As the Hamster Wheel Turns, Part 5: Introducing Mimi
Farewell to Bella
Some of you may remember my series of hamster hubs called As the Hamster Wheel Turns . If you were a fan, I am sorry I have not written any hubs in a while about hamsters. Unfortunately, my beloved little Bella passed away in July this year. She was 2 and a half years old and she was a very loved hamster.
Bella had a lot of personality for such a small pet. She was a rather large long-haired teddy bear hamster. There wasn't a cage or a carrier that could keep Bella in - she was a great escape artist! Bella's favorite activities were escaping, plotting her escape, running on the wheel, chewing on toys, and eating. She was always full of adventure, so she will be very missed. Anyone that met Bella was entertained by her and loved her.
At first, I had a tough time adapting to her death. I decided to have her cremated so I could keep her ashes in a small pet urn. If you did not know this was actually an option for the death of a small pet, yes, it is. There are professional pet crematories all over the country. Google it and you will be amazed to see how many are in your own area. I picked a place that was close by and I picked up Bella's remains within a few days. I was sad to see her go, but I was glad to keep her close to me.
When trying to determine if I could pick up the pieces, I had a tough time deciding on whether I wanted another hamster. I considered all the options, but decided I did not want a gerbil, mice had a short life span, and rats and guinea pigs should be kept in pairs, which was not convenient for me. I also thought about buying birds again since I love birds, but in the end, decided I would get another hamster, but perhaps still buy birds later down the road.
Welcome Mimi
After a couple of weeks of mourning, I decided it was time for a new friend. I decided on another teddy bear hamster, but went with a short-haired hamster this time. My new pal's name is Mimi. Mimi is currently standing in the cage beside me right now chewing on the wires. It is just something she likes to do. She is nearly white, with just a hint of gray. Mimi is quite adorable.
Mimi's favorite activities are running in the wheel, chewing, and standing up like a person. She also uses her front paws as if they are hands. Sometimes I start to wonder if Mimi was a person in a past life. I am not so sure I believe in reincarnation, but if it's possible, Mimi was definitely a person.
Mimi is my third hamster and definitely the most jittery hamster yet. She is quite nervous. Things like the microwave beeping still make her freak out. Mimi also does not approve of me playing music too loud on my computer. I often look over to see her standing on her hind legs and giving me a glare if I am playing music. Apparently, Mimi was not a music lover in her past life.
For now, my new friend is adorable and I have accepted Bella's death. I still miss my Bella, but I do love my Mimi. Mimi is also not the escape artist that Bella was, so I can get up in the middle of the night and not worry that I might step on her. I suppose I will always miss Bella the way I will always miss all of my favorite pets from the past, but that is life. Now I have Mimi and she can now take over the starring role in As the Hamster Wheel Turns .
