Hamster Dance

Do you remember when the most entertaining thing on the web was that dumb hamster dance website? It featured poorly animated hamsters boogying to a tune from Disney's Robin Hood. I totally loved it. The Internet has come a long way since then.

That has nothing to do with this post, I was just explaining why I chose the title for this.

A more fitting title would have been Hamster Funeral. :(

A & L got hamsters from their dad for Christmas. I was annoyed about it. They were to reside with us. They stink. They require maintenance, and while I was in no way willing to perform said maintenance, I have been required to nag the girls about it. I'm not an animal person. Somehow, though, these little rats, as I call them, wiggled their way into my heart. I've yet to hold or touch them, but I do enjoy watching them scurry around their cages and I have even decided that they are cute.

Both rodents were timid at first, but Ana's quickly warmed up to her as she spent lots of time convincing it that she was safe and loving. She named it Rocky Road. Lily's (Picasso) never warmed up. Try as Lily might, it would never let a hand near it without biting it. What Picasso lacked in affection was more than made up for in entertainment though. I swear this little rodent thought it was a monkey. Check out these pictures of him swinging from the bars of his cage. He was a remarkable gymnast. He entertained us for hours. He would climb the sides of his cage like a ladder and then using his front paws and teeth would work his way across the top, usually falling, but sometimes making it over to where it could perch on it's water bottle before diving down to the floor and starting over. All the girl's friends were amazed by it and would watch him perform his acrobatics in wonder. This always caused some endearment to occur in the hearts of the kids, but then they would want to hold and snuggle the little rat, and would always end up getting bit. We all had a love/hate with Picasso.

Until this week when he died.

Sniff.

The girls were at a family reunion with their dad in Montana when I broke the news to them. We aren't sure why he died, but it might have to do with the massive amounts of paint that he must have consumed while gnawing at the paint in his adventures..... ???

Rocky Road is still alive and well. We'll be replacing Picasso this week. Lily's praying for a hamster that will be a little more affectionate, though she claims she will train this new one to be a monkey also. I have to share the text conversation we had on this matter. (Note - it's well known that Lily loves monkeys and IS a monkey. She was the monkey bar champ at her old school and never passes an opportunity to climb or swing).

Lily: Daddy is buying me a new one.

Me: But it won't think it's a monkey

Lily: Ya it will I will traun it. I trained the dead one.

Me: U did not!!! U think you're a hamster trainer or something?!

Lily: No its not a cawinsadence that i got the monkey hamster

HAHAHA!

Here's Ana with her petite rat.

Enjoy some final footage of Mr. Picasso the wonder hamster. Thanks for the memories little rodent. Sniff.