My Tiny Sidekick

This challenge will most likely receive many entries about dogs and cats; however, my story is a little different. This challenge may also receive many entries of stories of pets who are still alive. While I do own a dog now, my beloved Kaya, whom I adore very much, there was a special animal in my life before her. From the ages of thirteen to sixteen, I rapidly grew close to my pet hamster, Phoebe. Phoebe was no ordinary rodent…she was undoubtedly special. She was the most affectionate little creature, and a living being who I grew tremendously fond of and comfortable with. Phoebe was first brought in by our family in July of 2016, and she lived with us until her untimely demise in September of 2019.

Phoebe was a teeny, tiny, female dwarf hamster. She was mostly gray in color, with some black and white splotches as well. She had these enamoring, adorable black eyes too. Prior to Phoebe, my family had only owned minuscule, meaningless pets, including fish and hermit crabs. I’m not entirely sure what initially drove me to the desire of possessing a hamster, but deciding to take home my furry, little friend was one of the best decisions I’ve ever made. I had never liked dogs at this point–I still dislike dogs in general, I really only like my dog–and my mother is severely allergic to cats. My father disliked the idea of having a dog as well; therefore, we bought a small animal that required very little maintenance.

We bought Phoebe from a local pet store in July of 2016, and she remained relatively isolated until January of 2017. One day that January, I decided that it was a new year and I was tired of having a pet that served no purpose. I wanted Phoebe to be my little companion. I was painfully lonely at this point in my life, and all I wanted was for some living being to bring me comfort. Thus, I decided that I’d try to take her out of her cage. She was a bit squirmy initially, and it took about a week for her to fully crawl onto my hand. However, when she first crawled onto my hand, and I looked down and saw this tiny, adorable, precious animal, who was even smaller than the palm of my hand, I knew I’d have a connection with her.

I started taking her out of the cage more, she would crawl around my bed, and she would crawl around my body. My brother and I would put her on our heads and take pictures. When the summer of 2018 came along, Phoebe confirmed to me how special she really was. The summer of 2018 was, externally, a fantastic summer. I directed a short film, and I had an amazing time doing it. However, in those three months of summer, I lost over forty pounds. My anorexia was at its worst, and in October of that year, I was admitted into my first inpatient unit for eating disorders. It was a rocky few months following that hospital stay. I was eventually admitted into another inpatient eating disorder unit in February of 2019. I was eventually discharged about two months later. It was a strange, unsettling transition back to normalcy after having my freedom severely restricted for such an extensive time. Phoebe truly helped me with my transition back to reality. Her unconditional love and comfort was palpable. Despite not knowing what was really happening, she knew I wasn’t present, and she was thoroughly excited for my return.

So, the question still remains, what is my favorite memory with a pet? There really is no one answer to this question because my favorite memory with Phoebe was every single moment that I was able to spend with her. From car rides in her hamster ball, to her running all over the couch, to having a photo of her in my hospital room just so I could see her everyday. Hamsters are probably the last animal one would expect to make any sort of impact on their owner(s). I owned two more hamsters after Phoebe’s death, and neither of them came close to Phoebe. Phoebe was an extraordinarily precious animal. She passed away the same day that I got my driver’s license. It was an obviously convoluted day, but nonetheless, Phoebe was there every time that I needed her. She was a smart, compassionate, affectionate, cute hamster who will never be forgotten. Her impact on me was strong and I miss her everyday. My puppy, Kaya, is a beautiful dog who undoubtedly loves me so deeply. Phoebe, however, will always be the first pet I loved. Phoebe wasn’t just a hamster–she was family.