Our Creature Comforts

"Imran, my Kicik died today..." Mom called to inform me over the phone while I was at work today.

"It was fine last night, playing on the wheel and eating well..." she continued. "Today, it didn't come out from its house when I called." She explained... sounded puzzled and sad.

Dad was very quiet said Mom after he buried Kicik or Small in Malay, between two trees in front of their flat this afternoon. "Your Dad is quite sad... dealing it his way." Mom told me. He loves all his hamsters and takes care for them very well.

It was indeed strange because I saw all of them yesterday afternoon when I came over to my parents' place to fetch Mom to the doctor. Her 6 hamsters were looking well and healthy.

"Maybe its time is up." I replied with no other explanation to console Mom...

"Mama!" I called Wifey from the kitchen, "Figit is dead!"

I came right to the kitchen every day after work to see our hammies and today I found Figit, our most energetic hammie laid still and already rigid in his sand-bathing container.

I thought Figit was sleeping, but his partner, Chancey was somehow restless. She moved around the cage, came forward to me and back to Figit several times. Each time stopping at Figit, sniffed him and back to me as if telling me something was wrong.

This is exactly the reaction we would notice many times when the water bottle is empty. Our hammies seem to be "communicating" with us this way... attracting our attention to a particular thing.


I thought I was silly to think so when I first noticed it and just kept it to myself. I only realized it was not just me when Wifey and then Sonny had the same experience several times over whenever the water bottle was empty.

I guess we spent time enough with them and picked-up certain "communicating skills" with our hammies as they probably would too with us. Interesting little creatures.

Sonny is digging to bury Figit at the CemeTree as I write this post.

Figit was his favourite after Buddy died, so naturally he was shocked to get the news.

Figit had flu, though a little less fidgeting... the origin of his name, he was his normal self for the past 3 days. I gave him Septrim for the few days and noticed his runny nose had cleared.

He was well and playing on his wheel when I bid good bye before I left for work this morning. Never thought it was the last.

We are sad. It was only a few days ago that our gentle Andy died. Somehow, the sadness is less intense this time unlike the first few deaths. Not because we love Figit any less, but we know our Winter-White hammies have already reached their full lifespan. We prepare ourselves for times like this.

We had them for over two years already, we will when it is their time to go to a better place.

We love every single one of our hammies. They give us their company so that we can cope with our life's daily stresses. All the creature comforts we posses will not mean much without love around. They are love... very much a part of the family.

We will miss you Figit.