Thank you
cypher, Ruth Edwards, BorisPasha, Thin Lizzy and
dreamtree1234.
Ruth Edwards, Pumpkin does make the cage easy to clean - she either pees in her sand bath or in the litter pan in her house - although currently she using her sand bath again!
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Pumpkin Updates
Recently Pumpkin and myself have been working on her HOM entry - it was a little difficult trying to come up with prop ideas for the photoshoot. I am very pleased with how the photo looks with Pumpkin enjoying her mealworms with the DIY present props - it did take a few attempts as Pumpkin kept deciding to pose with her back to the camera. As well as making the props for Pumpkin's HOM entry I have been making a few DIY christmas toys for next layout - which will be Christmas themed! It a little strange making Christmas toys and it still November though.
Pumpkin also had a little trip out on Wednesday afternoon to the vets. Sunday evening when looking back through the photo I took earlier that day and when I saw a photo of Pumpkin showing her adorable belly of to the camera - I noticed something which didn't look normally - a darker mark on her tummy below her left leg (right when looking at the photo). After comparing it to similar photos - I have a lot of photo of her belly! - I couldn't see the same thing. Here is that photo...
Upon having a closer look - I noticed that Pumpkin has a small purplish lump and from where it was located I was very worried it may have been a mammary tumour. As I was very worried I thought it would be best to get an appointment at my local vet to find out what this lump was and help to put my mind at rest. I was nervous about taking Pumpkin to the vets as she isn't fond on unfamiliar people and trembles but fortunately was fine (although she was trembling a little whilst in the waiting room). She was on her very best behaviour and let the vet pick her up and get a good look at her lump - at first she was restless but then relaxed. After the vet put her back in her carrier Pumpkin gave the vets hand a good sniff whilst the vet was talking with me before going to sleep. The vet thinks the lump due to the colouring is a hematoma - and that she probably has knocked herself and it a little bruised at the moment. I have to keep an eye on it and if the lump gets bigger then to bring her back in case it is a tumour but she thinks the lump will go away on its own.
The vet I saw was very knowledgeable on hamsters - she was talking me saying she gets a little worried when she sees people with carrier in the waiting room not knowing what animal she will see especially as she seen animals including tarantulas - so she was very pleased when it was a hamster. The vets also said that Pumpkin is in excellent health and her fur is in wonderful condition - she is a satin so her fur is extra smooth and soft anyways but she also loves her linseeds to! On the journey home Pumpkin was a little nervy as she asleep when we left the vets and woke up in the car. However she was rewarded with mealworms and at 8:30pm she was demanding cuddles like usual.
Here are a few photo I took Sunday afternoon of Pumpkin...
Pumpkin also had a very busy evening last night - I went to bed early as I was very tired so I switched my red lights of earlier than usual. A little while after turning her lights of I could hear Pumpkin digging away. This morning when I woke up I saw that Pumpkin has completely hidden her house entrance in a pile of fitch - she had a very busy night! And a little while later after Pumpkin trip to the toilet - she using her sand bath again!!! - she gave me a cheeky grin before returning to her house!