Oh we’re all learning
. When I think back to my bf’s hamster some 30 years ago, he didn’t just live in a rotostak, it was a bare rotostak! Apart from some nesting material in the bottom section. He did at least free roam. Cage was left open all the time and he’d come out early evening, run all over then go back in at night and run on his wheel all night. He was always asleep in it next morning. But food! I didn’t feed him, the bf did but he literally just got a lettuce leaf! I think he must have foraged a lot of crumbs to survive. And we’d think it funny he used to run up the curtains and poke his head over the top (which I cringe to think of now - he could have fallen from a height). He was never tame though - you couldn’t pick him up and hold him. But he did used to tag a ride on the back of my long dressing gown! And actually got out of the room that way once. I was going upstairs and could feel something pulling at the back of my dressing gown - and there he was sitting on the end, hitching a ride! That’s when I thought how clever and cheeky they were. He lived till 2 years old but then got a large neck lump. Vet said they could do surgery but he died under the anaesthetic. I cried and cried! In those days they all looked the same. I had never seen anything but a small golden Syrian - so Charlie was a shock - a giant white banded hamster. I learned a bit about colours after being in here and got passionate about diet and safety in cages.
Things have improved a lot for hamsters. Although have to say our first one had a good life free roaming and a lot of independence- despite a ropey diet.
Lila that was awful about your first hamster - must have been really upsetting.