Vectis Hamstery
03-08-2013, 06:18 AM
This week hasn't been a good one at Vectis as three furries have gone to the bridge in quick succession.
Queensway (27/04/11 - 04/03/13)
Queenie was the first to leave on Monday. She was born here, daughter of Angel Islington, granddaughter of Ruby Duchess and the end of the line. She was an only child and was an opinionated girl. She was a sweetie on the judging grid but a little madam at home! She definitely felt showing was her calling, and even on the last vet trip she sat with ears held nicely on the examination table. She spent most of her show career eclipsed by her mum, but did manage one COM and overall BIS at Real London after her mum retired. She was just coming into her own when she developed an eye tumour, just like her mum, which progressed rapidly. It was a hard decision to put her to sleep as she still had some quality of life with painkillers, but I didn't want her to get to a stage where the meds weren't working and she was suffering.
http://i912.photobucket.com/albums/ac323/vectishams/2012%20show%20hams/L1140663.jpg
Bart (10/1/12 - 7/3/13)
The decision to have Bart put to sleep was easier in a way as he was unable to walk, and therefore unable to eat or drink, as he'd lost the use of his back legs. The vet thought it was probably a stroke. I am amazed he made it to almost 14 months old given his problems.
Some of you may have read Barty-Boy's threads. He was a rescue ham, handed in with his relatives in a cage covered in clingfilm. On arrival aged 4 weeks old he looked like a zombie hamster and was mostly bald through ammonia burns. He was a fighter and survived against the odds, but had a residual head tilt, squint and wobble. He developed diabetes aged 6 weeks old and some obsessive licking behaviours which the vet felt were also neurological problems from being a hybrid. As he couldn't use a wheel due to his wobble, he frequently had overgrown nails which needed trimming.
He came to me as a long-term foster, but I fell in love and adopted him! He never let his long list of problems slow him down and adored his sand bath (but still looked like a scruffpot). He was originally an orange ham, but decided to sport a fetching white coat for winter. Bart did live for quite a while on the same shelf as Queenie and loved her from afar (I'm afraid she tended to give him "what are you?" looks), so I suppose it's not surprising he didn't want her to leave him behind.
http://i912.photobucket.com/albums/ac323/vectishams/Bart/L1150057_zps44f3fc50.jpg
Robin Goodfellow (01/03/12 - 08/03/13)
Robin was a harvest mouse who snuck into my carrier at Houten last year. I was amazed how much personality could fit in such a small body. He adored his silent spinner and his food, and would have bursts of activity throughout the day and night (as my friend discovered when she shared a room with him!). He didn't approve of the hamster room and sulked terribly so had to move back into the living room.
He had been looking a bit older and had to move to using a water bowl instead of his bottle, but it was a surprise to find him lying under his log this morning as he'd been dashing around ok last night. At least he didn't suffer, and had lived a life full of toys and noms.
http://i912.photobucket.com/albums/ac323/vectishams/Robin%20Goodfellow/L1180579_zpsbd4bc34d.jpg
Queensway (27/04/11 - 04/03/13)
Queenie was the first to leave on Monday. She was born here, daughter of Angel Islington, granddaughter of Ruby Duchess and the end of the line. She was an only child and was an opinionated girl. She was a sweetie on the judging grid but a little madam at home! She definitely felt showing was her calling, and even on the last vet trip she sat with ears held nicely on the examination table. She spent most of her show career eclipsed by her mum, but did manage one COM and overall BIS at Real London after her mum retired. She was just coming into her own when she developed an eye tumour, just like her mum, which progressed rapidly. It was a hard decision to put her to sleep as she still had some quality of life with painkillers, but I didn't want her to get to a stage where the meds weren't working and she was suffering.
http://i912.photobucket.com/albums/ac323/vectishams/2012%20show%20hams/L1140663.jpg
Bart (10/1/12 - 7/3/13)
The decision to have Bart put to sleep was easier in a way as he was unable to walk, and therefore unable to eat or drink, as he'd lost the use of his back legs. The vet thought it was probably a stroke. I am amazed he made it to almost 14 months old given his problems.
Some of you may have read Barty-Boy's threads. He was a rescue ham, handed in with his relatives in a cage covered in clingfilm. On arrival aged 4 weeks old he looked like a zombie hamster and was mostly bald through ammonia burns. He was a fighter and survived against the odds, but had a residual head tilt, squint and wobble. He developed diabetes aged 6 weeks old and some obsessive licking behaviours which the vet felt were also neurological problems from being a hybrid. As he couldn't use a wheel due to his wobble, he frequently had overgrown nails which needed trimming.
He came to me as a long-term foster, but I fell in love and adopted him! He never let his long list of problems slow him down and adored his sand bath (but still looked like a scruffpot). He was originally an orange ham, but decided to sport a fetching white coat for winter. Bart did live for quite a while on the same shelf as Queenie and loved her from afar (I'm afraid she tended to give him "what are you?" looks), so I suppose it's not surprising he didn't want her to leave him behind.
http://i912.photobucket.com/albums/ac323/vectishams/Bart/L1150057_zps44f3fc50.jpg
Robin Goodfellow (01/03/12 - 08/03/13)
Robin was a harvest mouse who snuck into my carrier at Houten last year. I was amazed how much personality could fit in such a small body. He adored his silent spinner and his food, and would have bursts of activity throughout the day and night (as my friend discovered when she shared a room with him!). He didn't approve of the hamster room and sulked terribly so had to move back into the living room.
He had been looking a bit older and had to move to using a water bowl instead of his bottle, but it was a surprise to find him lying under his log this morning as he'd been dashing around ok last night. At least he didn't suffer, and had lived a life full of toys and noms.
http://i912.photobucket.com/albums/ac323/vectishams/Robin%20Goodfellow/L1180579_zpsbd4bc34d.jpg