I finally saw why I was doing the hamster rescue. Everyone and their uncle has said the same thing to me "Hamster rescue...why?" and I answer "Why not, they deserve help to." But, that is my fall back, if there is an animal in need I am there to rescue them. Up until now I have gotten hamsters that are not wanted anymore or were born by accident. Until this week, I got Petunia; Tunie for short. She is a beautiful soul that has had a very hard time on this earth. She was found by a wonderful woman; Vicky in Rio Rancho, she found her in a box that was taped up and left on the side of the street. Tunie was dehydrated and almost dead. But Vicky took her in and got her back on her little hamster feet. Then I was given the privilege of taking over her care.
Phyllis and I drove over to Rio Rancho earlier this week and picked her up. At first I was a bit confused because she does not look like any hamsters I have seen. I was convinced she was either a rat or a hamster that was half rat. I don't know if rats and hamster would breed but I don't see why not they are both rodents. After a quick late night trip to the pet store, I was assured that she was in fact a hamster. She is a short haired hamster and she is quite old. So me and the old lady went home and Tau immediately tried to kill her by knocking her cage off the stool. Other than being a bit pissed off she was fine.
I started her new life by putting her in a nice comfy hamster cage and she FREAKED out. She did not know what to do, she was scared and I think she has a little PTSD (Post Traumatic Stress Syndrome) from her experience of being taped in a box. So I took her out and put her back in her 3 1/2 foot tall rat cage and she was happy again.
This was my first experience with a truly abused animal. On the outside Tunie looks fine, she is plump and bright eyed but on the inside she is scared of her shadow. She eats because she thinks there may not be any food later. She clings to me because I give her the one thing she craves in her little hamster world and that is unconditional love.
Watching her in her habitat is like watching your child when you first bring them home from the hospital. I am amazed at her and her strength, how did she find the courage to survive being abandoned and left for dead to come back full force and want to trust another person again. I can't do that and my life has not been one tenth as bad as hers.
As soon as I walk into the room and call her name she comes to the door and waits for me to open it. My past experience with hamsters is they want food not holding. But, Tunie is the opposite. She wants me to hold her and kiss her and cuddle her. I sat on the sofa with her why Tau and Kali tried once again to figure out what exactly she was. All Tunie did was crawl into my shirt and nestle up to my boob where she could feel my heartbeat. And she just laid there. Trust me when I tell you this is the closest anything has gotten to my boobs in a long time and it was the best feeling I have had in a long time.
I leave in a few days for Wyoming, this trip will be a major step in my new life. It is the first time I have traveled to this part of the country alone. I am not even sure I know how to get there, but I know it is North. Up until tonight I was only taking the dogs with me but I think on this trip Tunie is going to go with me. I have a carry pouch that I used for Kali when she was a baby and Tunie can go in that to be carried around. I think both of us will do well on this trip and who knows maybe I will learn something from her about forgiveness and love.
I started her new life by putting her in a nice comfy hamster cage and she FREAKED out. She did not know what to do, she was scared and I think she has a little PTSD (Post Traumatic Stress Syndrome) from her experience of being taped in a box. So I took her out and put her back in her 3 1/2 foot tall rat cage and she was happy again.
This was my first experience with a truly abused animal. On the outside Tunie looks fine, she is plump and bright eyed but on the inside she is scared of her shadow. She eats because she thinks there may not be any food later. She clings to me because I give her the one thing she craves in her little hamster world and that is unconditional love.
Watching her in her habitat is like watching your child when you first bring them home from the hospital. I am amazed at her and her strength, how did she find the courage to survive being abandoned and left for dead to come back full force and want to trust another person again. I can't do that and my life has not been one tenth as bad as hers.
As soon as I walk into the room and call her name she comes to the door and waits for me to open it. My past experience with hamsters is they want food not holding. But, Tunie is the opposite. She wants me to hold her and kiss her and cuddle her. I sat on the sofa with her why Tau and Kali tried once again to figure out what exactly she was. All Tunie did was crawl into my shirt and nestle up to my boob where she could feel my heartbeat. And she just laid there. Trust me when I tell you this is the closest anything has gotten to my boobs in a long time and it was the best feeling I have had in a long time.
I leave in a few days for Wyoming, this trip will be a major step in my new life. It is the first time I have traveled to this part of the country alone. I am not even sure I know how to get there, but I know it is North. Up until tonight I was only taking the dogs with me but I think on this trip Tunie is going to go with me. I have a carry pouch that I used for Kali when she was a baby and Tunie can go in that to be carried around. I think both of us will do well on this trip and who knows maybe I will learn something from her about forgiveness and love.