Truffle Sophie Northrup – August 21, 2006 – May 22, 2007

I thought Truffy was sleeping in this evening. I found her with her eyes closed tight, scrunched up in pain, stiff and cold in the corner of her cage. She had been a little grouchy lately, but didn’t seem sick.

More pictures of Truffy, and the few I have of her sister. She had a starring role in one of my YouTube movies here.

I had picked out Cupcake from a local breeder’s Web site, and she brought along Truffle as a bonus. How could I resist? Both girls were sweet and cuddly, and I tried everything I could to prolong their lives when I diagnosed them with diabetes. I knew they didn’t have long to live, so I did everything I could to keep them happy and spoiled. Cupcake died in December, and Truffle’s real intelligence and personality came out after she grew older and had the cage to herself. She loved trying to tunnel through the plastic walls of her cage, even though she must have realized she wasn’t making any progress. I always wanted to get video of her digging against the balcony floor with her little white hind feet splayed out behind her. She just liked the exercise. I was always buying her new and interesting hamster toys to keep her occupied.

I don’t think I ever loved a hamster as much as I loved her. When she was a baby, she would hop right into my hand, and she’s the friendliest, smartest, most adventurous hamster I’ve ever had. I loved her markings, how the tips of her snout, tail, ears, and paws were white.

She was nine months old.