Ok. So, something really unexpected happened. I wanted to tell you all about it yesterday, but for some reason I couldn't get the HC website to load due to server problems. As I said in my last thread, I had contacted a number of breeders to ask if they had any pups available. After talking with Tuftyfluff Hamsters, and seeing the photos of her lovely honey boys, I decided to visit them on Friday.
But then. Oh then... I fell in love. You know when you see the hamster who is "the one" and you just know? A breeder called Palmer-Stephenson sent me a photo of this little guy, and suddenly I couldn't even contemplate any other hamsters. My heart was gone. I'm not sure if you will have heard off her, but she frequently attends shows and her name pops up all over the results. I believe she won best in show at Ferndown and earlier this year at Bath, too.
These are the photos that she sent me. Tell me you would have been strong enough to resist?! Or maybe I am just weak.
Yesterday, he was 6 weeks and 2 days old and was ready to go (coincidentally, his birthday is the 1st of May - the day after mine!). In fact, Palmer-Stephenson was going to rehome him at Andover this Saturday. But, I just couldn't wait. Fortunately, I had just finished setting up the cage. Maybe that was a sign? Anyway, we drove the 2 hours to Weston-Super-Mare yesterday afternoon and brought him home.
I went with the same name beginning with a Q that I mentioned in my last thread. My new little man ham is Quigley. It's a name I came across in 'A Series of Unfortunate Events' and I thought it would suit a hamster really well. He can be 'Wig' for short or even 'Quiggles' or 'Wigley' as a nickname! My little Wigley Quigley.
Quigley is a handsome long haired golden. Not too long haired, though. Just fluffy - like a female long haired ham, though trust me I have seen the evidence of his manhood, which he was proudly grooming yesterday! I think he has my ideal hamster fur length, because he shouldn't get awful tangles and I can keep him on fitch, but he still looks super cute. Mushu's fur required a ridiculous amount of upkeep and I really regret not being able to keep him on fitch, as Quigley seems to enjoy burrowing into it so much. I weighed him when we got home, and he is 99g! That's pretty good for 6 weeks, considering Mushu was 101g at 11 weeks old.
Words cannot describe how gorgeous he is. I love him more than I would have thought possible already.
I was also so worried he would freak out in the car as all our previous hamsters have hated car journeys. Mushu went hysterical during the 15 minute journey from Pets at home to home, and I remember being afraid that my first hamster had died during a 30 minute car journey which had him frozen with fear. But, this little guy slept happily in his ferplast travel case for most of the trip. He didn't even flinch at the sound of the sat nav and let me stroke him throughout.
I feel really guilty because I had been going to visit Tuftyfluff's boys, who are absolutely lovely, with the intention of selecting one. And Sue herself was also so very kind and helpful. But, I honestly couldn't leave Palmer-Stephenson's boy, having seen his picture. Did I do a bad thing? Actually, don't answer that, because the answer is 'yes' and don't I know it. Am I a bad person? Honestly, I do feel that I am. If I were Tuftyfluff, I'd hate me, though she was far too understanding about it. If I were you, I'd think me fickle. Please don't be angry
I think the French would call this 'a crime of passion'.
Here's his new cage. You like it? He seems to! Having said that, he was gnawing the bars last night despite the many many chew toys I've provided so I hope he doesn't need more space as I don't have room for a bigger cage than the plaza (100cm X 50cm X 50cm). The space at the back is for his wheel, which he will get once he's 8-9 weeks old, as per the breeder's instructions. Thankfully, she told me that Quigley will be fine to be upgraded to the Savic plaza now as it is just a little bigger than the Alaska (84cm X 48.5cm X 44cm), which is what he has been living in with her. Phew.
Quigley in his carry case having just got home:
Direct link:
https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=lpv8XM8g7YY
After his long journey, I had to wake him up to put him in his new 'Palace'.
Direct link:
https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=OyOaKT0cBkU
I was all prepared to leave him to settle in for at least a day, what the breeder told me that I should take him out starting yesterday evening, an hour after getting home, because that's what he is used to. I put him in a plastic bin for the purpose. He was quite skittish and didn't act at all as he had at the Palmer-Stephensons' house, where he was quite happy to be unceremoniously picked up and turned upside down! He didn't want any strokes or to be picked up. Is that normal with breeder hams when they first get home? It might take a while, but hopefully he will get used to me. I am probably just remembering Mushu, who was completely tame already when I got him from p@h at 10 weeks old. But, my other hams weren't at all tame when I first got them, so I have experience with taming. I can be patient.
Quigley did seem to enjoy the banana chip that I gave him, though!
Quigley still didn't want to be picked up this morning, but he was prepared to sit on my hand and eat his first broccoli. Apparently, though he is used to veg, he's never had broccoli before.
Direct link:
https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=XurbOtt8gGI
I also filled his bowl with and set it on my hand. He climbed into the bowl to eat breakfast - which I guess is sort of sitting on my hand! It was nice that he just let me stroke him while he ate.
Quigley also got brave and took a couple of pumpkin seeds from me, and tried to use my arm as a stairway to freedom!
He's a lovely boy and I'm smitten already as you can probably tell. I did have a dreadful dream last night that he died in the same way that Mushu did. But, thankfully when I woke up and switched on my red light I could see him sitting on a platform looking at me because he is living in my room.