Bear’s Big Journey

      Bear woke suddenly. He shuffled in his small confining cage. The burrow he had built during the night was starting to cave in. He squeezed his eyes shut and popped his head out of the hole. The bright light of the pet store met him as he rose, and he winced. Nearby a small girl of about four was headed towards him and the other hamsters. She started squealing excitedly and Bear hissed. Hamsters are nocturnal and she was waking up all of them. He hoped she wouldn’t be the one to put him in a small cardboard box and take him away. “I want that one mama,” she said. She was pointing directly at Bear.

Twenty minutes later Bear was sitting in the small girl's lap. Well to be more clear the box was. She was talking so loudly. “I’m so excited to take him home,” she told her mom in the front seat. Bear felt panicked. He tried to burrow out but at the bottom of the thin bedding, he found nothing but the cardboard box. He began to squeal. “He likes me, mama,” said the oblivious girl. Bear most certainly did not like this annoying loud girl. He closed his eyes and went to sleep.

Bear was awoken with a jolt. He was tipped over into an aquarium-like cage. Hesitantly he righted himself and stood on his back legs. He saw the girl put the lid on the cage and peer at him through the glass. He felt more comfortable now knowing that the girl couldn’t hurt him. He looked around him and was pleasantly surprised. The cage was a large one with good bedding. He felt excited as he walked around exploring his surroundings. He crawled into a tunnel and at the end, he spotted oat sprays. Walking quickly, Bear got to the oat sprays and managed to get many seeds into his mouth. Oh, how good they tasted. He spotted something else too that made his curious. A small bowled with what looked like water stood a couple of feet away from him. Quickly he walked over. He stood over it, slightly puzzled. Bear was only used to his water feeder which required him to stand on his hind legs to reach. He hesitantly dipped his tongue in. How bizarre. He lapped up some more water then made his way to a nearby hideout. He walked inside inspecting it. He went back outside and found some food scattered about. He gathered up the food into one side of his cheek pouch and doug down into the bedding to make a burrow for his food. He then gathered some nearby tissue paper to make his hideout more comfortable and scrambled over. He began to make his sleeping area until finally, satisfied, he fell peacefully into a deep sleep. A little while later Bear’s eyes popped open. Yawning he stretched and raised his paws. He promptly walked out of his burrow. He ate some food and continued exploring. He wasn’t quite used to this new place. He hoped the girl wouldn’t be so noisy. He spotted the girl, fast asleep. Finally some peace and quiet. He continued on his way, looking around. He spotted a wheel. Finally some recollection of home. He knew all about wheels. Back when he had to share his cage he never had enough time on it. Once he even had a horrid wire wheel. He cautiously looked around but saw no other hamsters. Whew! Feeling that he’d had a close call, he moved hurriedly towards the wheel just in case there happened to be another hamster even though it now seemed doubtful. He began to run, faster and faster. Suddenly he stopped and hopped off. Bear scurried into another hideout and waited. Nervously he peered his head out. Coast was clear. Ok good. Back to the wheel.

Bear was interrupted from a peaceful sleep by yet again, the noisy girl. He peered peevishly out at her. Laughing and smiling she stared at him through the glass. He put his paws on the glass to get a better look at her. She was petering down now, she wasn’t shouting as much now. He scurried to his water dish and lapped greedily. He then plodded along back to his burrow and nestled in for a good night’s sleep.

Bear shivered. The AC had turned on and Bear felt a bit chilly. He stretched in his burrow, messing up the neat sides of the hole. He pushed his head up out of the top and managed to get his plump little body out. He gobbled up some nearby hamster food and went into his sandbox to relieve himself. He chewed on a nearby stick, leaving little marks on the rough bark. Bear felt content. He was happy in his new home. The little girl’s mother was walking past the cage and peered in at Bear. She smiled and continued along. Bear sighed and ran into his tunnel. Nice and dark. Hidden from view. A hamster needed his privacy. Bear began to mark his scent on the tunnel. It was so satisfying that he continued to the bedding, marking that as well. Soon he was on a mission. Marking everything. Bear continued, he felt so active. Bear awoke, feeling content. He’d had a pleasant night of busy antics and running on his wheel. He squeaked. He felt so happy to be here, unlike the pet store. He loved his new home, he felt content with his owner, he was pretty sure. When she wasn’t making so much noise, she was alright, Bear supposed. He liked his new food, his new dish, his hideout, his bedding, and his very own tunnel. Oh, and his sandbox. He began to chew excitedly at the stick, tearing the thick bark off the stick. Plodding along he walked back and forth in his big enclosure. He began to walk faster and faster. Finally, he stopped, huffing a bit. He was finally happy and at home.