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Original poster

Hamster is gay, how to explain to children?

105 replies

sophiechitt · 26/10/2020 00:40

Our hamsters are both men, and our kids are asking why they cuddle so much, how do explain this to children 😂😂

OP posts:
FenellaVelour · 26/10/2020 21:05

Hamsters live on average 2-3 years. Three years is old age, it would be like someone being 75-80 years of age. There’s no way a hamster would live for ten years!

Quietlyloud · 26/10/2020 22:07

I’m sure you would explain it age appropriately. Simply put anyone can love anyone or they are friends. It seems like you wanted more of a thing out of the conversation that just making aware it’s normal.

Nat6999 · 27/10/2020 01:01

The oldest one we had was 3.5 years

BanditoShipman · 27/10/2020 01:15

Ten years 🙄🙄🙄

SleepingStandingUp · 27/10/2020 01:20

@sophiechitt

Our hamsters are both men, and our kids are asking why they cuddle so much, how do explain this to children 😂😂
Because they love each other. Anyone can love each other as long as they're kind to each other
QuestionableMouse · 27/10/2020 01:27

@FenellaVelour

Hamsters live on average 2-3 years. Three years is old age, it would be like someone being 75-80 years of age. There’s no way a hamster would live for ten years!
My first hamster lived for six years. He got old he changed colour a couple of times 🙄😂😂😂
QuestionableMouse · 27/10/2020 01:28

Should say SO old sorry.

missmouse101 · 27/10/2020 01:35

Op, please can you return and confirm you've separated them? As multipl people have said, they must live alone or one will be killed by the other. Have you understood this now?

DougRossIsTheBoss · 27/10/2020 01:56

We had 2 female Campbell's dwarf hamsters who lived together happily (with some minor scrapping but no injuries) for their natural lifespan.

However we were told that 2 females from the same litter is absolutely the only combo that is OK as 2 males would eventually 'fight to the death'

Our two had a rather charming relationship where often they would cuddle up together really sweetly but at other time one would get the hump, move out and make a separate nest elsewhere until they made up. Their fights were usually over food and always a bit comedy as they just involved rolling round in a ball of fluff and squeaking (only time they made any sound really)

I do miss them. I love me a hammie. Best pets ever IMHO. Cute, funny and about the level of commitment that I can deal with.

trixiebelden77 · 27/10/2020 02:13

I imagine the reporting was for the thinly-veiled homophobia.

Really, the very idea makes you cry with laughter?

How old are your children if they’re unaware of same sex relationships?

acerred · 27/10/2020 09:57

@itshappened

My hamster lived for nearly ten years... happily on his own. Separate your hamsters now!

Also I had to look up the Richard gere references. No idea how I have lived so long without hearing that story before!

Your parents were obviously good at getting new hamsters without you noticing Grin
Mischance · 27/10/2020 10:01

We used to have a male guinea pig in the same cage as a male rabbit. The rabbit was constantly buggering the guinea pig - took some explaining to the children!

itshappened · 27/10/2020 10:51

You guys have totally blown my mind... I had no idea that a 9 year old hamster was so unlikely. In my defence he did have very distinctive facial markings so I am surprised my parents could have replaced him without me noticing. Shock

DougRossIsTheBoss · 27/10/2020 10:54

We've had quite a few hamsters and all of them lived the standard 2-3 years and died of old age. I do think 9 is basically impossible. Apparently the Guiness record is 4.5 years.

longcoffee · 27/10/2020 11:13

One of my male dogs humps his brother whenever the postman comes. No other time, clearly he has a Royal Mail fetish.

He has no preference for DPD, Hermes or any other delivery method 🤷🏻‍♀️

BaronessBomburst · 27/10/2020 11:31

My second hamster lived at least four year. He was incredibly tame and would wander around the house, trotting back to his cage when he was ready. He also used to walk up the Hessian wallpaper (it was the 70s) and sit on the speakers.
He definitely lived that long. We have so many photos and you can see my brother and I getting visibly older in the pictures.

acerred · 27/10/2020 11:37

@Mischance

We used to have a male guinea pig in the same cage as a male rabbit. The rabbit was constantly buggering the guinea pig - took some explaining to the children!
That's a really bad idea, guinea pigs and rabbits absolutely should not share a cage or a hutch.
Scarby9 · 27/10/2020 11:38

Separate them!
But meanwhile, if they are genuinely getting on well currently the answer to your children is that that's what animals do, especially siblings.

acerred · 27/10/2020 11:39

@BaronessBomburst

My second hamster lived at least four year. He was incredibly tame and would wander around the house, trotting back to his cage when he was ready. He also used to walk up the Hessian wallpaper (it was the 70s) and sit on the speakers. He definitely lived that long. We have so many photos and you can see my brother and I getting visibly older in the pictures.
We had a dwarf hamster that lived until 4 1/2. When we took it to the vet he was understandably sceptical but we'd only had the one and had the receipt from when we bought him. We had to have him put down because within the space of a day he went blind and fell over every time he tried to walk, we took him to the vet the same day.
derxa · 27/10/2020 11:47

Your hamster isn't gay. What a silly title

BaronessBomburst · 27/10/2020 11:50

@acerred Bruno had to be put down after a stroke too. Sad

jessstan1 · 27/10/2020 12:20

@derxa

Your hamster isn't gay. What a silly title
I think it was intended to be humourous.

Adult hamsters don't occupy the same cage anyway, they like being alone and will fight.

derxa · 27/10/2020 12:28

I think it was intended to be humorous I'm not sure. People have very strange ideas about animal behaviour

iklboo · 27/10/2020 12:45

Adult hamsters don't occupy the same cage anyway, they like being alone and will fight.

Roborowski & dwarf hamsters are usually ok together. We got two males. Apparently. Ended up with about 20 of the critters.

RaspberryCoulis · 27/10/2020 12:46

We have two female gerbils and one keeps trying to mount the other. I think it's a bossiness thing.

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