[Kate and her Ducks]

To be fair, she might have escaped which they are very good at.

I had one that could escape no matter how secure I made his cage (including finally a padlock). I would wake in the night with him sat on my chest looking at me!

Apparently there are colonies of wild (well feral I suppose really) ones that have escaped and survive realatively well, when not taking on cats of course!

[John]

I'm amazed that they're surviving in the wild - seems like a totally inept creature for life in the wild in the UK. Pretty but not a lean machine 

[Caralou]

There is something wrong with Hammy this morning  Last night she was really wanting lots of attention and was all over my hand and really interested in scrambling around the bars watching me as I cleaned bits out. This morning I went to check on her (she manages to demolish all the layers in the cage over night so in a morning I put them back together for her) and she is screaching at me really loudly and aggressively  I'm wondering if the vet nurse was wrong and if she may have had a litter overnight as she is protecting the purple hiding tube from me 

[tosca100]

There is something wrong with Hammy this morning  Last night she was really wanting lots of attention and was all over my hand and really interested in scrambling around the bars watching me as I cleaned bits out. This morning I went to check on her (she manages to demolish all the layers in the cage over night so in a morning I put them back together for her) and she is screaching at me really loudly and aggressively  I'm wondering if the vet nurse was wrong and if she may have had a litter overnight as she is protecting the purple hiding tube from me 

Oh heck. Isuppose the only way to tell if a hamster is ill is a change in behaviour. Must say, we've had a couple of hamsters ( while we were waiting to be in a position to have dogs) and they never screeched at us, though one had a cold once and squeeked when he was ill, otherwise they were very quiet.

[Caralou]

UPDATE - Hammy has had babies   Waiting for the vet nurse to phone me back as I haven't a clue what to do!!! I am also now worried as protecting one hamster from 7 cats has been a job and a half let alone protecting the dozen babas that I think I just saw in there  

Nurse has phoned and told me to leave her alone other than food and water for a week. They will be weaned by about 24 days so if anyone wants a a hamster or six please let me know!!! I'm going to phone the RSPCA as well as I really don't know what to do with so many - looking after the one little one was fine but this is a bit too much!!!!

[John]

Lottie cat says it's not fair.. not only did you steal the main course off her but now you've had that starters as well 

[scabs]

Blimey, what an adventure!!

And the strange thing... Helen has just rung me to say that our hamster has escaped from its plastic paradise this morning. 

I suspect 'escaped' means that one of our children has left the cage open. 

Of course it also means that he is now lining the stomach of Molly or Mittens.

Either that or is living with Cara!

Helen was tearing the house apart looking for him.

I did say we'd be better off with a ferret...

[John]

Don't worry, Cara's on her way to you now with a dozen baby hamsters for the kids.. or the ferret if you prefer 

[scabs]

I'm not a fan of hamsters, to be honest, but if you keep one it needs looking after properly - putting it in the boy's room was a baaaad idea, but obviously I was overruled as being too strict. 

And now it's loose in a house with two cats. 

[John]

Perhaps they'll adopt it as a new kitten... and pigs might fly 

[madcat]

Hammée is a little girl  Thankfully not a pregnant little girl 

I think you need a rebate from an embarrassed vet!      How about no vets bills for a year or you will post the story on the internet ??     Blackmail???  Moi! 

[Lewjam]

Not to put a downer on your devious plan,

But black mail usually works better before you give the information away on a public forum!

You will never be a Dr Evil!

[Caralou]

The vets also told me Evie cat wasn't pregnant twice - I kept taking her back and they were adamant nothing in there and then in for her spay I said to the nurse I was still sure she was pregnant and they finally said yes and that she was due within a week  

I have just popped some food in for her and she didn't growl but wasn't as friendly as normal. I'm just hoping she doesn't eat the babies  

[scabs]

Ours has been found - fat, furry and very much alive!

[mumofstig]

furry and very much alive!

much like you then