A word on the subject of nicknames. While I've been away, it seems the "Hamster" tag has stuck. When I was a kid, we would often play "What animal would you be?" I would suggest being a wolf because ...

It seems fair to say that hamsters are a somewhat divisive pet, between their fluffiness, high-strung nature, short lifespan and incessant squeaking that sounds like some electronic device is trying ...