
Chrissy Teigen appears to have inadvertently created a new support group for hamster parents, and it seems like a space the internet has been sorely craving.
Because hamster parenting sounds surprisingly…hard.
The unofficial queen of the internet posted a series of tweets about life with her new pet, and it hasn’t exactly been a walk in the park so far.
Honestly, who would have thought a hamster would be so high-maintenance?
(And let’s not forget this is all coming from a woman with two small children.)
Luna and I bought a hamster today. Her name is peanut butter. John is not thrilled, which makes me love her more.
— christine teigen (@chrissyteigen) March 11, 2019
While Chrissy was initially thrilled with her new addition to the family, she quickly realised she has her work cut out for her.
Firstly, Peanut Butter follows a strict diet:
They told us we can feed her anything. My mom said “rice?” And they go “no, not rice”
— christine teigen (@chrissyteigen) March 11, 2019
She may or may not gnaw her fingers to the bone if you touch her too soon… or not enough ¯\_(ツ)_/¯.
They also said “don’t really touch her for a week. Then touch her a lot or she’ll bite you” it’s very confusing, being a hamster mom
— christine teigen (@chrissyteigen) March 11, 2019
She doesn’t enjoy the company of other hamsters:
I said “should I get two so they can have a friend?” And the lady said no, one will end up with a lot of bully scars. So any hamster tips are welcome
— christine teigen (@chrissyteigen) March 11, 2019
…Or humans for that matter:
I just went to take a picture of her and I honestly can’t find her
— christine teigen (@chrissyteigen) March 11, 2019
And it looks as though she is desperately trying to escape:
is this normal pic.twitter.com/CkBLm0G39Z
— christine teigen (@chrissyteigen) March 11, 2019
The model and author was befuddled by her new pet’s difficulty adjusting to her new home, but her hamster-owning fans (of which there seems to be a lot of ) have come to the rescue with words of advice.
…And it sounds like her new pet needs an entire human-sized house of her own:
No, anyone who says it’s a normal behaviour is wrong. It’s common behaviour but not a normal one. It is a sign of boredom and stress, generally related to cage size. Hamsters need LOTS of space ???? exchange that wire cage for a 40 gallon tank and you’ll see their behaviour change.
— Victoria Raechel ???? (@VictoriaRaechel) March 11, 2019
Here’s a video of my hamster Rosie (dead now, RIP) who disliked me playing with her so much she would escape back INTO her cage ???? she was a very unique hamster pic.twitter.com/shz9Inra4n
— Alexis Kubina (@AlexisKubina) March 11, 2019
no, it’s not normal. hamsters do this when they’re stressed, usually from being kept in too small of a cage. hamsters need a MINIMUM of 24 x 12 straight across, not including platforms. they also need a good amount of substrate to burrow in and things to hide in.
— little flesh boy (@cowexistence) March 11, 2019
Hammy needs toys, a safe solid wheel/tunnels, hard safe stuff to chew, & no newpaper (ink is an irritant) or aromatic wood chips like cedar / pine for bedding (there are better soft beddings for them). That will reduce any acting out. You got this! Your hammy will be very happy.
— ❈???????????????????????????????????????????????? ❈ (@Britpoptarts) March 11, 2019
And these Twitter users certifiably blew our minds with these bizarre (and horrifying) hamster facts:
If by “normal” you mean is it basic instinct to survive by any means possible (including breaking off your teeth in order to escape of a trap/cage), then yes it’s normal.
Can’t wait until you discover they eat their own babies — fun times!
— David Stehle (@davidstehle) March 11, 2019
When I was 10-12, a friend had one of these. It didn’t do what yours does, but 2-3 times a day it got into these blood-curdling, Janet Leigh-esque screaming rampages. Other than that, it was hella cute
— Mariel Mariel (@FerrMariela84) March 11, 2019
Good Lord.
It’s a good thing hamsters are cute.
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Bella Fowler
News Writer
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