It's been quite a while since Briar's last post - time has a habit of getting away from you, and here we are on the cusp of another new year. Why is it each one seems to go quicker than the last?
Anyway, after seeing that Leedsgurl's Penny, Briar's mum, had sadly passed recently, it reminded me that Briar's 1st birthday was looming, and perhaps a wee update was due
I'm pleased to say that she's grown into a healthy chunky girl who loves racing up & down the stairs, gobbling oat porridge & sticking her nose (and teeth..) into anything she finds interesting. She's now inhabiting the Alexander, after our rather delayed house move in July, and she certainly seems to appreciate the space upgrade from the Alaska.
True to her tort heritage, she required quite a bit of time & effort to win over fully - our first 6 months involved quite a lot of swearing (me) and chewing (her, occasionally on my fingers
) Things she has destroyed include some of the coving on the hall floor, the power supply of my wake-up alarm (which had to be soldered back together), a pair of walking shoes, part of a coir doormat and any number of the plastic boxes i've given her to use as a sandbox. She's undoubtedly the chewiest hamster i've ever had (even more than Pip, who had some issues with overgrown teeth).
But we persevered, and gradually she began to calm down. Now she's a settled, gentle girl who loves her free-roaming & will accept cuddles on the basis they are accompanied by tasty treats. She's still a terrible wriggler during health checks though.
She's not the easiest to photograph as she never stays still, but she did manage her first selfie a couple of days ago. She's very proud of it, and didn't care when I told her it's out of focus, insisting I upload it. Silly bobble