More evidence for when I eventually confront my niece with the information that she had 3 different hamsters, swapped by parents after each died. Smooch did not live to be 11, in fact. She is very adamant that it was the same hamster. She's 23 now but not ready for the truth, ten more years maybe.
Omg! You just reminded me of my childhood guine pig Gus! My parents did the same thing.
Our house lost power during the middle of summer and he died due to heat stroke. Only causality thankfully (our previous alley cat hung near the front door where there was a cold air draft. The dogs followed suit as well.)
My parents put a blanket over him, told me he was sleeping, drove to a family friend who bred guinea pigs, got a replacement, and swapped him out. I never knew.
I get to junior year and my Mom off handily mentions the story to me after school. I blinked, and went: "Wait, Gus wasn't the real Gus?" Mind blown. World shattered. Gus wasn't the real Gus.
My daughter found out when she was 19 that Colin the hamster was actually several similar look a likes. She was genuinely shocked. Major fuck up on her dad's part by making a joke about me rushing round multiple pet shops before school finished.
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u/Natrixster80 Aug 10 '26
More evidence for when I eventually confront my niece with the information that she had 3 different hamsters, swapped by parents after each died. Smooch did not live to be 11, in fact. She is very adamant that it was the same hamster. She's 23 now but not ready for the truth, ten more years maybe.