Hugzie Houdini's Thread - His Stories

[AnyaAndLyra]

Hugz (named for his markings that looked like hands wrapped around him hugging him, as well as his gentle nature) was a black and white hamster I had gotten from a pet store. He made a lot of people happy throughout his life. He has since passed away, but I wanted to make a thread so I can post a story about him whenever I feel like it, so I'm going to post them on this. I've been wanting to do something in his memory and I want to try to start a hamster rescue eventually or maybe make a movie one day, but for now this'll do..

[M3gan]

Awe, he looks so sweet. Looking forward to finding out more about him!

[Elliiy]

im sorry about your loss and ill be happy to hear about hugz when your ready, till then take your time :)

[AnyaAndLyra]

Okay.. I'm going to start this off kind of sad with how he died..

One summer day in particular of 2015 was very nice. It wasn't too hot not too cold, even with the wind chills. So, my family decided that we should take a family trip to the beach. I've seen people take hedgehogs to the beach without a problem, so without much thought I decided to take Hugzie along for the adventure. He always liked new places and exploring, so I thought it would be perfect.
I set up a smaller cage that I have, as a travel cage, in case he needed a break, as we were most likely going to be there for a few hours. I cut up some apple and gave that to him as well. Hugz was used to travel, so it wasn't a problem and I wasn't concerned stress wise. When we got to the beach I left Hugz in his cage and say on the same next to it for a bit to let him get used to the smells and everything else.

Then I let him out at first just on me, then around where we were sitting. Then I let him wander a bit more, following closely behind him and hoverng over, so that no seagull could possibly get him. He seemed tired out after a while and we were getting bored ourselves, so we decided it was time to go.

When we got home I decided it would be best to lea ve him alone in his cage for a few minutes before giving him a bath. I wiped what I could off of him with my hands and let him rest. Then it for pretty late and I decided to do it the next day. I had bathed Hugzie a few times before (due to escapes) and he was always well behaved and didn't seem to mind it much. While I was bathing him he started to poop. Hugz was litter box trained and never did this before, even while bathing. He was also a bit squirmier than usual. As he was pooping I noticed a small stringy whitish tan thing on his butt. I thought at first it was just a piece of bedding, but when I looked closer it was moving! Two pin worms came out, each with a poop of their own. Hugz had pinworms.

I googled as much as I could about pinworms and how they were treated. I know and knew that any medicine given to an animal as small as a hamster is either not enough or if it's enough to treat it it's enough to kill them. I learned that pinworms live in the large intestine and basically eat the nutrients from the hamster. I went to the pet store as soon as it was possible and picked up some vitamin supplements. Since then I added extra vitamins to his water as well as his usual food and veggies/fruits.

I'm the day Hugz died, he was jumping at the side of his cage asking to be handled so I took him out and played with him, as usual. Then I was holding him in my hands and he was just sitting there, which was not unusual for him, but usually he lookedout the way I was facing like he was on a balcony. That day he was facing towards me, looking up at my face. I want to lose him on his head like I did all the time and as I brought him closer to me and leaned down a bit to kiss him he reached up and licked my chin..

Then I put him back and he found a comfortable spot in his cage, layed down and couvhed twice. Then he coughed one last time. I picked him back up as quickly as I could and I held him on my chest, and that's where he took his last breath.

I took that lick/kiss as his way of telling me he loved me. I often talked to Hugz whenever I was upset or something was wrong and a few times I had felt like I wasn't loved or like someone that was no longer in my life, possibly never even cared, and that's why I think he did it. I think he knew that I would be upset and he did what he could to help me, even when he was dying.

[AnyaAndLyra]

Now I'm going to do a shorter story..

Hugzie always liked to get out, as much as possible. He went many places with me, but one of his favorite places was walmart. Wal-Mart is a pet friendly store, in case you didn't know, so I always took Hugz with me when I could (if I was going). Hugzie would either sit in a card in the front part, with a blanket on it to soften it for him as well as protect him from falling out any holes, or he sat in my hamds or on my chest. When he was in the cart, he never tried to jump out or run away. He would sit and look around and if there were any small animal toys or treats and I would show them to him one by one. If he likes it he would either pull it to him or small it excessively.

One of Hugz's favorite things at Wal-Mart was old ladies! He loved old ladies, and they loved him. If there was an old lady and she noticed him I would sit prepped up with his ears perked and his whiskers forward! They often asked about him (His name, gender, "and he actually behaves?" Etc). A lot of people would walk by and smile at the wonder of a hamster in a store like walmart.. most of the old ladies he met would tell me that he made their day, and I could tell from the way some of those people smiled at him sitting in his cart, that he probably made theirs too.

[Jenibelle]

He sounds like such a character. I'm so sorry for your loss.

[AnyaAndLyra]

This is about what I get Hugzie... like everything I ever get him

For his usual diet, I fed him Kaytee blocks. Every now and then I gave him fruits and veggies. Veggies and fruits I fed included: tomatoes, cucumbers, green leaf lettuce, romaine lettuce, red pepper, carrots, corn, probably some others

Foods that hamsters shouldn't have that Hugzie did: banana Twinkie (not the creme), Taco Bell breakfast tacos, probably more I can't think of right now

Meats I fed Hugz: chicken, steak, turkey, ham, roast beef, prosciutto, probably more

Basically if I had a big meal and there was something he could have, I have him some. I also have him things he ahouldnt have had when we were out and I had taken him and we decided to go out to eat. (Taco Bell and when we got Twinkies when they first put the banana ones back out again because they stopped selling them)

So Hugz pretty much loved every hamsters dream.. to eat as much as possible and explore lots of places and escape his cage (we'll get to that later)