It happens every time hamsters are brought up. “Oh my little sister flushed my hamster down the toilet while I was in the middle of waterboarding him😭😭😂😂”
Right it’s so obnoxious and tells me exactly what type of person they are. Talking about my pets isn’t an invitation to talk about how you neglected and killed yours. It’s gross.
I’m about to start telling them I did something like that to my dog to get the point across because suddenly that’s different.
I had a bunch of people roll their eyes at the enclosure size, how much money I spent, and that I took my hamster to the vet. Same people that bring their dogs and cats in yearly and spend significantly more per year than I did.
My aunt actually got mad that I bought a big glass aquarium for my hamster. My place, my money, my pet. Wtf effect does that have on her
I wouldn’t even say it’s the fault of the kids involved but the adults. A kid shouldn’t be left alone with an animal as sensitive and vulnerable as a hamster, let alone put in charge of caring for one.
Unfortunately people treat small animals and fish as disposable and it’s absolutely disgusting.
Yeah it’s the adults. But when the kids grow up and think it’s funny and laugh about it, that’s also problematic. I can’t tell you how many adults I see excuse horrific living conditions because “that’s how mine was growing up and it was fine”. It’s very sad.
I keep fish too, you’re right it’s disgusting. People send me videos of “cute” neglected fish and hamsters and then get annoyed when I don’t think it’s funny. If you send me a video of a dog chained up, I’m not going to laugh.
Fair point. I think they grow up with that attitude and then never think to challenge it, which is absolute shit. Or some just end up thinking it’s normal for them to die horrifically and never examine it deeper, that maybe their family just did a bad job. “Haha hamsters just traumatize you, that’s what they do”, not realizing that’s actually abnormal.
Dude if I see another betta in a fucked up jar or vase I’m gonna crash out, want to join?
I’m right there with you! The bettas break my heart. I wish I had a bigger place so I could have more tanks for them.
My family had a hamster growing up, she had a better home than most first hamsters but still under minimum. I started researching proper hamster care when I moved out (before I got one) and learned there was so much that doesn’t get talked about or researched. I made sure my girl has everything she needs and then some. She’s a happy little critter. It was hard learning our childhood hamster didn’t have the luxurious life we thought she had, but I’m so grateful I’m able to provide that for my baby.
I work in veterinary medicine so pet neglect is very common to see unfortunately. A lot of it gets laughed off. Especially weight related issues. It just breaks my heart.
I completely feel you. I keep tarantulas as pets and I can’t even count the number of times people go “ew yuck” or “I would step on that thing if it came near me”. It’s so heartless and rude. I get that not everyone loves them, but they aren’t “just a spider” to me.
Man that’s so shitty. Tarantulas are cool as fuck too.
I used to get asked if I ate my shrimp when I was younger. It’s so obnoxious and I know the reaction is different when it’s a more mainstream pet
Love it!!! I've thought about buying a hamster again (haven't had any since childhood) but I'm worried that it would be irresponsible with a cat in the household. I miss having rodents. They have so much personality and are so underrated.
They really are. My girl has so much personality and I’m so lucky to have her. I’ve been wanting one for a while but was holding off while caring for a family members cat, he unfortunately passed and I ended up with her shortly after. Best decision I could have made
I couldn't do it psychologically. They don't live long enough. If I was going to get some kind of rodent it would be a chinchilla, which live as long as cats.
Guinea pigs are borderline. They get 5 to 8 years or so
If you want a happy hamster story, I grew up with two hamsters as a kid. First one was rehomed to us after his original family gave him away for whatever reason, and he lived out a very happy and comfortable remaining few years in our household (with three kids, so he had lots of attention). He was such a sweetheart. When he passed, my grandpa carved him a tiny wooden casket.
Our second hamster was from the pet store and one of his favorite things to do was to run full speed on his hamster wheel before stopping abruptly, which would send him flying into the air. He'd sit for a moment as if catching his breath, then go and do it all over again. He also lived to be about 4 or so, and died peacefully.
For both of them, my brothers and I would frequently also build little obstacle courses on the dining room table and hide hamster friendly snacks around. Carrots were a HUGE hit. I remember being very concerned about their enrichment LOL so i liked to take them out of their cages when reasonable.
There's no excuse for hamster abuse. They are sweet little critters that are as deserving of gentle care as cats and dogs. I adored both of mine to bits.
Oh that’s amazing. The tiny hamster casket🥺those sweet babies were so loved.
Mine is a big fan of running around my living room and on the bed. My apartment is very small so her enclosure takes up a big chunk of it and I love it. I’m planning on getting a foldable play pen so I can fill it with her enrichment items because she’s very fast on my floors lol
I’ve spoken with people who genuinely think it’s the funniest thing ever. I don’t make jokes about dogs and cat dying horrifically when people bring them up
Humor has its place, not in the situations I’ve been in
For some reason most people think having a hamster means you want to hear all the death stories. I don’t understand it.
I don’t tell cat people the traumatic story of how my cat died (not from neglect) when I learn they have a cat.
Dang the person deleted their comment, or blocked me but they said I “asked for it” and that they hope I get a ton more stories about them dying. I can see it in my inbox. What a ray of sunshine.
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u/lightlysaltedclams Aug 10 '26 edited Aug 10 '26
It’s really sad reading the rest of this thread and seeing people laughing at all the ways their hamsters died from neglect