Feed this to your, to the uh she thing, that rat you have

[LolaMcMuffin]

My mum really doesn't understand why I have so many, but she's not really an animal person at all, and luckily I live on my own so it's not an issue to her! She has asked me why the cages are all so big because "it wouldn't be so bad if they were in smaller cages" - I then pointed out smaller cages would be the equivalent of her just living in her bedroom and only being able to come out for an hour or so in the evening! But, she does save fresh veggies for them when I go up for dinner, so not all bad!

[Thrifty Hamster]

My grandma asks me 'how are your hamsters doing?' but of course there is a sour face like 'why do you have so many gosh darn pets?' The only animals she focuses on are the dogs and cat - though its nice she does have some input with my animals after a while, she just does probably have a side-motive for doing so (ex; she doesnt really agree with it...)

My mom is the most annoyed with my animal obession and she calls it my OCD (as I'm medically diagnosed with obessive cumplusive disorder) - she's using my animal obession as a way to abuse my OCD Diagnoses. It really ticks me off. She says its unhealthy, not good for me to obess over animals all the time, and while I do get a bit excessive, worrying about this or that - that thing that doesnt belong to me vs. the things that do, I've gotten a lot better since I was ten years old. A LOT better.

Some of its personal so I wont mention it, but most of its my mom's annoyance. The same goes for my dad, as he listens to whatever my mom says - he's really detacthed about my sydromes and special needs, he just listens becaues 'mom is the nurse and she knows best'. Sorta jig. Trying not to get off topic though - my dad does form his own opinion about my animals - and sometimes they are mainly comedic.

"Oh no, they'll be hamsters eating us or attack of the hamsters!" -_- Its' like he's talking to a five year old when I'm seventeen. I did manage to get his input on the cage size once - and that was when I said that my ten gallon tank was a bit too small for my hamster who was a Syrian I believe, and he agreed personally to upgrade it to a twenty gallon "Yea I agree, that is too small so you can buy another one." I had paid for it and everything anyway. so I really thank daddy for that.

Sometimes my family is confusing but sometimes they are really nice about it to, we have our moments but I understand right now its not the best time to get another animal. Tho what really annoyes me is the people that I talk to in public on a daily basis "Hows the zoo you have?!"

It annoyes me, mainly because they dont understand why I do the things I do - mainly teachers and teacher's assitants, some kids around my 'school', and so forth. Even doctors and whatnot. Those people just dont understand. I mean once or twice I can take that stupid comment but after every time I see them it gets old!

[starshme]

Originally Posted by Thrifty Hamster

Those people just dont understand. I mean once or twice I can take that stupid comment but after every time I see them it gets old!

Sometimes people think they're being funny but they don't realize how many people you hear it from. I find that a lot of people, myself most especially included, have a special 'open mouth, insert foot' switch that can be activated at the most wildly inappropriate times. It's good to have a forum like this one where there are people who understand how much you love your animals.

Colby... next time it happens, just tilt your head her way and say, "And she sucked her thumb until she was 22."

Wait that was me... but you get the idea.

Shannon, it's true that sometimes it's rude but I still think it's MOSTLY a lack of understanding. I'm trying to convert family members into hamster lovers here - so far I've got about 5 teens working on their parents. Baby steps, I guess.

Lola, it's funny you said that because I often look around my bedroom think about how awful it would be to only have that space to live in. Then I go get TeeTee out and let her roam.

Aimeeeee... vermin, no not the nicest... trying to restrain myself from advising a snarky comeback to that as it's your OH's mom.

(btw what does OH stand for... I keep thinking 'only husband' but that can't be right... also other husband seems equally wrong)

[KMPlays]

Originally Posted by starshme

(btw what does OH stand for... I keep thinking 'only husband' but that can't be right... also other husband seems equally wrong)

It means Other Half, I think. Pretty sure it's not Other Husband lol!

[Teddy001]

My family consists of all females, and 1 male, my husband, he's out numbered. Lol. Although we have always felt our pets are family, he doesn't understand my love for hamsters-- to him, a hamster, is a gerbils a gerbil is a rat and there's no difference among them. I will say, he's come along, in that, he thinks about my hams if he shops for grocerys. He'll pick up a few different fresh veggies, and tell me, " these are for the gerbils!"

[BrainGirl]

Originally Posted by Teddy001

My family consists of all females, and 1 male, my husband, he's out numbered. Lol. Although we have always felt our pets are family, he doesn't understand my love for hamsters-- to him, a hamster, is a gerbils a gerbil is a rat and there's no difference among them. I will say, he's come along, in that, he thinks about my hams if he shops for grocerys. He'll pick up a few different fresh veggies, and tell me, " these are for the gerbils!"

LOL! We have a similar setup here. One lone male surrounded by females, most of them furry

[RedSky]

Originally Posted by starshme

Oh man!! RedSky, was he um... how to phrase this in a nice way because he's your bestfriend's boyfriend/father of her child and perhaps someone you are now good friends with... out of his freaking mind?? LOL

Haha made me laugh. I've only seen him since once and it was very briefly. She has only just had the baby.

Originally Posted by Skeever

All analogies break down sooner or later, and most do sooner .....so which animal would you eat? Uh.....I'd barely get a sandwhich out of hammy....some of my neighbors I'm not fond of would get me through the winter...just saying.....

It is kinda sad that some adults grow up and don't change from a six year old mentality when it comes to certain life aspects. That stupid video somewheres on the web where people train their animals to 'play dead'? You have hundreds of adults competing to point an imaginary gun at an animal and have them play dead when you go BANG.....nice going ......point at an animal, make a loud noise and pretend you shot them....post online......it goes from people scaring hamsters nearly to death and laughing to people doing a similar thing with dogs and cats. If I was a dog? I'd just be annoyed to be honest. Uh, oh....here comes cheesebrain and he's gonna point at me and say BANG really loud, and when I lay down he'll have me do it over and over....don't these two leg things have lives?

Oh you do make me chuckle! I always look forward to your longer posts.
My OH and I did actually say we were more likely to turn on each other first.

As for playing dead, my dog LOVES to do his tricks. Yes okay he loves the attention and my excited reaction each and every time, especially for his comical play dead where he can do it slightly different each time.
But yes, I am still in many ways mentally a six year old, especially when it comes to playing with my pets or other children. Maybe that is why I work as a teaching assistant and want to be a teacher in early years.

Originally Posted by Shannonmcn

Some people are just really rude. A lot of the stuff in this thread isn't just "not getting it" it's showing massive disrespect to people who are supposed to be friends and family.

I agree, but many people are totally disrespectful. My OH and I have recently become vegetarians (although I was for a few years previously), my FATHER last time insisted that I eat nachos with cheese and bacon bits, just pick of the bacon and when I wouldn't said I was being stupid, selfish and destroying a nice meal out and I should grow up. I was 16 and it was a meal after my parents got married while we were on holiday. My MOTHER initially ignored it then said I should eat it just to stop spoiling their day. Similar this time around. My dad wanted to get me a birthday cake with sweets all over, my little sister (I love her so much) said I couldn't eat that because of the gelatine and my dad told her I was being pathetic and could just eat it. She insisted and my dad never says no to her, so they didn't get me one. My dad told me about it later at my birthday tea, and couldn't understand why I was thanking my sister.
Just another way in which people who are supposed to love, support and care for us can actually make us feel miserable my 'simple' things.

Originally Posted by starshme

Sometimes people think they're being funny but they don't realize how many people you hear it from. I find that a lot of people, myself most especially included, have a special 'open mouth, insert foot' switch that can be activated at the most wildly inappropriate times.
(btw what does OH stand for... I keep thinking 'only husband' but that can't be right... also other husband seems equally wrong)

I agree so try to give people a couple of chances, but it also depends on what they say. If people as me if I breed my hamsters to feed to my snakes, I kindly explain no, they are pets too and I couldn't ever bring myself to do it. Which is fine. But then when they ask why I have so many, or what is the point then, I get a little miffed.
And OH stands for Other Half, so can be used for any two people in a relationship rather than just for someone married to a man. I much prefer it as it is open to all.