Failed fostering!

badwolf · 07-26-2016, 01:24 PM

Some of you might have seen a post I made last night about a young female Syrian I had taken in. She was being given away free to a good home due to, apparently, biting everything and anything that went near her and being seemingly untamable. When I see adverts like these I'm always afraid they'll be seen by someone looking for live snake food or something, so I went and got the wee girl. From last night until now she hasn't bitten once. She tried to have one wee nibble actually, but that was when I tasted of grapes and forgot to wash my hands! She comes up and sniffs me; puts her paws on me; takes treats from my hand. I haven't seen one bit of aggression from her. I don't know if she's just happier not being tormented by a cat all the time. I don't know what her situation was like before, but I haven't been trying to pick her up or force her to have interaction. I'm just letting her get used to me and everything else slowly. This would maybe sound a bit stupid if I said it elsewhere, but when I saw how she reacted to me when I got her home yesterday, I felt like I made a connection with her. Ended up getting myself so upset at the thought of giving her up I knew I had to keep her. She is definitely the last addition to my mini zoo though!!!

So, yeah... meet Riff Raff <3 I named her after the Rocky Horror character because of her pale colouring and two long tufts of hair she has behind her ears, one on each side

POLAR WHITES · 07-26-2016, 01:48 PM

Aww she's a sweetie

**kyrilliondaemon** · 07-26-2016, 02:49 PM

I saw your post trying to rehome her, I'm glad she's staying instead. She sounds like a really lovely hamster

(And I must admit I've done the failed fostering thing too, even last summer when we set really strict rules about not getting close to the foster mice because they had a home and we really didn't want to gain anywhere near that many mice... In the end their home couldn't take them back and needless to say they didn't go anywhere after that lol)

badwolf · 07-26-2016, 03:19 PM

She really is such a sweetie! Not just looks wise. I thought she was the devil in hamster form after what they told me, but she's been an absolute angel since I got her back here.

I always love trying to help as many animals as I can. I thought this might be a good way of doing that, but apparently not! I get attached too easily! I took some mice in a while back for the same reasons.... Being given away. I fell in love and now I have 11. Ooooops :P

Gimleyand Meeko · 07-26-2016, 04:39 PM

Hi

Love the name and I myself am a great fan of musicals so I know what you mean! She looks like a Riff Raff, can't wait to get to know you and your ham more, great that you have a connection too

badwolf · 07-27-2016, 03:02 PM

Thanks!

I'm so shocked. Tonight she's been running over when I've went in to her and started climbing all over me. She lets me pet her and give her kisses and there is not even one tiny hint of aggression. Yet her previous owner said she would try and bite anything and everyone in sight, even when they weren't close. It's a puzzle!

Thin Lizzy · 07-27-2016, 08:37 PM

So glad you're keeping her. She's a beauty! There's definitely a bond between the both of you, and this will grow over time. Love the name Riff Raff.

badwolf · 07-28-2016, 11:12 AM

I ordered her a proper cage, so I've got her all set up in that now and she seems to like it

I haven't owned Syrians since I was a child. Her and Chibs are reminding me how amazing they are and now I want allllllllllllllll the hamsters! Haha. Who needs furniture...

flowerfairy · 07-28-2016, 01:25 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by badwolf

I ordered her a proper cage, so I've got her all set up in that now and she seems to like it

I haven't owned Syrians since I was a child. Her and Chibs are reminding me how amazing they are and now I want allllllllllllllll the hamsters! Haha. Who needs furniture...

Haha know what you mean re furniture. I have recently moved and now have a waay smaller bedroom so can only fit 4 out of six hammies in it and a bed plus two cupboards!

Hambobs · 07-28-2016, 02:59 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by badwolf

I ordered her a proper cage, so I've got her all set up in that now and she seems to like it

I haven't owned Syrians since I was a child. Her and Chibs are reminding me how amazing they are and now I want allllllllllllllll the hamsters! Haha. Who needs furniture...

She's cute

Clearly the problem was the previous 'home'.

New owners are never informed about SAD (Small Animal Domination) syndrome as a potential hazard of critter ownership.

When I got my first hamsters I had a study with a hamster cage in it. Now it's a hamster room with a computer in it...