Do Hamsters have a Social Services Department?

So I ask this question and am guessing that it is not one that you had thought of before. Believe me - after reading this post you will be asking yourself the same question!

About 2 weeks ago my office mate asked if we would like a hamster cage and all the accessories as her kids had outgrown their desire to have a hamster and she wanted to get rid of it. I quickly told her no I didn't think we would like it - we have three kids that are hard enough to look after some days I didn't think Trevor or I would want one more thing to add to the mix. So that night I went home and was laughing as I told Trevor that Ellen thought we might like a hamster.- ha ha. Well to my surprise he thought it wasn't a bad idea. We started talking about it and decided that maybe it would be fun for the kids to have a pet and a hamster seems easy (don't roll your eyes at us yet - save it for when you really will want to ). Without giving it much further thought we agreed to take the stuff and needless to say by Friday night we were the proud owners of a hamster cage, a hamster wheel, and a ball that you could take put them in and they would roll around the room in.

Saturday I had to train all day and was out of the house by 7:45 while everyone still slept. I thought of mentioning to Trevor that I would like to come with him and the kids to get the hamster but I forgot. When I got to training and was tell people about getting a hamster they all started telling me hamster nightmare stories. They quickly pointed out that they stink, that if they get out they will eat holes in anything they come across,that I can't put their cage close to anything like curtains or they will eat that too, that they are rodents (which I knew but somehow had been overlooking or not considering) etc etc. Throughout the entire day I started to second guess our decision and I started praying that Trevor hadn't taken the kids to get one yet.

At 4:30 I arrived home to find Trevor lying on the hallway floor. He had hurt his back at hockey a few weeks ago and had twisted his back again today. He was having such severe back spasms that he wasn't able to walk. He told me that he had made it to Ethan's bed to lie down for a bit but that Megan had woke up . He slithered (yes on his stomach) to her crib and in an attempt to heft her over the side hurt his back even more. So on the floor is where I found him. Megan was kindly bringing him toys and talking to him - the other kids were no where to be seen. I asked where they were and he said that he thought they were downstairs but more importantly than them - I needed to go and find the hamster!
Hamster? Did you say hamster? Do we own a hamster? Oh no- my own hamster nightmare is beginning I thought. Trevor explained that he and the kids had picked one up this morning. He had told them that they had to leave it in the cage so it could get acclimatized to its new surroundings. At one point however, while lying there Sarah & Ethan along with Christian and Mattea from next door came upstairs. Sarah announced to her dad who remember is at this point lying on the floor unable to move, that they were taking the hamster next door! He quickly asked where it was and she said in the little red toy barn she was carrying. He told her to take it back and put it in the cage where he had told her to leave it but they snuck out the back door and took it around the neighbourhood! When I went downstairs to find it I came across what can only be described as disaster zone. Sarah and her friends were playing. There was hamster shavings (for the bottom of the cage ) everywhere in the main room & the toy room. The hamster food had been emptied in to a puzzle box (not sure where the puzzle ended up). I ran over to the cage only to find the door wide open- OMG " Where is the hamster ?' I asked in a very frantic,(and less than quiet) voice. Calmly and matter of factly Sarah and her friends pointed to a toy submarine and said "in there". Sure enough cowering in a corner, shaking was a little grey and white furry hairball. As I went to rescue it I was reminded that they were rodents and that they really did look like mice. I couldn't bring myself to touch it so instead I asked Christian if he could get it out and put it in the cage for me. Thankfully he did and the little guy has remained there ever since. I finally hear him running on his wheel tonight but for the past few days since his "welcome to the family adventure" he had stayed close to one corner of his cage and hardly moved. So I ask you again - Do Hamsters have a Social Services Department because if so I think they may be knockin at my door real soon!