The first-borns

This is the second litter. The three first-born sons belong here. There were four sets of twin — pairs of whites, mocha browns, banded browns, and banded blacks. I called this batch the “Lupindilayks”.

If you ask me what’s the meaning of that word, I tell you… I don’t know. It just came out because it sounded like look-alikes. That’s how I name my pets since I was a kid: whatever goes out spontaneously from my mind. Non-existing words, or existing names from the stories that I read or movies that I have seen. I don’t know my pets’ consensus — whether they love their names or not. I just know they respond whenever I call them by their names.

The twin brothers Boromir and Faramir. They were the authentic Lupindilayks. Not only because they were twins; they also resemble the color pattern of their old hamster. They were the heirs apparent.

…and this is one of the heirlooms. This is the second transport carriage of their father. The first one (not shown in here) is much smaller and not so comfortable for a grown-up hamster.

This is “Bulwagang Bitoy” (Bitoy Hall), constructed in April 2004 during the heydays of their father. The photo was taken in June 2004 when the twin inaugurated it. Bitoy didn’t want to stay here but had chosen his transport carriage as a ‘dorm cell’ during the day, and the ‘ancestral cage’ (bought for my hamsters of 1999) as a place to play by night.

On Bitoy’s first year in August 2004, the Lupindilayk exercise wheel was installed. Construction was underway for the annexation of Bebang’s pension house at left. At right will rise the future Ikabod tower, named after Bitoy’s first princess Grizzly Ikabod. Ikabod was the eldest in the first litter of six daughters. She perished prematurely in an accident in February 2004.

Bitoy had chosen not to stay in Bulwagang Bitoy. Even while he was still alive and strong he gave it to his heirs instead. So, Boromir and Faramir shared a common cage and wheel for a very long time. Since the wheel was narrowly designed to accommodate only one hamster at a time, they agreed to take turns to play during their active hours.

Faramir: “O, Kuya… ikaw naman!!!”

Boromir: “Ikaw na lang muna uli, ‘tol… parang gusto kong umeskapo!”

Sometimes when I give them food, they just ignore it, climb to my arm instead. But if I give them sunflower seeds, they engage themselves in a ‘hoarding race’ as to who can collect more seeds faster (agawan, parang mauubusan!), only to discharge and store the seeds on one common spot at the corner of the cage.

Upon reaching their eighth month however, the twin have had occasional squabbles. As shown in this photo, they both have half-healed minor wounds in their face or body. Yes, they were sleeping and snuggling together all day, but during the evening I had been hearing loud squeaking coming from the hall. Most of the time the cause was this: the little brother bugging his big brother (Sutil si Faramir, pikon si Boromir), and later on, big brother bullying little brother for no apparent reason. Big Boromir was stronger, but Little Faramir could outrun him.

After 10 months of living together (each already met his own bride), the fight grew so frequently and worst. One night a disturbing noise woke me up. I proceeded at once to the hall to find out the two little creatures wrestling, furs and sunflower seeds flying all over the place. It took me so hard to part them — without being bitten.

Of course they were not squabbling over inheritance. Animals don’t do that — people do. Animals act according to their nature, guided by their instinct. People act according to their choices based on their moral values. It’s so sad to think that there are lots of warm and so close sibling relationships that were severed only because each brother or sister is fighting for his or her ‘right’ over inheritance, or parental favor — in most cases with the ‘pushes’ of their concerned spouses.

It was time for these brothers to part ways. In their final showdown Faramir was badly beaten.

Why should it matter to me anyway? They couldn’t be blamed for that. Syrian hamsters were created just like that — SOLITARY. Changing that nature is beyond the scope of my concern and capability.

Boromir and Faramir shared lives for 11 months.

Sequel to this post. Click this → 21 Sep 2007 and read according to this order:

1. Separate lives (part 1). The weaker takes all.
2. Separate lives (part 2). The humbled big brother.
3. The prodigy son’s return.