29th April 2012 - 18th July 2013
Oh little Gyoza, what can daddy say about you? I am sorry, little one, that this memorial has taken so long to write
A lot's happened to daddy since you and I were last together, and while I wasn't there when you passed away, I hope you passed peacefully.
You and I gave mummy quite the shock! She had no idea I was adopting you, you was my secret project
I picked up your huge Detolf home from IKEA, around the middle of August 2012. That was such a great day! Me, mummy and our friend Brian all piled into Brian's car and headed out to IKEA, had a great time shopping, then finished the day with a delicious Chinese meal! My favourite part of the meal was the dumplings, called Gyoza. I knew then what I had to do!
I assembled the detolf a few days later, a feat which was as challenging as it was rewarding! I hadn't told mummy I'd put the detolf together yet, I kept fibbing, telling her it was flat packed still. I know, so bad! But daddy had a fun prank to play
Now, I'd seen Chinese hamsters in Pets at Home a couple of times before, and mummy had always told me to get one, but each time I went, they'd gone! Or I didn't have a decent cage, or a million other reasons! This was gonna be the perfect surprise for mummy!
So back and forth I went to Pets at Home. "Do you have any Chinese up for adoption?" "Nope". And on and on.
But ONE day, I went to Pets at Home, and there you were! Little "Timmy", they'd called you. The smallest and most adorably timid thing I think I'd ever seen!
Home I rushed to get the pet carrier, filled with bedding, and back the store you were carefully placed inside!
Back home I carefully tipped you out into your new home. Or at least I tried to! You was so sleepy, and so shy, you just flopped about, not moving. It was so cute!
Startled Chinesey! by
Azayles, on Flickr
The cage had previously been kitted out with all sorts of wonderful things darling mummy helped me order from ZooPlus, as well as some lovely soft paper substrate from Farm and Pet Place. Sooo so carefully I tipped you out into the cage, put the home made lid back on, and waited.
You spent several frenetic minutes scurrying around your new cage, clambering over everything, running back and forth, and so fast! It was amazing to see. I'd never seen a hamster move so fast! Eventually you started to settle down and slow down *just* a bit, but you was always little timid Gyoza
Checking out the new place by
Azayles, on Flickr
I let you settle in for a week or so, and at the end of the month I posted a tutorial on another forum on how to assemble the detolf to use as a hamster home. Right at the very end I posted that picture of you with your tiny head poking out the house. Everyone was so surprised to see you! Even mummy! ESPECIALLY mummy! She was shocked! I think she was a bit mad with me because I'd kept you so well hidden! She forgave me though pretty quickly, because mummy loves daddy very much
And finally I was able to share you with the world.
I started taming you, and you didn't make that easy did you?! You loved to nibble on daddies fingers when he went to pick you up. He had to revert to picking you up by letting you climb inside a gnawing tube first.
Tube hamster by
Azayles, on Flickr
But eventually you *kinda* warmed up to daddy, even though you still loved the occasional nibble!
I wrote a taming diary for you on another forum, and things were going great! I loved hearing you scurry around in the night while I slept. I'd hear you run around in the sand bath and in the morning see these tiny tiny footprints in the sand! It was so comforting, knowing you were right there.
But one day, daddy was taken very very ill
Mummy was ill, and daddy would travel up to London, most days, to visit her. Daddy loves mummy SO much. One day when I was visiting mummy, the nurse took my blood pressure and it was very high! I went to the doctors and had blood tests, then one day I got a call telling me my kidneys were dying and I had to go to the hospital.
I never saw you again after that... ;(
I was in Darent Valley hospital in Dartford, for a very long time, and your uncle Ryan had to go to my flat to make sure you had food and water. He took such good care of you, and always told me how you was! But one day he went there and you had passed away...
I don't know why you passed away, you was a year and a bit old. Was that old in Chinese years? I do not know. Sometimes it would get cold in my bedroom, perhaps it was that? You had food and water, uncle Ryan made sure.
I wish you had stayed a bit longer, little Gyoza. Daddy misses you, everyday. I wish I could have tamed you more, made you a little less timid, a little less bitey, but I'm always always grateful for the time we shared together. The times I was able to pick you up. You was so sweet in my hand! So gentle.
I will always remember you, I will always see your adorable timid face in the face of every Chinese hamster I see, and I will always miss you and love you dearly.
Comfy in my hand by
Azayles, on Flickr