Roo the Hamster

Day 277

I was insanely jealous that my sister had a hamster (Midnite) and I didn't. I wanted a hamster of my own and my good parents were kind enough to get me one a Christmas later.

This was outside on our picnic table. Come to think of it, it was really cool to have a picnic table in our own backyard.

My hamster was very young and extremely quick and jumpy. He was very hard to pet since he would leap out of your hand. I remember my dad trying to keep a hold of him and it was like he was holding on to a slippery eel. My hamster would squirt out of one hand and my dad would catch him (most times in mid-air) and then he would squirt out of the other hand.

I had to squeeze him tight so he wouldn't jump out.

So I named my hamster Roo. Like a kangaroo.

I loved my hamster and would play with him all the time. I would put some socks under the door to my room and let Roo run around freely. Most times I would have him act like a Tauntaun for Luke (Roo didn't like this idea) when I played Star Wars. I would also put Roo in my Millennium Falcon and fly him around. Roo was a good hamster and never bit anyone. His favorite food was Cool Whip, he would stick his nose out of his wire cage so far just to get just a lick of it.

"Hey? Where's the creme filling?"

One of my favorite things to do was to clean his cage and give him some fresh cotton so he could make a nest/sleeping area. Once I put Roo back in his clean cage I would spend hours watching him get his home the way he likes it.

I hate this picture. I look so fugly in it, what was up with my mop hair? But Roo looks so cute washing his hands. I loved watching the hamsters wash themselves.

Funny thing is that much later in life I found that I am allergic to hamsters. It was not until my second hamster Smokey died. I got rid of all his hamster stuff and suddenly my asthma went away and I could breathe again. Sadly I don't have any pictures of Smokey. I would love Logan to have a hamster but I like breathing instead.