Browney's thread

[Penguin]

So after asking you lovely people for advice on how NOT to get a new hamster, I ended up taking a tiny fella home (as you all suggested).

My boyfriend and I both fell in love with him. And as he (my boyfriend) wasn't ever allowed to keep a pet as a kid, I let him name him.

To my horror the first thing he said was 'Bobby John', but after him realising that 'BJ' wouldn't be a nice nickname, he went quiet for a bit and then decided on Browney - which I find really adorable.

Getting Browney out of the carrier for a quick health-check was more difficult than expected. It wasn't that he tried to run away, but he definitely didn't like my hands getting too close.
I got him up and somehow managed to turn him on his back for a few seconds. He seems to be lacking a bit of hair next to his mouth. The lady at the store said it was due to him being very young, so the fur hadnt fully grown yet - but I'm not really trusting that.

Anyway. After the health check I put him back into the carrier and made his cage ready (I kinda was in a hurry before I had to go to work, so I didnt manage to get it ready before picking him up).
When everything was set up, I picked him up in a tube and placed him into his new home. I apologized to him about the cage being baby pink, but it'll have to do until I get a larger one than the mini duna.

He instantly went around examining everything. I put an empty kitchen-paper-roll into his cage and he seems to be loving it!
He loves to run through it and then back. Or half-way through then turn around and run back. You can even jump over it! OR crawl under it! Of the 45 minutes he spend exploring his cage he spend at least 20 of them on playing with the empty paper roll haha

Now that I got home from work, he has already been out and about from his tiny house again. He tried out his wheel which seems much more comfortable than the one in the store. I gave him a bit of lettuce but he wouldnt grab it! If I thought he had it and let go, it would fall to the ground and he would just stare at it. This happened 3 times and I decided to leave it and give him some space. No more direct contact for the next week - that is going to be tough!

He does seem a bit itchy and looks a bit drowsy. So I'll call my vet and ask them to have a look at him on friday. It might set back the taming process but I really want to make sure that he's alright.

Pictures:

The very first picture I got of him:


Browney with his first piece of lettuce - very delicious


Short video of him waddling around:
https://www.youtube.com/embed/piAvApPG6lE

[Shannonmcn]

He is so handsome! I don't blame you for being completely smitten, I'm so glad we all worked so hard and managed to talk you into bringing him home! he's so tiny too! :3

Although personally I think BJ is an hilarious name Browney is very cute and suits him very well my bf is not allowed to name any animals because he only suggests awful names to annoy me, like Gary or Greg or something

[Wanna Hamster]

Super cute little fluff! Cage looks good!

[cypher]

Congrats Penguin!
He is totally adorable, my heart is just melting watching your video!
He looks really fit & healthy & I know he's going to be getting the best possible care in his new loving home so Browney is one very lucky little boy!

[Penguin]

Haha wanna hamster i think the cage looks bare! Thing is, he scratches himself every 7 seconds, so I want to know what's causing that before giving him more stuff. Wooden items are very bothersome to disinfect!

And Shannon he really is tiny! Looking at the difference between his and Kiki's size suddenly makes me realise it's impossible to not melt! Hamster pups are too cute!
(also your boyfriend does come up with awful names! I don't think the pet would like to be called Greg..)

Cypher:
I melted too from just watching him waddling around. I was almost late for work because I had to look at him haha.
Besides the excessive scratching he seems in a good shape. I think he might have mites, but we'll see what the vet says tomorrow. He does run all night and I really need a new wheel before I kick him in the bathroom every night. The small karlie wonderland wheel is everything but silent!
Can't wait till he will fit a normal size wheel!
I might record more videos if I can do so without disturbing him too much. He doesn't seem to mind my presence though, and even though he doesn't jump right into my hand, he does follow it (almost pushing my hand) to his foodbowl lol.
He isn't very good at being careful!

[Piebald]

Very adorable
I feel we all have a small investment in the little one.

[Wanna Hamster]

Totally Piebald! I do feel a small connection with this little guy!

[Penguin]

Haha, I'll make sure to keep you updated then!

I had a bit of free time so I took him by the vet today instead. Browney was a big and brave boy and did very well. The vet said it was mites so no wonder the tiny guy is itchy all over!
I asked the vet to take a look at Browney's teeth as well, and he still didn't make a sound. (now, I do have Kiki who screams at the vet non stop as if the world might be ending any moment - so I think the tiny guy was really brave!)
Browney did however try to bite the vet as he was laying in his hand on his back, and the vet's finger came to close to his mouth. He got payback with a needle in his bum but he still kept silent and didn't move at all!
I'm so proud of him.
Also, it turns out that my vet also knows the owner of the petshop where I got Browney from! I went down to tell her that Browney had mites and that would mean that all of her's probably did too and she thanked me and said she would get them treated right away (:

I will be taking Browney back to the vet after 10 days so he can get another needle in his bum. The vet did comment on how calm he was and said he thought I had been really lucky with his personality!

Now I'm just terrified of passing this on to Kiki. Hopefully I will manage not to

[Fluffagrams]

He's so cute. I can see why you just had to take him home because I think I'd be feeling the same.

Such an adorable video of him in his new cage, I love the way hybrids walk with that little waddle.

[Shannonmcn]

Poor little guy! I agree, he was so brave :3

Does it take 10 days for the mites to go completely? I dont have any experience with mites but if he's still settling then 10 days without handling him isn't the absolute worst thing to do to be on the safe side.