Meet Hope!

[Mel20002]

Hope’s story: Pets at Home in Camden had a litter of baby hammies but one had eye problems. So they sold all the others but kept her and cared for her, she saw the vet a lot and they gave her eye drops every day. She was then OK, although her eye never developed properly and I’m not sure she can see out of it. They called her “Captain Jack” and put up a sign saying to ask about her special requirements. It isn’t an adoption centre normally. She lived there for a few months, much loved by the staff, especially a lady called Leigh, until I came along, felt sorry for her and adopted her. She now lives very happily with us and we adore her. I called her Hope because that seemed a good name for a rescue hammy. Hope you enjoy the photos and her story! Happy New Year!

 

[Maz]

Hello and welcome That is such a lovely story So glad you gave her a lovely home. I'm sure she will thrive now, whether the eye issue stays the same or becomes rectified. I guess she could have had some kind of accidental injury or just been born that way. Hamsters don't see very well anyway and tend to rely on scent to find their way round the cage So I'm sure she'll be fine.

And she has an amazing lovely big Aura cage Does she manage the little wooden levels and steps at the back ok? That would be my only concern, in case she topples off them. I can see it's geared to cover the top of the wheel, but I found my hamster didn't climb bars at all in that cage (they tend not to if the cage is big enough) so there's probably no risk of falling from bar climbing - but if there's a step route a curious hamster will follow it
Although I can't see them very well on the photo so maybe they're not as narrow as they seem!

Her little face - she's adorable.

 

[Mel20002]

Hi Maz thanks so much for responding and to you and everyone for sending love to Hope. She runs up the steps and across the platform and down again very fast with no trouble. I don’t know how wide they should be but they’re wider than she is and the wheel top is close to the platform at the back (not too close so she doesn’t try and get on the wheel but close enough that she couldn’t fall between them). So I think it’s all ok. Thanks for checking though!

Do you or anyone else have any advice about how to see Hope more often? She tends to get up at 11pm or later so I often don’t see her and she often goes to bed before I get up. I have a motion sensor camera which means I can see what she’s been up to but I’d love to see her more if there’s a way of encouraging her to shift her hours a bit! I can see on the camera that when she gets up, she will come to the front and wait near the cage entrance, I think looking for me, so I think she does want to come out. I don’t want to dig her out of bed or anything just wondered if anyone else has this experience and could offer advice?

I’ve just searched the forum and seen lots of stories of this sort of thing. Maybe it’s just her personality. If she’s up eg in her wheel when I’m up, she is fine with me picking her up gently and coming out to have playtime and snacks.