The Death of A Friend

Cuddles.

Mr. Cuddles.

Cuddly Wuddly...

Depending on the mood.

Cuddles was a teddy bear hamster, very fuzzy and very cuddly. He was very wise in his old age, having lived almost a full 3 years - 2 years being a long average lifespan for this variety. He enoyed running on his wheel, climbing circles through his habitat tubes. He loved carrots and yogurt drops, but didn't care much for apples in any form. Best of all, he would sit in your hand and eat shelled sunflower seeds - if you had the patience to just let him sit that is. He was well loved and will be missed.

I wish I could say he died in his sleep. But no, I startled him one morning and gave him a heart attack. No, we are not paying for an autopsy to confirm that notion, but he was alive one moment, on the ceiling of his cage the next (oops for startling a sleeping being), and 5 minutes later deceased. You do the math. Besides, the kids think it makes great "Mom Guilt" - you know, the stuff they use against you when they want you to do something you swore you wouldn't do. Like buy another rodent. Sigh. Didn't I swear I was never going to own another rodent after this one passed? But nearly a week later I still find myself going to the shelf that held his cage - to check on him morning and night. Of course there are other critters in that room as well but they aren't the cuddly warm kind. I do believe we're going hamster shopping next weekend.