Hamster 2.0 has its say
After my first hamster has already had his say here, Hamster 2.0 is now allowed to have his say. He benefits from the fact that I have learnt from my mistakes.
My name is Komatsu. Or so I think. That's what my carer calls me because, like the excavators of the same name, I like digging. However, he also calls me "Willy 2", "kleiner Scheisser", "Hutzlpfutzl" and whatever else he can think of when it's late in the evening and he's getting tired. It doesn't really matter, because I'm not a dog and I don't come panting when the self-appointed master calls my name.
I am the successor to Willy, who unfortunately only lived to be 15 months old. My carer therefore wanted another dwarf hamster - and to do things better this time.
I'm almost 20 months old and slowly approaching hamster retirement age, but I'm not thinking of cutting back. I'm doing well. I don't know why, maybe it's just luck. But in many ways I'm better off than my predecessor.
Beautiful home
My home has no bars, but is made entirely of glass. This means I'm not tempted to climb around on the walls and occasionally fall off. We hamsters love to climb, but we're not very good at it. Above all, we can't judge heights properly.
Source: David Lee
I can't go up, but I can go down. There is enough bedding for digging. It is mixed with different materials so that the tunnels don't collapse straight away. The house has a cork roof and stands on stilts. The floor is the bedding. So I can dig as much as I want without anything falling on my head. Several chambers are also welcome. The carer made the hutch himself and didn't do a bad job, although he's otherwise quite a dork when it comes to craftsmanship.
Maybe it's because of the litter, or maybe it's because I'm me - anyway, I don't pee around like my predecessor. I have my own favourite place, the rest stays clean. Although I do sometimes pee in the running wheel. However, the cork surfaces in it are only pressed in, not glued in, so my carer can replace them if necessary.
Broccoli Bro
My predecessor came from a pet shop that had him from somewhere. We don't know exactly what he experienced in the first few weeks of his life. In my case, one thing is clear: I had it very good right from the start. I was born to a reputable hamster breeder. When I moved out from there, I was able to keep the food and didn't have to get used to it. It's very good food. If I had to go shopping at Galaxus, which luckily I don't have to as a hamster, I would probably go for this:
The carer gives me fresh salad almost every day. I prefer that to drinking from the water bowl. But my favourite is broccoli. Life without broccoli is possible, but pointless.
No stress
I live in a hobby room at the bottom of the building, where it doesn't get hot even in summer. We hamsters have warm fur and can't sweat. In the wild, we burrow deep into the ground during the day if it gets too warm, but we can't do that in the cage. That's why I'm really glad it doesn't get 28 degrees or even warmer in my room.
I have my peace and quiet in this room. As a socially disinterested loner, I think that's great. The carer usually only comes in in the evening to deliver food and let me out to play. I always look forward to it and am usually already waiting. Not because I miss the carer. But because I always find delicious food in the run.
Source: David Lee
This is the way to live
I give my carer four out of five stars. On the whole, he does a good job. However, until today he was too lazy to make a lid for the terrarium. That's why the bedding in it can't be too high. The size of the cosy home is okay, but bigger would be even better. For the carer, however, the current part is already more than heavy enough. He cursed like Captain Haddock when he had to lug the glass thing out of the car and into the room.
Also not ideal: I can't get from the terrarium to the free run and back on my own. I have to be held by the carer, who then transports me. That wouldn't be a problem - contrary to rumours to the contrary, I'm not stupid and quickly understood how it works. But sometimes the carer takes the piss. He just likes it when I get on his hand and then does nothing.
However, I actually have a lot of sympathy for doing nothing and practise it myself extensively. All in all, a really nice thing here. Now, if you'll excuse me, I have to go back to sleep. <p
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David Lee
Senior Editor
David.Lee@digitecgalaxus.chMy interest in IT and writing landed me in tech journalism early on (2000). I want to know how we can use technology without being used. Outside of the office, I’m a keen musician who makes up for lacking talent with excessive enthusiasm.
