite a bit of her fur, as she'd lost the ability to clean herself and developed some mats in her fur. Yesterday, she changed into a pink sweatshirt with "Princess" across the back in rhinestones, which she really seemed to like.

Kate was around for so long that I honestly can't remember a single day of my adult life without her. I know Leo and I made the right decision in letting her go, but it feels strange to walk forward into my life without her by my side, weaving her way around my feet, leaving copious amounts of hair on the bottoms of my jeans. I can't quite wrap my mind around the fact that tomorrow morning, Kate and I won't have the same conversation we've had every morning for the last twenty years as I prepared her breakfast:

Kate: Rrrrowr?

Me: Good morning, Kate. Did you sleep well?

Kate: Rrrrrow!

Me: Ah, yes, well, what did you eat before you fell asleep?

Kate: Rrrrrrrowr.

Me: Hm. Maybe we should change your diet a little. What else happened last night?

Kate: Pddddddrowr!

Me: I guess we'll have to tell Leo to bait the traps with peanut butter again. Were there a lot of them?

Kate: Mrrrrowr.

Me: Well, that's not so bad. At least they didn't eat much of your food, right?

Kate: Rrrrrowr.

....and so on. How is it even possible that tomorrow morning, I won't trip over her a hundred times while cooking breakfast and demand that she stop trying to murder me in the cutest possible way? How is it possible that I'll never again push her away, complaining about her terrible breath? How is it possible that my oldest friend is gone? But saying goodbye this evening was the only choice that was fair to Kate, and the one thing that eases my hurt, even though just a little bit, is knowing that she's no longer in terrible pain and her end was quiet, gentle, peaceful, and very loving. 

Losing a pet is similar to losing a family member in many ways, but having lost my mother, I can say without doubt that it's not the same as losing a family member. It is, however, a substantial loss. And having had Kate in my life for so long and enjoying her as much as I did, I will really, really miss her a lot and I know Leo will, too. That's all I've got for tonight, folks.

We Shaved Our Cat!

As some of you know, one of our cats, Kate, is twenty years old. Kate has lived a long and happy life, and is one of the most beautiful, friendly cats I've ever encountered. Well, sadly, we found out last month that Kate has a tumor in her jaw and probably won't be with us much longer. Currently she's not in pain and seems to be doing just fine, but we're keeping a close eye on her to see if there are any changes.

It's amazing what cats do when it comes to their own care, and Leo and I have discovered just how much they actually do, since Kate recently stopped being able to clean herself, and despite all attempts on our part, we can't do nearly as well as she did on her own. As a result, some of her hair on her back became matted and there was no real way to brush it out, so our vet suggested we shave the mats. 

This being winter, we thought she'd be too cold, but Leo said, "Why don't we get her a sweater?" I said, "There's no possible universe where Kate will wear a sweater. She'll wiggle out of it. No way." But Leo insisted she'd love it and we bought it.

Well, I'll be darned if Kate doesn't love her sweater. She absolutely adores it and so here I am, publicly announcing: I was wrong. You know...this time. LOL

The sweater fits her perfectly and she's just delighted with it, so now our poor little shaved cat is wandering around the house in a pink and white striped sweater. I never thought I'd see the day.

MORE Hamster Babies!!

This evening, we discovered that Imogen has had her babies, so we now have TWO litters of hamsters. I sure hope the pet store will take them!!! Should be an interesting few weeks coming up in our future. :)

We Have More Hamster Babies!

Just last night, we moved our black female hamster, Fran Nancy, into a large aquarium. She was pretty fat and I thought she would be delivering soon, but I honestly had no idea she was this close. I was working at my desk this morning and heard the familiar ham-baby squeak, but I Fran's created this massive pile of cotton fluff and bedding so I wasn't sure...but then she shifted enough for me to see a wee little pink thing wriggling around underneath, so now I know...we've got more hamster babies.

Ned Nancy is happily ensconced in his own aquarium and Imogen and Lucky Smith are probably not too far behind with their own litter. In the meantime, Willa seems to be enjoying single life and exploring the house in her clear plastic ball.

More updates as we're able to count the new arrivals and take photos.

Updates, Hamwatch 2010, and A Few Introductions

Where the heck have I been for the last few weeks? Well, heck, I've been busy! What with my annual year-end planning drawing near, my new relationship with Business.com, and an upcoming product launch, I've had a lot going on. And as much as I love blogging about the fun, more personal stuff, something had to give.

Today, I'd like to share what's happened with my favorite furballs, introduce you to our new permanent residents, and get back in the swing of things.

So where to begin? Well, sad news first: Abe has not returned. I hold out hope that he's still in the house, maybe living off whatever the heck the mice live on when they find their way into the house. Yesterday I found an adult hamster-sized dropping near a bookcase on the first floor, and I got really excited, thinking Abe was still around, we just hadn't found him yet. But then I remembered Willa had spent some time running around in her clear plastic ball downstairs recently, so it might've been from her, but...I kinda have a little hope that my sweet little furry Abe is still running around after all.

HamWatch2010:

The hamster babies before they
headed to the pet store.

We took most of the hamster babies to the pet store last week. Leo and I just loved the experience of watching the babies grow up, and the pet store said they'll take whatever babies we end up with. So we now have two couples and Willa.

Willa has her own space and spends most evenings touring the house in her clear plastic hamster ball, and seems to have a wonderful time exploring. We even took her to my dad's house to check things out, and she wasn't even remotely bothered by their three cats, who didn't quite know what to make of Willa, safely ensconced in her clear plastic.
 
Introductions:
The Smiths:

Mr. and Mrs. Lucky Smith

There was one hamster we knew we were keeping from the second week, when we were finally able to see the babies. One hamster was born with only three feet. He was always able to keep up with the others, and didn't seem at all troubled. Early on, everyone was calling him "Lucky," which I didn't love, but it stuck. So I gave him a  fancy last name and now his name is officially Lucky Smith. Lucky is a black hamster, and I think he'll be a longhaired hamster like Abe was. Lucky spends his days with Mrs. Lucky Smith, a little blonde hamster who doesn't yet have a first name, but is quite a climber. I have a feeling we'll have to keep our eye on her, as she might be an escape artist.


The Nancys:

Mr. and Mrs. Ned Nancy

Another baby I wanted to keep was a blonde hamster who was super-friendly and seemed to really enjoy when I picked him up and patted him on the head. I'd marked his belly with a dot from a Sharpie to make sure I could easily locate him, and I named him Ned Nancy. Ned's mate is a  little black hamster who also doesn't have a name yet. I suspect we'll come up with the names for our little ladies soon, but for now, this one's just "Mrs. Ned Nancy." She's a huge fan of Cheerios. That much I know for sure.

So we have three aquariums in the office now, and frankly, it makes my workday even more fun, because now that they're adults, they're mostly nocturnal, but every once in awhile, a hamster will wake up and walk around sleepily, and I can sneak in a little cuddle before they head back to bed. And on days when I work late, I finish around the time when they wake up. I do promise more and better photos in the future.

I never imagined I'd have five hamsters and be in the business of raising hamster babies (LOL, we made a whopping $12 on the litter we took to the pet store), and I'm really surprised at how much fun I'm having. Of course, I do have a sneaking suspicion that my enjoyment may be tied to a quietly ticking biological clock. We'll see where that goes. :)

So that's the big HamWatch news. In other news, Leo and I are contemplating where we're going to spend Christmas this year, I'm still trying to find the perfect time to microwaving a baked potato (and wondering if it can still be called a "baked" potato if it's been nuked), and in the rare free moments, knitting my first pair of socks of the season while making my way through the first season of Murder One on Hulu.Stay tuned...more to come.

Operation: Abe Report, Day Seven and HamWatch 2010: Day Eleven

Operation: Abe Report

As of this morning, I am very sad to report that there is still no sign of Abe, and I fear the worst has happened. Leo maintains a lot more hope than I do, I confess. I just have a bad feeling, because none of the food I've put out, not even the stinky Limburger cheese that Willa's gone crazy over, has been touched. Not in any room. Not even a little bit. I am very sad over this loss, and I keep trying to think of anything else I can do to find him, but I can't imagine what else I could do. I'll continue to put out little piles of food and leave his cage open on the floor, but I don't have a lot of hope that Abe's coming back.

HamWatch 2010

In much more optimistic news, the babies are incredibly mobile and active. I'm calling them "The Mob" and when The Mob wakes up, there's a wobbly feeding frenzy with morsels of food that are far too big for their tiny mouths. So this scenario is quite common: one little hamster sits with a giant piece of corn, trying to stuff it in it's cheeks, only the corn gets a little stuck, so the hamster tries to pull it out, only it can't get it out, so it wiggles around, pulling on the corn, and somehow manages to lose its balance and somersault backwards...and eventually, is able to remove the corn. It's also common to see two little hamsters sharing a big piece of food, both holding on for dear life, nibbling little pieces off of the larger chunk. And sometimes, they lay on their sides, holding the food like a toddler would cuddle a teddy bear, only unlike the toddler, the hamsters take little bites now and then.

The babies' eyes haven't opened yet, so how they're getting around so easily is a mystery to me. They're extremely wobbly still, though, and pretty unstable, so although they're also quite fast, there's a lot of stumbling and they perpetually appear as if they're just going to keel over. It's a lot like being on the streets of Newcastle in the UK just after the pubs close.

Willa, the Wonder Mom, is really
effective at corraling the babies!

They also squeak a lot. There are two distinct squeaks- one is the "where's the milk?" squeak, and the other is the indignant, "Mom, put me down!" squeak. I don't mind telling you that having The Mob in the office is intensely distracting and I haven't been nearly as productive as I should've been this past week, because I keep having to get a closer look at whichever baby is taking a wobbly wander around the aquarium.

All of the black hamsters have white chins like Abe, which I love, because I loved his little white beard, so I'm glad to see the babies will be carrying on that trait. It's impossible to tell if they'll be longhaired like Abe, but I hope that some of them are.

The babies love to bring nuggets of
food back for naptime.

There is a runt in The Mob. One of the blonde babies is substantially smaller than the others. We've already decided that we'll keep that one, because it's just so darned sweet, plus there's one more that we're keeping for sure. One of the black babies was born with three feet and a wee little stump. It has no problem getting around, but I don't think the pet store will take that one, and besides, I've already fallen in love.

Stay tuned for more, and if you think of it, send up a wee little hamster-sized prayer for Abe.

Operation: Abe Report, Day Four and HamWatch 2010: Day Seven

Operation: Abe, Day Four

This is the fourth morning Abe is still missing. On Tuesday, he went missing. On Wednesday, he left a dropping and some bedding so we knew he was around. Yesterday and today...nothing. In the last few days, I've pulled out bookcases and filing cabinets, searched through closets, behind and under everything I can think of. But...no Abe.

The last two nights, I put out flour, hoping to catch Abe's trail. Several of the web sites I found suggested it, and I thought maybe it would work...but no dice. Here's all I got:

Flour Trap, Night Two

Flour Trap, Morning, Day Three

Now...is that really enough to go on? First of all, Abe has a "hair skirt" that I kept thinking would majorly disturb the flour. This could be a trail, but when I saw it, I thought it was a bit more like a bug could've done it. It's hardly anything. And it didn't go anywhere. This trail points directly to my bedroom, and that door is always closed tightly and has no space at the bottom, so there's no way that Abe could be in there.

Two nights ago, we also implemented our bucket trap. At a restaurant supply store, we bought this canister for rice. We haven't used it yet, and obviously we'll be sterilizing it before using it for rice, but I put bedding and enticing snacks in the canister. Leo and I created a staircase out of motivational books. I even used The Power of Seduction, which I received as a gag gift once, hoping it would seduce Abe into coming home. I baited the canister with peanut butter, even, thinking that would be enough. But...no Abe.

Last night, I didn't even bother with the flour. I was a little concerned that Abe was a little frightened off by it, so I just didn't put it down. I was testing my snacks on Willa to see what appealed the most to her. Peanut butter was a miss- Will totally ignored it. But she really seems to like apples, so I put a slice of apple into the canister.

I also put a slice of apple and three Cheerios in a room I hadn't previously tested- the laundry room. Our washer and dryer Bosch, which are often intended to go under counters. Since we weren't following European tradition and putting our laundry machines in the kitchen, we had to have a platform built to raise them up a few inches. The platform is a) hollow, save some acoustic foam, and b) open at the back for ventilation. Since the flour trail pointed vaguely in the direction of the part of the house where the laundry room is, I gave it a shot and put the snacks in there. But this morning, nothing. None of the snacks in any room has been disturbed. I just have no idea where Abe could be or if he's even still alive.

It's almost as if, during that first night, Abe packed his cheeks with food from his cage in preparation for a long vacation, because he hasn't touched any of the snacks I've put out for him.

Today I plan to empty the two closets in the office. I've already looked in the bottoms of the closets and taken stuff out of there, but there are clothes and coats that Abe could be hiding in, so I aim to do a pretty thorough search this afternoon. It kills me not to do something.

HamWatch 2010: Day Seven

On a happier note, the hamster babies are celebrating their one week birthday today, and they are absolutely thriving. Willa continues to mother beautifully- which the pet store confirms is kind of a rare thing for a first litter. The babies have grown a bit of fur and four are definitely black, eight are blonde. They make the most delightful squeaking sounds, which my clients confirm that they can indeed hear when I have a phone meeting, LOL (I'm lucky that my business isn't overly formal and my clients enjoy a bit of fun, or I think I'd have to move the hamsters out of the office). 

I have been able to touch them a bit without upsetting Willa. Sometimes when she leaves the nest, a couple of die-hard nursers hang on and get dragged a few inches outside the nest. Without their eyes open yet, they can't really find their way back unless they're really close, so I've petted Willa and gotten her scent on my hands and then gently coaxed the wee babies back into the nest. I seriously can't wait until I can hold them, though. They are so tiny and so precious. And newsflash: the other day, Leo said casually, "What do you think about keeping one or two of the babies?" LOL Here we go again.

Operation Abe Update:
I just searched both closets in the office, but there was no sign of Abe. Where could he be? I also talked with a vet who said that if Abe packed his cheeks for a long vacation, he could be just fine, holed up somewhere, hanging out and relaxing. He may not come back until he's exhausted his supply of snacks. My hope is (somewhat) restored.

The Abe Report (subtitle: When Hamsters Escape)

Yesterday morning, I woke up and came into the office to say good morning to Abe and Willa. To my shock, Abe's cage door was open and Abe was nowhere to be found. I absolutely could not believe it. I knew I had closed his door firmly. How could he have escaped?

Leo was sure I just hadn't closed the cage, but I knew I had, so I took to the internet to find answers. It wasn't long before I found around ten YouTube videos of hamsters escaping from the very CritterTrail where Abe lives. Here are some of them:

Hamster Escape 1
Hamster Escape 2
Hamster Escape 3
Hamster Escape 4
Hamster Escape 5

So it's a thing, this escaping hamster bit, and more than that, it's something that happens regularly with that cage!!! Obviously, they should sell a lock with the cage.

Abe was missing and possibly hurt (his cage usually sits about four feet off the ground, so I'm pretty sure he fell), and the only clue I had was a dropping near the bookcase where his cage sits. And worse, I didn't even know what room he was in. Much of our house has doors with two-inch gaps at the bottom, because the house used to be carpeted pretty much everywhere, and the bottoms of the doors were cut high to accommodate the carpet. I replaced the carpet with hardwood and now there's a gap, which isn't a problem most of the time, but obviously, that gives a wide berth for a curious hamster, so I was afraid Abe had left the office, which left at least seven possible rooms he could've gotten into, on the second floor alone.

Have You Seen This Hamster?

I read on several different "How to find a lost hamster" web sites (and there are tons of these sites, so you know it happens all the time) that you should put out some food and water and sprinkle flour around the food and water so the hamster makes a trail wherever he goes. I figured that was a good bet, since Abe has kind of a "hair skirt" now, what with his development into a longhaired hamster. 

I sprinkled flour everywhere, sitting on my floor like a coke addict, using two Business in Blue Jeans business cards to create tidy lines of flour in front of doors and around piles of food and water in virtually every room on the second floor.

And as of this morning, Abe is still missing. None of the flour was disturbed and none of the food was eaten. However, there was a dropping just outside the pile of food just outside Abe's cage (duh, why did I put one there anyway?!) and some bedding next to it, so I think Abe ignored the snacks and went for the food and water he knows in his cage. Duh. At least I have some indication that he's alive.

I emptied the bookcase next to Abe's cage and had Leo pull it out to see if Abe was behind or under it, but Abe wasn't there. I'm pretty sure he's still in the office, so I'm ready to move to Phase Two of Operation: Abe, which involves a bucket with peanut butter and snacks in the bottom and a wooden plank (or books) as a ramp so the hamster can get to the yum-yums. Hopefully, we'll catch Abe and get him back to his home and I can stop freaking out with worry and missing him.

In the meantime, Willa's still mothering the babies, they are starting to look less creepy, and the pet store confirmed they'll take the babies, so I have no worries there. Whew.

HamWatch 2010: Day 4

Today I had a minor panic. Since the hamsters live in my office, I'm able to keep pretty close tabs on them all day long, which means I'm usually here during the rare moments when Willa gets up for a stretch. I keep my camera next to the hamsters and as soon as I hear Willa rustling around, I can hop up and snap a photo of the babies (as long as I'm not with a client, LOL).

This afternoon when Willa went on a little walkabout, I snapped this photo of the babies. I was editing the photo and it's become my habit to count the little critters a couple of times each day to make sure they're all there and healthy. This early, it's not uncommon for a baby to get lost, especially since their eyes aren't open and they're so vulnerable that getting lost means certain death, which I'd like to avoid. When I looked at this photo, though, I could only find eleven of the twelve babies.

I panicked, went back to the nest, and lured Willa out with some multigrain Cheerios so I could count again. Luckily, I discovered that all twelve were there, so it's possible that one was just covered up with bedding when I took the photo. Whew.

Well, as you can see, some of the hamsters are turning a bit dark. Four of the twelve, it seems, are going to take after their dad, Abe, who, as you know, is a lovely black hamster. It's fascinating to watch these babies develop daily and see them grow this way, and they make the most delightful squeaks throughout the day.

Speaking of Abe, Leo and I have been spending more time with him since Willa's been occupied with the babies. Abe's CritterTrail has an upstairs "condo" that's removable, and he'd brought all manner of bedding and snacks up to the condo, so the other night, we brought him (in his condo) downstairs to watch TV with us.

Here's the thing about Abe: he's kind of slow-moving most of the day. He only starts to pick up speed around 11:00 PM. So as we snuggled up in a blanket on the sofa, I felt confident taking him out of the condo and settling him on the sofa with Leo and me. Abe was quite happy to curl up on top of the blanket with some Cheerios and lettuce, and really seemed to enjoy "Top Chef" and "Leverage." But then he got curious and wanted to explore the entire sofa, and we were worried he'd fall off, so I brought him back up to the office.

This morning, though, I discovered that Abe has moved all his stuff downstairs, so I think maybe he didn't enjoy having his condo moved around. That said, he's getting much more comfortable with being handled, and actually seems to like being held, so I think there's more TV and movie viewing in Abe's future.

Oh...I've been getting e-mails about the cats. People want to know, "How are the cats handling the hamsters?" and "Where are the cats?" Here's the scoop: the only one of our cats that lives in the house full-time is Kate, who's almost twenty years old. Kate's almost blind, mostly deaf, and the fact that we even have hamsters barely even registers with her, so that's a non-issue.

Kate has no claws (certainly not my doing) and doesn't get along well with the other cats, who all have all of their claws. Kate's old and also has a heart murmer, and Leo and I don't want to get her riled up too much, so the other four cats live in a large sunroom and come into the house during the day, as long as they don't upset Kate. And when they're in the house, the door to the office (and thus, to the hamsters) is closed. I don't think the other cats even know we have hamsters, but I'm sure if they did, there'd be a lot of interest. Rest assured, though, the hamsters are totally safe and protected at all times.

Stay tuned for more HamWatch 2010, as we await the opening of the eyes, fur, and movement out of the nest!

Willa's A Good Mom!

We're heading into Day Three of HamWatch 2010, where Willa has had her babies (official count: 12) and is performing her motherly duties with absolute perfection. So far, it appears that all twelve babies are still alive and kicking and growing exactly as they're supposed to.

Willa is turning out to be a really great mom, which isn't always the case in the animal kingdom. When I was a teenager, we had a Yorkshire Terrier who had no idea how to give birth, much less take care of her babies once she had them. We had to help her a lot, and it was like she had no maternal instincts whatsoever.

As a result of that experience, I was worried that Willa, being a first-time mom, wouldn't know exactly what to do. But my fears were completely unwarranted, as Willa's instincts have really kicked in. She's maintaining her nest and continues hoarding food, but more importantly, she doesn't leave those babies alone for more than a few seconds. She will move about to stretch a little a couple of times a day, but for the most part, she's covering those babies, keeping them close and warm and letting them nurse, and doing everything she's supposed to do. And as far as I can tell, every single one of the twelve babies survived and is still thriving.

I don't think I'll feel totally safe until we've past the 10-day mark, but at this point, I'm cautiously optimistic that all of the babies are totally healthy and strong.

Baby hamsters; credit: ighor.info

Quite a few of my friends have e-mailed me to say that the hamster babies are really creepy looking. Indeed, they can seem a little odd, if you haven't seen them before. When I look at them, I see what they're about to become - tiny, sweet, irresistible little fuzzy hamsters. And even if they look a little...naked...when they first arrive, there's no doubt that they're absolutely adorable in just a couple of weeks.

Abe & Willa Are Parents!

This morning, I had to go see My Sister The Dentist about a funny feeling in one of my teeth. The drive to My Sister The Dentist's office is pretty long, so Leo came along to keep me company (rockstar hubby points scored: 423).  When we got home, I came upstairs to the office (where Abe & Willa live, currently in separate cages on opposite sides of the office) and started working. That's when I heard it: teeny tiny little squeaks. Sure enough, Willa had her babies while we were gone.

It took a few hours before she moved, so for awhile, all we could see was a teeny tiny leg here and a wee little pink tail there. But finally, Willa got up and ambled over to the wheel and there they were. And wow, there were way, way more of them than I ever expected.

When I was a kid, I had gerbils that procreated rampantly. I loved it, because I had a little business (always the entrepreneur) selling the babies to a local pet shop. But the gerbils, it seems, only had four to six babies at a time. And while I'd read that it was possible for hamsters to have up to fifteen, I never imagined that little Willa, herself only around twelve weeks old, would have such a massive litter! My best count is around eleven or twelve, but since we can't actually get close or touch them, we can't say for sure how many are there. Plus, it's not uncommon for one or two not to make it. I really hope they all survive, and I think we're going to need a bigger carrier when it's time to take them to the pet store for sale.

In the meantime, Abe's missing Willa like crazy. We moved him a couple of days ago because we were afraid that when Willa had the babies, he might eat them, which is quite common for males to do. Since he's been away from Willa, Abe's been moody and bored and stands up in his new cage across the room and looks longingly at "the main house" where Willa still resides. 

Abe's escape attempt
from the CritterTrail

Er...actually, right now he's looking at me, which I attribute largely to the fact that earlier this evening, I discovered that Abe's learning. He's been living in Edison's old CritterTrail, which has bars and a door that opens. Abe's discovered where the door is and when he sees me come over, he waits by the door and attempts escape in a number of different ways. Luckily, he's not super-fast most of the time, though his speed increases as it gets later into the night and his nocturnal brain starts to wake up, so I have to keep a close eye on him, especially if I decide to feed him late at night. And now, he's making this frenzied attempt at escape, trying to chew the bars of the CritterTrail. He really, really wants to get home to Willa and the kids.

That said, this time that Abe's been forced to spend apart from Willa has given Abe and me a chance to bond. He comes out for sleepy cuddles throughout the day. This evening I brought a salad up to the office to eat while playing a computer game, and I gave Abe a couple of salad greens and we ate our salads together, Abe comfortably settled in his little colorful cage and sitting right next to me. It was sweet.

Abe and Willa, 6 weeks old

At any rate, I know many folks find the babies pretty weird-looking. One of my friends described them as "creepy" and "embryonic," which made me giggle, because I know how absolutely adorable they're going to become in a very short period of time. Heck, their eyes aren't even open yet! Remember, this is Abe and Willa at 6 weeks. It won't be long before these little babies are just as cute. Stay tuned for more updates!

An Abe and Willa Update

Those of you who have been following this blog for awhile know that Leo and I have two hamsters named Abe and Willa. Since I hadn't posted an update on them for awhile, I figured it was time.

So here are the updates:

Willa, 9/1/10

• Both Abe and Willa have grown a remarkable amount. That was to be expected, since we got them when they were about 6 weeks old, but they've doubled in size, at least.
• Willa's an adorable, chubby teddy bear hamster. She's taken to eating in her sleep and is starting to look a bit fat. She's completely precious, and fairly normal. 
• Abe, on the other hand, has turned out to be a longhaired hamster, which is very interesting. Sometimes he looks very...pretty. Other times, he's a bit scraggly. The long-haired thing makes him look less "teddy bear" and more "skunk" or "porcupine," and kind of detracts from his masculinity, the poor little guy.



Abe, 8/27/10

• That said, there's absolutely no question whatsoever now that Abe is male. All he has to do is turn his back on you and...well, it's quite obvious. And given the...aherm...flurry of nightly activity in Hamster Town, I'm pretty sure if Willa isn't already pregnant, she soon will be. At this point, I think she's just fat, not pregnant, but I'm not really sure.
• Both hamsters are getting quite used to being held and are much more comfortable with us than when they first arrived. I attribute much of this to the kids, who during their August visit, were as enchanted by Abe and Willa as Leo and I are.
• Finally, both hamsters have shown a great affinity for Cheerios and Rice Krispies. Willa stuffed 17 Cheerios in her cheeks one day and 24 Rice Krispies another day. It's one of the funniest things I've ever seen.

So that's the Abe and Willa update. I'm sure it won't be long before I'm blogging that "Willa's Got Some Buns in the Oven," so stay tuned!

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Did You Ever Want A Goat?

I first read about goats in Hobby Farms Magazine and the book, The Urban Homestead. It wasn't long after I'd agreed to raise chickens, and I was so delighted with the experience that I was curious what other kind of mischief we could get into. We haven't yet indulged our fantasies of goat herding, but....haven't you ever wondered about having one? Maybe you were at a petting zoo or a state fair and you had a chance to see a goat or feed it. Maybe you noticed how clever the goats were, and how oddly cute they are, and thought, "Wouldn't it be cool if I had a goat?"

But then someone said, "They eat everything. They'll even eat their way out of the fencing. They're terrible to keep!" and you gave up the thought.

These days, urban homesteaders are making poultry farming so commonplace that big-box stores like Petco are starting to carry chicken supplies. And goats aren't far behind. 

Goats are great for milk, meat, and hair, depending on which breed you select. I can't speak much to the meat and hair, and I'm only speaking from what I've read, not what I've lived, so from what I've read, goat milk is no different in taste from cow's milk and many people find it easier to digest. I've read that goats need to be milked twice a day, which can be a bit of a burden (and is one of the big reasons we haven't actually delved into owning goats yet). There are dwarf and pygmy goats, which means you need less room, but you still need loads of attention and the goats require some training and socialization.

Leo and I are still pondering the possibilities (where would we keep a goat, are we even allowed to have one in our neighborhood, and do we have time to monitor our goat?), but don't be too surprised if you see sometime in the future that we've decided to add a goat or two to our little urban homestead. You just never know.

Abe & Willa Update

Well, people, it's official. Abe and Willa are most definitely boy and girl (respectively) and they're growing up way too fast. At approximately 6 weeks of age, they're already mating. They've both grown really fast, and Abe, who was initially quite a bit smaller than Willa, is starting to catch up, though he's still not quite as big as she is. I suspect it won't be long before we have babies.

Abe and Willa have proven to be entirely irresistible to the entire family. The best treat so far is holding them and petting them and then hand-feeding them Cheerios and Rice Krispies, which they either stuff into their cheeks, up to four at a time, or hold in their tiny hands and crunch away at until they're gone. They're getting more and more friendly and seem to be getting more and more used to our presence.

During the day, Abe and Willa spend most of their time spooning in the corner of their habitat, but occasionally you'll find one or both of them squished up inside their little TV, one or both faces pressed against the "screen."

They continue to be avid wrestlers (though some of their wrestling has taken a decidedly "adult" turn) and are endlessly entertaining to watch. Leo and I kind of hope if they do have babies, they'll have them this month, so the entire family can enjoy the teeny tiny little ones. Stay tuned!

Meet Abe and Willa!

After our lovely, too-brief time with Edison, Leo and I realized that it was a great deal of fun having a little rodent friend co-habiting the office with us. Plus, we had an empty cage and a bunch of rodent food, so we decided to bring another little fuzzball into the office when we felt ready.

Today...we felt ready. So we stopped at the local Petco and Petsmart to peruse the selection and although we did find some potentials - a seriously fat and grumpy looking fancy hamster, some really rambunctious dwarf hamsters, and a long-haired hamster that just really looked like what comes off of my hairbrush when I clean it - nobody really jumped out of us as "The One."

Then we found ourselves at Speck's Pet Store in Brownsburg, Indiana, which is near the branch of our bank where our favorite teller moved. Sometimes we go to that bank just to visit her and bring her eggs, and last week I visited the bank, I noticed this pet store and I remembered it today and thought it would be much nicer to get our new friend from a privately-owned store, rather than a big-box chain. It turned out to be the right choice. Instead of the full-grown hamsters from the larger stores, Speck's had newly-weaned babies, so we were able to get babies that will grow up feeling comfortable and safe with us.

Abe & Willa
(and yes, you should click to zoom in on this photo.)

We'd considered bringing home just one, but we couldn't help ourselves (seriously, look at these faces - could you?), and we brought home two. At the store, they said they were too young to determine their sex, so if we ended up with babies, we could certainly bring the babies into their store any time. But when we got home, we Googled how to sex hamsters, and sure enough, we've got a male and a female, so we expect a fairly interesting future with these two. 

Our little wrestlers.

All the way home, our little babies alternated between wrestling and trying to chew their way out of their little take-home box. I think they wore themselves out, because as soon as we got them home and in their new aquarium, they fell fast asleep. They've already explored their new digs and had some snacks, and even had a wrestle or two. I think they're pretty content.

They're surprisingly comfortable with having our hands in the cage - probably a consequence of starting life in the pet store. Leo and I are trying to leave them alone as much as we can, but it's difficult - they're absolutely precious. I think it's safe to say that you can anticipate that I'll be sharing the adventures of Abe and Willa for a long time to come. Leo and I are so happy to welcome these tiny new additions to our family!

The Edison Show Is Now Over.

It is with a very heavy heart that I must report that Edison did not survive the night. This morning when I woke up and came into the office to say good morning to her, she had passed away. Leo and I think that maybe the pregnancy was just too much for her - pregnancies are notoriously hard on mice. At any rate, she just didn't make it, and it happened before the babies were born, so they're gone, too.

I don't have much to say about this, because we're both feeling very sad about the whole thing. Edison was a lovely little mouse, and a welcome addition to our pet family. It was so much fun having her in the office and watching her scurry around, examining all of the wire walls of her cage, nesting in the little plastic TV we bought her, and just being generally adorable. She was just a joy to watch.  So we're obviously heavy-hearted about losing her. 

However...I'm awfully glad we were able to provide Edison with a comfortable, safe place for her last days, and so glad she was in our life for a brief period. It's funny how attached you can get to such a tiny little presence in just a week, but we really did.

Confirmed: Edison Is Female and Edison Is Pregnant

Edison spent all day in her (yes, it's official, Edison is a girl) loft today, snuggled up in the fluffy blue cotton. When I realized Edison had gotten so nested in the cotton fluff that I couldn't see her, I realized that Edison isn't just pregnant...she's about to give birth. And from the look of things, it's happening like...now.

I did a little research and learned that you can't clean a mouse's cage for a couple of weeks after it gives birth, so Leo and I got to work immediately, locked off the loft, and cleaned out the cage. And now, Edison, who appears to be in the process of giving birth, is inexplicably running around her wheel and wobbling up and down the tunnel from her loft to chow down on some snacks.

So now we know why Edison came out from hiding in the first place. We know why she moved slower than it seemed like she should. And we know why she's been eating so much junk food.

I confess, I feel very torn. How can I express this? I adore Edison. I think she's the cutest little thing. But I don't love that there's at least one mouse still living behind the stove, and I'd really like to catch him (clearly, it's a him) soon. And I'm all too aware in this moment that if we hadn't caught Edison, she'd have given birth to five to ten babies (I guess I'll know tonight or tomorrow) and then the mouse problem in our house would've grown exponentially. 

I'm honestly thrilled to pieces that Edison is here, safe, and giving birth in a very pleasant environment. The little girl in me is so terribly excited that we're about to witness this fascinating moment (much like I did so many times when I was young and had pet gerbils whose babies I sold to the local pet store for bubble gum money). But the adult woman in me is so relieved that we caught Edison before we ended up with a mouse problem of epic proportion, and pretty concerned about what we're going to do once these baby mice are ready to be weaned. 

So again, if you're looking for an adorable, Edison-like pet, drop me an e-mail. You could have your very own little Edison (or two!) in just a few weeks.

 

Is Edison Pregnant Or Just Getting Fat?

Over the last couple of days, I've noticed Edison's belly. The thing is...Edison is getting fat. Now, it is true that Edison has been consuming a lot of calories since making the transition from his diet of crumbs and cat food to his current, luxury daily intake of peanut butter, nuts and seeds, cooked rice, and healthy and nutritious mouse food. But I don't really know enough about mice to know...is Edison just getting fat and should I start putting peanut butter on his exercise wheel, or is Edison pregnant? Obviously, I'm hoping for the former, but...could a new pregnancy have been what sent Edison out foraging for cat food in the first place?

If indeed Edison is pregnant, and I suspect we'll know for sure in a week or two, we'll probably be looking for homes for the babies soon. Anybody who wants a sweet little Edison of their own, e-mail me.

The Edison Show

Edison continues to enjoy his new environment, including his daily mini-ration of peanut butter, which appears to be his absolute favorite food. 

Leo and I are now vexed by Edison's family, which we now have evidence of...as the traps we laid for them with peanut butter as bait have been sprung several times, peanut butter completely consumed.

This morning, we discovered a clue that the mice may have escaped with a little...feline help. This morning, we noticed that this morning, the Mice Cube we'd used was on its side. Either Edison's family is really fast and really strong (and arrogant to boot, as they were in the Mice Cube so long, they left a few little "gifts" behind), or Kate, our 19 year-old cat who roams the house at night, is helping the mice escape by playing with the traps. Tonight, we're putting Kate in the bathroom and we'll see if we catch some friends for Edison.

I have to confess, I'm becoming a little apprehensive at this point. It's one thing if we have just one small family of mice. I don't mind keeping two or three. But we can't keep an unlimited number of these little guys, no matter how cute they are. And if they start having crazy numbers of babies....well, I guess we'll catch what we catch and cross that bridge when we come to it....I guess.

New Edison Photos!

I'm getting the feeling that Edison might be a girl. It's at least a possibility. Ideally, I'd pick him/her up and take a peek under the hood, but he's not really comfortable with us yet, so I'd like to wait. Since he's alone in his cage, there's not much to worry about with regard to babies anyway.

Since Edison lives in my office now, I've actually rearranged my desk so his cage is in my line of vision. Edison spends most of the day curled up in his loft, coming down the tube only for snacks. When he comes down the tube, if I turn around and make any noise, he tends to get a little spooked and runs away. With my desk rearranged, I can see when he emerges and I don't have to worry about startling him.

Today I put a bit of peanut butter on a small square of paper towel for him. Edison's favorite food is definitely peanut butter. He also loves sunflower seeds, Cheerios, and Rice Krispies, but not apples, carrots, cucumber,  or lettuce. I put a little peanut butter on one of the antennas of his TV today, which ended up being pretty funny, as he ate it all and then struck this pose (left). I've put a little peanut butter on a couple of the cage rungs above where he's standing in this photo, so he has to stand up and stretch a little to get to it. With any luck, I'll be here when it happens and can snap a photo that just might give me some clues about whether Edison is male or female.

I never imagined I'd have this much fun with Edison, but it's been an absolute joy to watch him. I've been hoping we'd catch his family, if there is one, but so far, the only thing springing the traps is my 19 year-old cat, Kate. Stay tuned!