I got him during my student intership program from a pet store from a mall that i was interning at, in November 2010. I wanted a pet so much at that time and i finally decided to get one. So right after my work, I went to the store and picked out all the accessories and neccessities for the hamster. The sales staff then lead me to pick my hamster up, she picked up my little baby up from the others and I decided it was him.
Bringing him home is one of the best decision that i ever made.
I still remember that I was afraid to carry him for the first time, in case he bites or anything. I bought gloves, red with flowers on it (which is still in my house), and Hamburger was scared by the gloves that tried to catch him. He was such a fast runner when he was young. I slowly overcome my fear of getting bitten and handled my baby with my bare hands. I love his soft fur, white with a grey line that goes down from the top of his head to his tail and some grey patches around his butt. I miss carrying him on my palms and carrassing his fur.
As he grew, he was bigger, fatter and rounder, so is his butt. At a point of time he grew really big, and we were calling him '小猪'. And this was the time when my brother bought a female hamster, momo, and she was put in the same cage as Hamburger. Hamburger looks like a giant beside momo and initially he was always messing around with momo. But due to the gentle nature of Hamburger, it was not long before momo started to take over his position in the house by eating first all the time and taking most of the space in his little house. Before momo came, he was the king of his 2-tiered kingdom, and he even sits like a king.
One special thing (well, at least to me) about Hamburger is that he likes to sit like a human, not lying around like the other hamsters (the babies of Hamburger and momo) in my house, Hamburger likes to sit around, on his fatty butt. My mum and I thinks that he looks like a king when sitting down, which is just so loveable to me.
I change food irregularly everyday due to my activities outside home, and each time i change his food, he will stand up at the door of his cage eagerly to wait for his food. I miss the look on his face when he is waiting for his food. And the hamster food i got is a mix of seeds nuts and others, Hamburger always finishes up the biscuit bits and CORN. Yes, he loves corn. I even bought him dried corn on the cob for him to munch on all day long. And he doesn't finishes the oats.
At the start of this year, I started feeding him fresh foods. Strawberries, apple, grapes and honeydews. He loves them and can finish quite a big piece at a time for his size. Feeding of fruits is always outside of his cage and most of the time, on my palm. Looking at him eat is very enjoyable, to me at least.
It was also the start of the year when I changed his cage to a bigger one. In the big orange cage, he has 3 favourite spots: his orange house with the red roof, behind his house and in his large exercise wheel. He is mostly behind his house, sitting their in his usual position.
Another special thing about Hamburger is that he response to people calling him. And sometimes i even think that he understands what i am talking about. I will always call out his name and he will turn his head to me. He loves to nibble and lick my fingers whenever i put them near. I remember his nails being long and transparent, and i wonder whether they can be trimmed all the time. I love to talk to my hamster, talk about how am i feeling, greeting him in the morning, saying goodnights and i love yous to him every night without fail. And around 2 months ago, he started to nod his head occaisionally when im talking, especially during my iloveyous to him. I miss his nods, alot.
Lastly, what made Hamburger so special is him being with me during my worst period till date, and lifting up my spirits when i got home every night. The last semester of school was quite hectic and stressful for me, and at the same time, relationships and other problems came in and this period is rather emotional for me. But every night going home, i would carrying Hamburger in my palms, played with him, talked to him, and even just looking at him doing his usual routine can make me smile and go to sleep feeling happy again. This is why i love him, so much, for being there for me and making me smile each day.
My mum adores him and my dad started to in the recent weeks. He is my baby. Alot of times, i think people will think i'm mad when i start to talk about Hamburger, due to my love for him. But Hamsters or Dogs, they are the same, they are animals with feelings. If people can have so much love for a dog, why can't i for my hamster? He is just smaller, rounder, furrier and cuter. I don't think anyone can understand my love for Hamburger, it may seem crazy but he is really important to me, he is my family.
I realised Hamburger wasn't eating and drinking much 2 days ago and i found out that one of his body parts is swollen and it was slightly bleeding. That was around 2am when i found out and i immediately searched the internet for a vet near my house ready to send him there in the morning. I went to sleep half heartedly and woke up several times throughout the night, i just can't sleep well. I woke up at 8am the next morning and waited for the time to pass so that i can rush to the vet when it opens at 10am. The vet prescribed some meds and liquid food for Hamburger, and feeding him the meds is just so heartbreaking. He struggled and i have to force feed him. At night, which is yesterday's night, i came home and he looked better, the swell has reduced alittle and he was eating and drinking a little. I thought he will get better.
This morning, i woke up and he looked still alright to me. But not long after i gave him his meds, he started to look really tired and lethargic. And he was in this situation till a few hours ago, when he left me. Throughout the afternoon and evening, he looking haggard, lethargic, skinny and he just lay there breathing very hardly. It breaks my heart to see him like this. And just a few hours before he left, he couldn't walk at all. His hind limbs were not moving and he was just using his front limbs to drag him whenever he wanted to move. I was kind of prepared that he was not going to make it any much longer, so i decided that i was going to bring him to the vet and put him to sleep tomorrow's morning. Its because i just couldn't see him suffer anymore. So i started to search on forums and google on the details of doing that and while i'm searching, Hambuger's body couldn't take it anymore.
Although i was prepared that he was going to leave soon, I couldn't take it when I realised he wasn't breathing anymore. His eyes was still open and lying there motionless. I called out to my mum and cried very hardly. He is now buried at the carpark's little garden behind my house. I placed him in a cardboard box, with some bedding and food. I miss him.
I dismantled his orange cage once i came home, couldn't stop my tears while doing that. I can't erase the image of his little body lying there motionlessly with his eyes wide open. Oh, i forgot to mention that he has lovely eyes, big, round, dewy and just so lovely. And now, I'm left with his 4 babies, and his wife, and one dismantled orange cage. I decided to give all the rest of the hamsters away, although my love for the rest is not as strong, but i don't want to build up the relationship and watch it leave me again. Yes, my love for Hamburger is always much much stronger than the rest. And i seriously meant MUCH stronger. I did feed the rest of the hamsters, but Hamburger is the only one that i talk to and played with all the time. I buy all the best accessories for his cage and only his. My mum always say that im biased, and i am.
"Hamburger, thank you for being with me for this past 6 months or so. You have been a big part of my life and I am going to keep you deep inside my heart. I'm keeping your orange house with the red roof with me, in my room. I hope you'll remember me. I love you."
And i hope he nods at me right now.
I'm missing him so much,
Nico
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