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SCRUFFY/WHEELIE

Scruffy's owner loved hamsters. Unfortunately he had to go into hospital for a month, so he arranged for a neighbour to feed his pets while he was away.  After a month he was allowed home for a brief visit only to find that no one had fed his pets.  All his birds were dead and his beloved hamsters were in a very bad way.  He knew he had no alternative other than to ask the RSPCA to take them from him as that way they would at least be fed and looked after when he returned to hospital.

Scruffy was so traumatised when the RSPCA tried to move him that he screamed. Even after being re-homed he was quite nervous until his cage was moved next to a pretty female hamster called Wheelie. Love struck Scruffy relocated his nest from under the platform in his cage to out in the open so he knew when Wheelie was up and about. The pair spent many hours sniffing each other and chewing their bars together.  After about a year sadly Wheelie was taken ill suddenly and had to be put to sleep.  Scruffy pined for her and less than a week later he died.  They were buried together in the garden!

Wheelie got her name because she was found in wheelie bin by a binman who was collecting rubbish from a block of flats.  Wheelie and her brother had been tied up with string and taped inside a black sack before being thrown out with the rubbish.  Fortunately the bag split open and they were spotted by a binman.

They were both taken to an RSPCA centre and re-homed from there.

Despite the awful way Wheelie had been treated she was a very trusting and loving hamster.  Wheelie and Scruffy were clearly good for each other and it can be seen from their story that you should never underestimate the power of friendships between animals.  Although, had they met outside their cages, being Syrian hamsters, they probably would have attacked each other!