Li'l Pocket Bears

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Today's Google doodle features hamsters!!! Extra special for me and my crew today because in this household we don't celebrate Valentine's Day. We celebrate today as Hamster Day because Feb 14th marks the anniversary of when I got my first hamster ever, Dixie. That was back in 2002 and with the exception of a few months during a transitional period, I've had hamsters ever since. They've definitely made part of the last 20 years of this journey interesting and silly. Link to the Google doodle will be in the bio for those who can't copy/paste from here. Doodle: https://g.co/doodle/j92m7jc . . . . . . . #syrianhamster #hamstersofig #hamstersofinstagram  #hamstersarelife #mesocricetusauratus #lilpocketbears #syrianhamstersofinstagram #syrianhamstersofig #chinesehamster #cricetulusgriseus #dwarfhamster #phodopuscampbellixsungorus #lpb2022 #googledoodle #hamsterday2022 https://www.instagram.com/p/CZ-rPf-sfNF/?utm_medium=tumblr

A lot went down in 2021 for many, pandemic and all. A lot has gone down for me personally over the last 16 months, pandemic aside. I fiercely guard my heart these days and the non-pandemic related events of the last 16 months alone has had me replacing a lot of bricks I spent much of my 20s knocking down off my wall. So I won't get into the whats. I'll focus on the hamsters because that's what this account was originally started for. This is the crew that saw things through to the end of 2021 with me. I have had a hard time these last two months wishing folks a "happy" or "merry" anything, so here's Christmas and here's some hamsters. Hope things were peaceful for folks and if not, I hope they settle down in the coming times and that folks are able to rest, be at ease, and breathe. . . . . . . . #syrianhamster #hamstersofig #hamstersofinstagram  #hamstersarelife #mesocricetusauratus #lilpocketbears #syrianhamstersofinstagram #syrianhamstersofig #chinesehamster #cricetulusgriseus #dwarfhamster #phodopuscampbellixsungorus #lpb2022 #lpbdaire #lpbleamhan #lpbcaithne #lpbfearnog #lpbteile #lpbpiorra #lpbsaileach #christmas2021 https://www.instagram.com/p/CYQ-JMVL4rr/?utm_medium=tumblr

I've had an interest in genetics since I was a kid. Admittedly, I haven't done as much to foster that interest over the years as I'd like. In humans, eye color and the genetics around red hair fascinate me in particular. These were fueled by significantly huge discrepancies in what I was taught regarding genetics throughout my primary and secondary education and what I observed within my own family. I was watching Caithne zip around her tank one night shortly after bringing her home. I'm a thinker so I was in "shower thoughts" mode. I thought "Caithne's basically a hamster equivalent of a red haired human. But hamsters don't have blue eyes! And cinnamon hams have red eyes...fascinating!" My "Silly" and "Bored" modes took over from there and this was the result... . . . . . . . #syrianhamster #hamstersofig #hamstersofinstagram  #hamstersarelife #mesocricetusauratus #lilpocketbears #syrianhamstersofinstagram #syrianhamstersofig #chinesehamster #cricetulusgriseus #dwarfhamster #phodopuscampbellixsungorus #lpb2021 #lpbcaithne #ginger https://www.instagram.com/p/COTeZqiA-VY/?igshid=1xtkdmiyaiwfq

Where's Wald--- erm, the hamster? This is Sunfire Fearnóg. She came to me with the name "Sunfire" and was seemingly named after what pet stores tend to call her fur color. I added the second name as I usually bestow hamsters I take in with new names or add to their existing name as a symbol of their new life. Fearnóg is the Irish name of the Common Alder tree. This species of alder is native to Ireland where one can find alder wooded areas in County Kerry and County Cork. In Munster (an area of Ireland that includes the above mentioned counties and is where most of my Irish ancestors hail from), the dialect there pronounces Fearnóg like "Farney" but with a bit of a drawing out of the "a" and the "-ey" trailing off. (I'm horrible at describing how words sound. It's easier to just say it out loud, haha.) Fearnóg baffled me for a time as to whether her sex was male or female. Her original humans told me she was female but also that they'd gotten her at a "males-only" pet store. Dwarf and hybrid dwarf hamsters can be difficult to sex as the male genitals are not as obvious as Syrian hamsters. Dwarfs seem (to me) to be quite adept at hiding this information from humans. If so, this fits their sassy amd slappy personalities. She's a dwarf hybrid hamster who, as a friend said, came with extensions. She's got to be the longest dwarf I've ever seen. Obviously not visible here is her fur color - she's quite orange. The color is called Mandarin, though pet stores go for the dramatic and call them "Sunfire". (Though honestly, I wonder if they shy away from calling the color Mandarin due to it originally meaning "Imperial China bureaucrat" and fears that this use could be deemed offensive. 🤷🏻‍♀️ If anyone knows why, please let me know! I'm curious... . . . . . . . #syrianhamster #hamstersofig #hamstersofinstagram  #hamstersarelife #mesocricetusauratus #lilpocketbears #syrianhamstersofinstagram #syrianhamstersofig #chinesehamster #cricetulusgriseus #dwarfhamster #phodopuscampbellixsungorus #lpb2021 #lpbfearnog https://www.instagram.com/p/COSC5dcAkJb/?igshid=1ocu7s1h53dmp

This week seems to be the week where things planned fall apart. As a lifelong celebrant of St Padraig's Day, I always look forward to March 17th. This year, I so badly wanted to do a themed photoshoot with the fur kids - seemed extra fitting given their very Irish names of Dáire, Beithín, Leamhán, and Caithne (all meaning respectively "Oak", "Little Birch", "Elm", and "Strawberrytree"). Extra excited too because the pandemic altered last year's plans to do this. So I picked up some lovely carnations in green, white, and orange at a nearby florist yesterday. I then rounded up my collection of other traditional St Padraig's Day things I grew up with (this, no joke, includes potatoes) and grabbed all things green for backgrounds and props, grabbed my digital Canon camera annnnd...discovered that the battery bloated and needs to be tossed. (Never, EVER charge or use a device with a bloated battery-- it can catch fire or worse, explode!) So now I'm waiting on a replacement ordered online. I didn't want to waste the beautiful flowers, so I took a junk shot with my shoddy smartphone camera. (Dear Moto- you disappoint me. Junk camera straight out of the box on the e6. Tsk tsk.) So. Until Plan C or D can be executed, here's a Moto e6 potato quality photo of my ginger potato pre-celebrating the potatoes she will taste tomorrow from my hamster version of boiled dinner (which includes potatoes, haha). Happy (early) St Padraig's Day, folx. . . . . . . . #syrianhamster #hamstersofig #hamstersofinstagram  #hamstersarelife #mesocricetusauratus #lilpocketbears #syrianhamstersofinstagram #syrianhamstersofig #chinesehamster #cricetulusgriseus #dwarfhamster #phodopuscampbellixsungorus #lpb2021 #lpbcaithne #stpadraigsday2021 https://www.instagram.com/p/CMfVNvgANWR/?igshid=8cbp2sxfk5t7

It's always fun to watch them come out of their shells and put their little personalities on full display. Caithne's curiosity reminds me of Sonata a lot. She gets spooked easily sometimes (and reminds me of Castor, who was very lovingly much dramatic) and shows a bit of sass (Andy-style). But she's Caithne and got her own personality and she's been entertaining to watch. . . . . . . . #syrianhamster #hamstersofig #hamstersofinstagram  #hamstersarelife #mesocricetusauratus #lilpocketbears #syrianhamstersofinstagram #syrianhamstersofig #chinesehamster #cricetulusgriseus #dwarfhamster #phodopuscampbellixsungorus #lpb2021 #lpbcaithne https://www.instagram.com/p/CK6-MiUArjx/?igshid=n165ghre1qfr

Leamhán says "Gotta catch 'em all!" I'm new(ish) to the world of Pokémon. While my childhood friends were catching Pokémon, I was imaginary battling Darth Vader and the Borg. I started playing PokémonGO on a whim in 2019, learning about Pokémon beyond Pikachu and Charmander on the fly. I have quite a few favorites and Mimikyu (who Leamhán is hugging) is definitely one of them. I think there's a bit of Mimikyu in all of us. Leamhán and I are patiently waiting (and hoping) for Morpeko to be added to the game. (For the non-Pokémon aware folks, Morpeko is a hamster 'mon.) . . . . . . . #syrianhamster #hamstersofig #hamstersofinstagram  #hamstersarelife #mesocricetusauratus #lilpocketbears #syrianhamstersofinstagram #syrianhamstersofig #chinesehamster #cricetulusgriseus #dwarfhamster #phodopuscampbellixsungorus #lpb2021 #lpbleamhan #pokemongo https://www.instagram.com/p/CKyfIjEAOJm/?igshid=101wq23z023dg

This is Caithne Tawny Hawkweed. Her name is a bit long so she prefers Caithne or Tawny...but also responds to Gingerbear. And carrots. And cheese. Caithne is the Irish name of the Arbutus tree, aka the Strawberry tree. This is a tree native to Ireland, predominantly found in County Kerry in the western part of the country. It's pronounced "Kaan-yuh". As usual, changes a bit depending on dialect. Her second name, Tawny Hawkweed, comes from a flower that's a member of the Aster family. They resemble small dandelions and are a bright orange in color with stems that tend to be blackish/purple just below the flower head. They're native to Europe and grow in alpine regions as they favor the cold. Here in the US, they're considered invasive. (You know me and my heart for underdogs.) Though deemed a nuisance, tawny hawkweeds have a special place in my heart -- they're tough little plants, growing often where not many other flowering plants will grow. (Also, as you can see, Caithne's coloring also contributed to these names.) She's a long-haired cinnamon Syrian hamster. She's a bit jumpy though super curious. Let's you know she doesn't want to be handled but does so politely (aka, doesn't bite at all). She absolutely loves carrots and wee bits of Vermont white cheddar cheese. . . . . . . . #syrianhamster #hamstersofig #hamstersofinstagram  #hamstersarelife #mesocricetusauratus #lilpocketbears #syrianhamstersofinstagram #syrianhamstersofig #chinesehamster #cricetulusgriseus #dwarfhamster #phodopuscampbellixsungorus #lpb2021 #lpbcaithne https://www.instagram.com/p/CKuTv-RgMEJ/?igshid=kxtmtwkh262r

The internets often tells us that the Syrian hamster (Mesocricetus auratus) is the largest hamster. No. Wrong. (Kind of.) The Syrian hamster is the largest of the species commonly kept as pets in North America (the others being Chinese (Cricetulus griseus), Roborovski (Phodopus roborovskii) Campbell's (Phodopus campbelli), Winter White (Phodopus sungorus), & the hybrid of the latter two (Phodopus campbelii x sungorus)). The largest hamster species in the Cricetinae subfamily is actually the European hamster, aka the black-bellied hamster (Cricetus cricetus). These hamsters look like larger versions of Syrian hamsters but do not have their sunnier disposition. They're typically not kept as pets due to their aggressive nature. Considered pests for many years, they were driven to near extinction in some areas and are now considered an endangered species. Predicted to go extinct within the next few decades, reintroduction efforts across Europe and Central Asia have been started in hopes of saving these ferocious little cuties. . . . . . . . #syrianhamster #hamstersofig #hamstersofinstagram  #hamstersarelife #mesocricetusauratus #lilpocketbears #syrianhamstersofinstagram #syrianhamstersofig #chinesehamster #cricetulusgriseus #dwarfhamster #phodopuscampbellixsungorus #lpb2021 #informative https://www.instagram.com/p/CKp64z9gK_Y/?igshid=bnutia8fqj3o

Hamsters would be a dentist's dream. Why? Because their teeth never stop growing. Ever. This is why they are constantly gnawing and chewing on things. This is why it's important to provide safe chew toys for them. If your hamster has a penchant for obsessively chewing on metal if living in a barred cage, it's important to monitor and try to mitigate this behavior. Often, this behavior is due to boredom so checking whether the cage is large enough, whether they have access to ample food and water, and whether they have plenty of enrichment helps. If providing these things does not curb the excessive chewing, it may be time to consider something like a glass tank or a DIY cage with solid sides that would be difficult for them to chew escape holes through. Also, sometimes, they simply must like the taste of metal or something. 🤷🏻‍♀️ Hamsters are gonna do what they do, whether it makes sense to us or not. Either way, allowing them to chew on the bars so vigorously all the time can lead to injuries such as mouth sores and what's known as "bar rub" where they lose a patch of fur or get sores on the space between their eyes and nose. . . . . . . . #syrianhamster #hamstersofig #hamstersofinstagram  #hamstersarelife #mesocricetusauratus #lilpocketbears #syrianhamstersofinstagram #syrianhamstersofig #chinesehamster #cricetulusgriseus #dwarfhamster #phodopuscampbellixsungorus #lpb2021 #informative https://www.instagram.com/p/CKptlr_gAI8/?igshid=1e647r8shrkog

Did you know... Hamsters are often said to be nocturnal, meaning that they're catching snoozes during the day and are awake all night singing you the song of their kind (squeaky wheels and water bottle percussion). The truth is that...well, they seem to do their own thing that often defies attempts to place them solely into any one category. In my own experience over the years, I've observed some of my hamsters to be wholly active overnight. Most have been more crepuscular in their habits, popping up for some fun late afternoon into twilight, then going back to sleep until wee hours of the morn. And there's been a few who were mostly crepuscular but also decided often that daytime is funtime and were often awake during much of the day. Observationally, I know that my habits can have an effect on these patterns -- when in college, I often got home late at night (around midnight) to find a cacophony of hamsters who were active and living it up in the pitch black room while I was gone. When my schedule changed and I was home earlier in the evening and had the lights on, I barely saw a face peep out of the nest until I went to bed well after midnight and turned off the lights. I've also noticed over the years that the relationship between myself and an individual hamster seems to affect their habits. Right now, Beithín often wakes when she hears me in the room her cage is in and stares me down until I take her out. Meanwhile, sister Dáire won't be found awake until sundown. She's sweet on me like Beithín but loves her snoozes. 😂 On the formal science-y end of things...studies have shown that some hamsters tend to be nocturnal in captivity but diurnal in the wild. So...are they nocturnal? Yes. Are they crepuscular? Yes. Are they diurnal? Sometimes. But the above two are far more typical of our pet hamsters. . . . #syrianhamster #hamstersofig #hamstersofinstagram  #hamstersarelife #mesocricetusauratus #lilpocketbears #syrianhamstersofinstagram #syrianhamstersofig #chinesehamster #cricetulusgriseus #dwarfhamster #phodopuscampbellixsungorus #lpb2021 #informative https://www.instagram.com/p/CKlv9ecAdPp/?igshid=hiyoa9nd5th9

This post mentions laboratory hamsters, so if you're sensitive to the reality that hamsters play a significant role in our lives that we most often have no idea about, please skip reading this post. . . Personally, the idea of hamsters - or any living creature - being used as lab animals and subjected to all sorts of tests and experiments makes my heart sore. It's not spoken of much in the community. As much as it'd be nice to see animals not being experimented on, we can't deny the contribution that lab hamsters have made in our own lives, that often go unspoken. Chinese hamsters have contributed to advances in understanding and treating diabetes and affiliated illnesses in humans. Syrian hamsters in a lab proved to the world in the early months of the COVID-19 pandemic that wearing masks does indeed decrease chances of transmission significantly. Genetically modified Syrian hamsters have also contributed to the efforts to roll out COVID-19 vaccines with ongoing studies to monitor their effectiveness when exposed repeatedly to the virus. Campbell's hamsters have shown us that preference for one particular medication over others available for treating certain medical conditions actually aids in treating comorbid alcoholism. Etc., etc., etc... We can get angry and go all keyboard warrior on well-intended strangers all we want but we have to accept that without hamsters,or any animals, in the lab...we'd be quite lost and possibly decades behind on treatments that keep humans alive. Yes, experimenting on animals can suck, but...we also should be grateful and honor the advances hamsters have contributed to. I'm not saying we have to agree with lab testing but... We'd probably not have COVID-19 vaccines already if not for them. So we owe them that. . . . . . . . #syrianhamster #hamstersofig #hamstersofinstagram  #hamstersarelife #mesocricetusauratus #lilpocketbears #syrianhamstersofinstagram #syrianhamstersofig #chinesehamster #cricetulusgriseus #dwarfhamster #phodopuscampbellixsungorus #lpb2021 #informative https://www.instagram.com/p/CKkrcr9gOHf/?igshid=bq08nja3o4lx

Myth bust: Hamsters *can* eat chocolate. This can sometimes be a controversial conversation because it's been drilled into our heads that though chocolate is a delight for humans, it kills pets. Not true. Giving your hamster a wee piece of chocolate will not kill them. Dark chocolate is best as there's less sugar content. Once in awhile, I'll dole out a tiny piece. A few regular nibbles for them. Most enjoy it, some do not. I'll make a highlight with some peer reviewed, scholarly, and reputable sources for these tidbits soon. . . . . . . . #syrianhamster #hamstersofig #hamstersofinstagram  #hamstersarelife #mesocricetusauratus #lilpocketbears #syrianhamstersofinstagram #syrianhamstersofig #chinesehamster #cricetulusgriseus #dwarfhamster #phodopuscampbellixsungorus #lpb2021 #informative https://www.instagram.com/p/CKkLaP7gcEl/?igshid=a6njw2m06381

Fun fact: Unlike dogs and cats, there is no such thing as different hamster "breeds". All hamsters are classed within a subfamily called "Cricetinae". Generally, there's 18 different species recognized with only 5 of them commonly kept as pets. These are the Syrian hamster (Mesocricetus auratus), the Chinese hamster (Cricetulus griseus), Campbell's hamster (Phodopus campbelli), Winter White hamster (Phodopus sungorus), and the Roborovski hamster (Phodopus roborovskii). The Campbell's and Winter Whites are capable of breeding with each other and their hybrid counterparts are often what you see in pet stores labeled as anything but what they actually are. Pure Campbell's and Winter Whites are rare to come by. . . . . . . . #syrianhamster #hamstersofig #hamstersofinstagram  #hamstersarelife #mesocricetusauratus #lilpocketbears #syrianhamstersofinstagram #syrianhamstersofig #chinesehamster #cricetulusgriseus #dwarfhamster #phodopuscampbellixsungorus #lpb2021 #informative https://www.instagram.com/p/CKjD9mEgSsV/?igshid=b9p50t5baiqp

Sad, but understandable fact: Hamsters are banned in the US state of Hawaii. The climate in Hawaii is similar enough to their native habitats that released or escaped hamsters could establish themselves, become invasive, and pose a threat to Hawaii's native fauna and flora. So these cuties are not allowed to kick back their little paws on Waikiki, surf the waves of Waimea Bay, or run til their heart's content up the Haiku Stairs. But! They're easily distracted from this sad by snackies, so if your hamster is sad about not being able to vacation in Hawaii, just share a small piece of macadamia nut with them. They'll forgive everything. ❤️🐹💛💚💙💜 Note re: macadamias - Emphasis on "small piece"! As much as hamsters go nuts...for nuts...macadamias are pretty high in fat content, so moderation is key. ☺️🐹🌺 . . . . . . . #syrianhamster #hamstersofig #hamstersofinstagram  #hamstersarelife #mesocricetusauratus #lilpocketbears #syrianhamstersofinstagram #syrianhamstersofig #chinesehamster #cricetulusgriseus #dwarfhamster #phodopuscampbellixsungorus #lpb2021 #informative https://www.instagram.com/p/CKhxF7Ygl49/?igshid=1mo52p4sk42mq

Did you know... The English word that refers to the wee furballs that make up the subfamily Cricetinae is not spelled "hampster" but "hamster". There is no "p". The only "p" in hamsters is the by-product produced by their metabolic systems. 😉❤️🐹💛💚💙💜 . . . . . . . #syrianhamster #hamstersofig #hamstersofinstagram  #hamstersarelife #mesocricetusauratus #lilpocketbears #syrianhamstersofinstagram #syrianhamstersofig #chinesehamster #cricetulusgriseus #dwarfhamster #phodopuscampbellixsungorus #lpb2021 #informative https://www.instagram.com/p/CKhi-J9gzim/?igshid=1dm4dnz2cdwo3