I think it's about time for an update... some of you who follow any of Metallica's social media channels may already know some of this but just in case you missed it.
Lord James is doing well and other than a few moult lines, he's looking remarkably good for his almost three years. He'll celebrate his third birthday next Saturday so I'm trying to think of what I'd like to do to make it special for him.
Juno has been a busy little girl building lost of tunnels and supervising Charlotte. She's still as tiny as she's always been but I don't think that's going to change now.
Cora has unfortunately developed diabetes. At the moment she is well in herself and her urine is free from ketones but I'm keeping an eye on her. I was giving her Burgess Dwarf after I found out about her diabetes, much to her disgust so she was quite pleased when I had to throw it away.
After placing well at Andover, I have decided that for now
Jack will take on the Show Team Lead position that was recently left vacant due to Matthew's death. Due to their mother's diabetes, I will delay pairing Jack and Alex so that I can be sure that it's not likely to crop up again on that line.
Alex is unfortunately been through a crisis in confidence which is why I couldn't show him at Andover in June. I downgraded his cage to see if that settled him and it did but when I thought I'd try him in a larger cage again, he returned to his nervous and skittish ways and I've had to downgrade him again. He's usually a lazy but cuddly little boy.
Charlotte is now living in one of the cages I usually use for my adult Chinese and she seems perfectly happy doing her digging and burying things. She reminds me a lot of Victoria in her younger days.
There are also two new arrivals at Metallica...
Meet Lilliput's Benjamin F. Pierce at Metallica (Dominant Spot) and Lilliput's The Knight Bachelor Lucas Matthew of Metallica (Normal). Benjamin arrived last week at Bath and is some rather distant relation of Charlotte. Lucas arrived today and shares ancestors with Victoria and Matthew. Both boys will be joining the show team and Juno will be retired.
Benjamin by
Metallica Hamstery, on Flickr
Lucas by
Metallica Hamstery, on Flickr
Here's a bonus one of Show Team Lead Jack taking his new role in his rather laid back fashion...
Jack by
Metallica Hamstery, on Flickr