Hello friends,
Happy to report that today is Jub-Jub's 2 month anniversary with us, which makes her the second longest living pet we've had. (Indoor plants usually don't last too long either). I attribute her longevity to the fact that she sleeps during the day thus is not dependent on me to keep her fed and watered and Rachel looks after her otherwise. Plants on the other hand, put forth no effort to assure their survival in my house, so they get what's coming to them.
We've discovered that Jubs likes peppers, lettuce, spinach, grapes and apples. She will politely nibble on a bit of any of these if you hold it, while standing on her hind legs and resting one of her little paws on your hand as she eats, provoking the words, "cute and sweet" from you even if you swore you'd never call a rodent cute or sweet. If given the chance she will grab it out of your hand and stick it back in her cheek which strangely enough seems to stretch to about 1/2 her body size. What
an interesting concept! (O.k., admit it, who’s thinking all-you-can-eat buffet right now?....).
I'm still having issues with her new, exercise wheel and her total disinterest in using it for its intended purpose - but until I crack open the exercise dvd that I purchased a month ago I don't feel I can harp on her for it. Replacing the seedbearing noisy "silent wheel" afforded Sonny and I two exquisite nights of tv viewing at the normal volume level which was just like old times….until Jubs found a new exercise.
She now chews on the metal bars of the cage, for up to 20 minutes at a time. It’s really loud (and always during our favorite shows). Interestingly enough it’s the bars that are also the door to her cage. Now I’m not claiming to own the first MENSA hamster but that’s pretty darn smart for a hamster, I think. And since there’s no way to explain “metal” (or anything else, I guess) to a hamster ( even mine), our options are limited. I’ve tried brushing my finger down the cage to dissuade her but I get tired of it before she does, so we turn the volume up again while our little prisoner rattles her cell bars.
Occasionally I take her out but (a combination of motherhood with toddlers still fresh enough in my mind and the fact that I have a very intelligent hamster) I won’t take her out while she’s actively chewing on the bars because she might learn that’s what’ll get her sprung.
Just got to be one step ahead of the hamster, is what it comes down to.
Have a great week,
Carol
