Licky [RIP]

Our first truly adopted hamster, this sable boy was adopted from a local rodent rescue group on June 18, 2005. We weren't sure how old he was at the time, but he was very friendly and active and didn't take long to feel at home with us. His name, Licky or Licky Bear (later Licky Pombles), comes from the fact that he liked to lick *everything* (tables, couches, hands) and he also looks like a little black bear. Oh, and he sometimes did "lordosis" (putting his tail up in the air) like a girl, just like Little Boy, so his hormones may have been out of wack also.

We tried to train him to jump between our two couches, and he was pretty good at first, until he learned to jump to the floor and get away. Licky loved trotting around the room or running in his ball and never tried to bite us.

He wasn't the smartest of hamsters, but that didn't make a big difference. No matter what happened, he'd keep on going. He somehow mananged to break his toe and injure himself in other ways, but that didn't stop him.

Eventually he developed additional health problems, but was strong until the end, trying to go about his business anyway. He gradually got weaker and died on September 27, 2006. We miss him, but we were also glad that he let go, after being so uncomfortable and having such difficulty towards the end.