Pompompoms
04-24-2014, 05:02 PM
I really thought I'd have a while without a post in this section, last year was such a big loss in the pompom hamily, but not unexpected. I was hoping this year would be well toward the end without anyone moving on, and hopeful that we would be into the next even without any less little poms.
Sadly my beautiful Tinker was pts on Tuesday morning, a month ago he suffered a seizure which he made a full recovery from, then two weeks ago he had a huge stroke which initially left him with no control over his right side, and his left eye shut. Much to my joy over the last couple of weeks he recovered very well, the eye opened again, and he regained all control and mobility on the right side other than his right back hip and leg. He got his Tinkerness back and was doing amazingly, but sadly as Souffle suspected and the vet confirmed his nerve endings were sending out tingles or zaps to the remaining paralyzed area, and he was obsessively grooming it.
Over a period of four days he bit a huge hole over the size of a penny (which is big on a robo) on his hip, and there was nothing to be done to stop him. Over the final night he went down to the bone, and I woke him in the morning knowing that infection would set in, or another night and he would bleed to death. Tinker couldn't feel what he was doing which I'm glad about as he was as happy as ever and I knew he wasn't in any pain. It was heartbreaking to see him like that, and heartbreaking to help him pass on when in himself he was completely fine. Not letting him get to the point of suffering was the most important part though so I had to let him go. He is the first of Billy and Lula's litter of eight to pass, at just 14 months old the youngest of all the robos I have bred to pass.
I wish I had the words to really convey how very special Tinker was, everyone that met him completely fell in love with him, and he was the favorite of many including Mr. Poms. About 12 days after they were born, Billy and Lulah's eight pups started to come out of the nest, robust, strong beautiful little pups charging all over the place, six huskies, two whites, a new generation just as wonderful as those that had come before. One was slightly different though, one of the whites would wobble and fall a lot, he was smaller and weaker than the rest, slightly frail but with a zest to keep up with his siblings. Always righting himself and carrying on, always out, always just that little bit behind the rest, but with a spirit his tiny body almost couldn't contain.
This was Tinker, and I loved him from the very first day.
http://i979.photobucket.com/albums/ae271/Rican_2010_album/Tinker%20Mem/DSCF0495_zpsbd2146f2.jpg (http://s979.photobucket.com/user/Rican_2010_album/media/Tinker%20Mem/DSCF0495_zpsbd2146f2.jpg.html)
http://i979.photobucket.com/albums/ae271/Rican_2010_album/Tinker%20Mem/DSCF0538_zps14c7a685.jpg (http://s979.photobucket.com/user/Rican_2010_album/media/Tinker%20Mem/DSCF0538_zps14c7a685.jpg.html)
At about two weeks old Tinker started to turn twice every time he wanted to turn around, he then started to turn more, and I realised I was dealing with the first spinner I have ever bred. I'm not sure why Tinks span, I think maybe he was the last in a large litter for robos, and that if Lulah had been in the wild it would be likely he wouldn't have been born at all, or perhaps just not survived, whatever the reason this is how he was, and of course that meant he would live his life here with me.
Tinks at two weeks, a bit ragged looking but just adorable
http://i979.photobucket.com/albums/ae271/Rican_2010_album/Tinker%20Mem/DSCF0829_zps81f95dec.jpg (http://s979.photobucket.com/user/Rican_2010_album/media/Tinker%20Mem/DSCF0829_zps81f95dec.jpg.html)
http://i979.photobucket.com/albums/ae271/Rican_2010_album/Tinker%20Mem/DSCF0877_zpsb20e5315.jpg (http://s979.photobucket.com/user/Rican_2010_album/media/Tinker%20Mem/DSCF0877_zpsb20e5315.jpg.html)
As the pups grew Tinker got stronger, the others weren't bothered by his spinning, and neither was Lulah, in fact she gave him a lot of extra love and attention helping him to learn things so that he kept up with the others. They all lived happily together till they were four weeks old.
http://i979.photobucket.com/albums/ae271/Rican_2010_album/Tinker%20Mem/DSCF1081_zps8aacf14e.jpg (http://s979.photobucket.com/user/Rican_2010_album/media/Tinker%20Mem/DSCF1081_zps8aacf14e.jpg.html)
http://i979.photobucket.com/albums/ae271/Rican_2010_album/Tinker%20Mem/DSCF1420_zpsb6cc2ea6.jpg (http://s979.photobucket.com/user/Rican_2010_album/media/Tinker%20Mem/DSCF1420_zpsb6cc2ea6.jpg.html)
Tinker actually stayed with his mum till he was eight weeks old, he remains the hardest to sex hamster I have ever had. As a little one he looked like a girl hence staying with mum, then at about eight weeks despite having the same sort of gaps the girls do, he started to get his testicles through. I wasn't really sure what to make of him, but the strong scent gland and the testicles you can't ignore, so despite having the genital spacing of a girl robo his whole life, Tinks was definitely a boy!
http://i979.photobucket.com/albums/ae271/Rican_2010_album/Tinker%20Mem/DSCF1247_zps5ae61a22.jpg (http://s979.photobucket.com/user/Rican_2010_album/media/Tinker%20Mem/DSCF1247_zps5ae61a22.jpg.html)
I paired Tinks with ScarFace my little rescue boy, he was older and very calm which I felt would be good for Tinker. They bonded immediately, Scar Face initially tried to follow Tinks in his spinning circles, but quickly realised it wasn't something he needed to join in with, and would let him get on with it. If Tinks got stuck spinning which sometimes he did Scar Face would gently sit himself down next to him to break the spin and distract him, it was a lovely act of kindness and care which was beautiful to watch.
Tinker adored Scar Face and would follow him about all over the place. He also liked hiding from him and waiting all excitedly for Scar Face to find him. He was like a giddy child playing hide and seek almost unable to stay in his spot waiting to be found, then exploding into a big grooming session that Scar Face would patiently allow. They were a beautiful pairing living happily together for six months till Scar Face was over two years old and health issues meant it was time for him to retire peacefully in his own home.
http://i979.photobucket.com/albums/ae271/Rican_2010_album/Tinker%20Mem/DSCF3007_zps183ebc50.jpg (http://s979.photobucket.com/user/Rican_2010_album/media/Tinker%20Mem/DSCF3007_zps183ebc50.jpg.html)
http://i979.photobucket.com/albums/ae271/Rican_2010_album/Tinker%20Mem/HCDSCF3697_zps8f44a9fb.jpg (http://s979.photobucket.com/user/Rican_2010_album/media/Tinker%20Mem/HCDSCF3697_zps8f44a9fb.jpg.html)
Tinks mostly slept on his head his whole life!
http://i979.photobucket.com/albums/ae271/Rican_2010_album/Tinker%20Mem/HCDSCF3700_zpsc94174bd.jpg (http://s979.photobucket.com/user/Rican_2010_album/media/Tinker%20Mem/HCDSCF3700_zpsc94174bd.jpg.html)
Sadly my beautiful Tinker was pts on Tuesday morning, a month ago he suffered a seizure which he made a full recovery from, then two weeks ago he had a huge stroke which initially left him with no control over his right side, and his left eye shut. Much to my joy over the last couple of weeks he recovered very well, the eye opened again, and he regained all control and mobility on the right side other than his right back hip and leg. He got his Tinkerness back and was doing amazingly, but sadly as Souffle suspected and the vet confirmed his nerve endings were sending out tingles or zaps to the remaining paralyzed area, and he was obsessively grooming it.
Over a period of four days he bit a huge hole over the size of a penny (which is big on a robo) on his hip, and there was nothing to be done to stop him. Over the final night he went down to the bone, and I woke him in the morning knowing that infection would set in, or another night and he would bleed to death. Tinker couldn't feel what he was doing which I'm glad about as he was as happy as ever and I knew he wasn't in any pain. It was heartbreaking to see him like that, and heartbreaking to help him pass on when in himself he was completely fine. Not letting him get to the point of suffering was the most important part though so I had to let him go. He is the first of Billy and Lula's litter of eight to pass, at just 14 months old the youngest of all the robos I have bred to pass.
I wish I had the words to really convey how very special Tinker was, everyone that met him completely fell in love with him, and he was the favorite of many including Mr. Poms. About 12 days after they were born, Billy and Lulah's eight pups started to come out of the nest, robust, strong beautiful little pups charging all over the place, six huskies, two whites, a new generation just as wonderful as those that had come before. One was slightly different though, one of the whites would wobble and fall a lot, he was smaller and weaker than the rest, slightly frail but with a zest to keep up with his siblings. Always righting himself and carrying on, always out, always just that little bit behind the rest, but with a spirit his tiny body almost couldn't contain.
This was Tinker, and I loved him from the very first day.
http://i979.photobucket.com/albums/ae271/Rican_2010_album/Tinker%20Mem/DSCF0495_zpsbd2146f2.jpg (http://s979.photobucket.com/user/Rican_2010_album/media/Tinker%20Mem/DSCF0495_zpsbd2146f2.jpg.html)
http://i979.photobucket.com/albums/ae271/Rican_2010_album/Tinker%20Mem/DSCF0538_zps14c7a685.jpg (http://s979.photobucket.com/user/Rican_2010_album/media/Tinker%20Mem/DSCF0538_zps14c7a685.jpg.html)
At about two weeks old Tinker started to turn twice every time he wanted to turn around, he then started to turn more, and I realised I was dealing with the first spinner I have ever bred. I'm not sure why Tinks span, I think maybe he was the last in a large litter for robos, and that if Lulah had been in the wild it would be likely he wouldn't have been born at all, or perhaps just not survived, whatever the reason this is how he was, and of course that meant he would live his life here with me.
Tinks at two weeks, a bit ragged looking but just adorable
http://i979.photobucket.com/albums/ae271/Rican_2010_album/Tinker%20Mem/DSCF0829_zps81f95dec.jpg (http://s979.photobucket.com/user/Rican_2010_album/media/Tinker%20Mem/DSCF0829_zps81f95dec.jpg.html)
http://i979.photobucket.com/albums/ae271/Rican_2010_album/Tinker%20Mem/DSCF0877_zpsb20e5315.jpg (http://s979.photobucket.com/user/Rican_2010_album/media/Tinker%20Mem/DSCF0877_zpsb20e5315.jpg.html)
As the pups grew Tinker got stronger, the others weren't bothered by his spinning, and neither was Lulah, in fact she gave him a lot of extra love and attention helping him to learn things so that he kept up with the others. They all lived happily together till they were four weeks old.
http://i979.photobucket.com/albums/ae271/Rican_2010_album/Tinker%20Mem/DSCF1081_zps8aacf14e.jpg (http://s979.photobucket.com/user/Rican_2010_album/media/Tinker%20Mem/DSCF1081_zps8aacf14e.jpg.html)
http://i979.photobucket.com/albums/ae271/Rican_2010_album/Tinker%20Mem/DSCF1420_zpsb6cc2ea6.jpg (http://s979.photobucket.com/user/Rican_2010_album/media/Tinker%20Mem/DSCF1420_zpsb6cc2ea6.jpg.html)
Tinker actually stayed with his mum till he was eight weeks old, he remains the hardest to sex hamster I have ever had. As a little one he looked like a girl hence staying with mum, then at about eight weeks despite having the same sort of gaps the girls do, he started to get his testicles through. I wasn't really sure what to make of him, but the strong scent gland and the testicles you can't ignore, so despite having the genital spacing of a girl robo his whole life, Tinks was definitely a boy!
http://i979.photobucket.com/albums/ae271/Rican_2010_album/Tinker%20Mem/DSCF1247_zps5ae61a22.jpg (http://s979.photobucket.com/user/Rican_2010_album/media/Tinker%20Mem/DSCF1247_zps5ae61a22.jpg.html)
I paired Tinks with ScarFace my little rescue boy, he was older and very calm which I felt would be good for Tinker. They bonded immediately, Scar Face initially tried to follow Tinks in his spinning circles, but quickly realised it wasn't something he needed to join in with, and would let him get on with it. If Tinks got stuck spinning which sometimes he did Scar Face would gently sit himself down next to him to break the spin and distract him, it was a lovely act of kindness and care which was beautiful to watch.
Tinker adored Scar Face and would follow him about all over the place. He also liked hiding from him and waiting all excitedly for Scar Face to find him. He was like a giddy child playing hide and seek almost unable to stay in his spot waiting to be found, then exploding into a big grooming session that Scar Face would patiently allow. They were a beautiful pairing living happily together for six months till Scar Face was over two years old and health issues meant it was time for him to retire peacefully in his own home.
http://i979.photobucket.com/albums/ae271/Rican_2010_album/Tinker%20Mem/DSCF3007_zps183ebc50.jpg (http://s979.photobucket.com/user/Rican_2010_album/media/Tinker%20Mem/DSCF3007_zps183ebc50.jpg.html)
http://i979.photobucket.com/albums/ae271/Rican_2010_album/Tinker%20Mem/HCDSCF3697_zps8f44a9fb.jpg (http://s979.photobucket.com/user/Rican_2010_album/media/Tinker%20Mem/HCDSCF3697_zps8f44a9fb.jpg.html)
Tinks mostly slept on his head his whole life!
http://i979.photobucket.com/albums/ae271/Rican_2010_album/Tinker%20Mem/HCDSCF3700_zpsc94174bd.jpg (http://s979.photobucket.com/user/Rican_2010_album/media/Tinker%20Mem/HCDSCF3700_zpsc94174bd.jpg.html)