Frankie

I have been somewhat reluctant to post about our newest addition but here goes.  A friend of mine posted on Facebook that her son was moving away and she was left with a hamster.  I teased her by saying that Lane was just dying for one and if they got sick of it, to send it over.  It wasn't an hour or two before I received a text asking if I was serious because she would gladly give it to us.

Lane has been asking for a hamster for a couple months now.  Jay and I had some in high school as science projects.  They stayed at his house and we didn't keep them too long.  I had a guinea pig for a couple years in college and loved that little guy, Floyd.  He was so sweet.  In my favorite books, the ones I wrote about a few weeks ago, the main character has a hamster named Rex.  I just told Jay a few weeks ago, as I was reading books 17 & 18, that I kind of wanted a hamster.  Jay was not for this acquisition, but I vetoed and brought home Frankie, the hamster.  Lane was tickled to death.

As I was leaving my friend's house, she added that she wasn't exactly sure how old Frankie was, but she knew that before her son had her, it was her nephew's and they had had her for a couple years.  My mind was churning...hhm, wonder what a hamster's life span is?

So I did what anyone would do, I googled it.  Ha, the average life span is two-three years, possibly as long as five years in perfect conditions.  Yeah, right.  When you factor in the risks of living at the Wilhoit Ranch, a life span of two-three years is easily decreased and we think Frankie is already two to three years old.  I was also told that her hair color "used to be red" and now it is a faint tan or light gray.  I see how this is going to go down.

From the get-go, I have told the kids the average life span of a hamster, how we are unsure exactly how old little Frankie is, but we know she has to be about two to three years old, and that if something happens to her, we will get a new one.  I constantly remind them to be gentle with her because she is elderly.

For Valentine's Day, I bought Lane a hamster ball for Frankie to run around in (and oh, how she loves to run in it).  Jay happened to mention to Lane that the exercise could be good for Frankie's health and she may live longer.  Great.  Lane has told me that now at least three times. 

Oddly enough, Hank the Tank II and Meepie, the soul survivor, don't seem all that interested in little Frankie.  Hank can't seem to get the ball in his mouth, and I'm guessing that Meepie finds her such easy prey, she doesn't see the need to bother with her.  We have only lost Frankie once, after she escaped from a poorly latched ball, and we have remembered to feed and water her. 

I was afraid the new environment a/k/a shock of our household would do her in quickly.  Every morning, I check and make sure Frankie is breathing...so far so good, but we know it's just a matter of time.