You know Dasher and Dancer and Prancer and Vixen, Comet and Cupid and Donner and Blitzen.
But do you recall? The most famous hamster of all?
If not, have no fear. The BCSPCA Williams Lake Branch has named nine teddy bear hamsters after Santa’s reindeer, not forgetting Rudolph.
Branch manager Liz Dighton said a woman who adopted two hamsters ended up with lots of babies and surrendered them to the SPCA late last week.
“They are all pretty tame and you can pick them up,” Dighton said of the hamsters. “The woman who brought them to us did a great job of socializing them.”
Dighton has been with the branch for 12 years and said another year they received nine puppies just before Christmas and named them after the famous reindeer, as well.
The hamsters are free to adopt if people have a cage of their own and Dighton is hopeful they will go to some great homes.
Teddy bear hamsters live for three to five years.
“They can be high maintenance or low maintenace, it depends on what you want. You just need to change their cage every day and put in fresh food and water.”
Staff and volunteers have enjoyed just watching the hamsters spin their wheels as they are very busy little creatures.
“They are hilarious to watch.”
Aside from hamsters, the branch is busy receiving other animals, which is normal at this time of year.
“We have also placed some in homes too,” she added.
The branch will be open Dec. 24 until 3 p.m., closed on Dec. 25 and Dec. 26, open again on Dec. 27.
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