Monty was a little girl hamster. She lived in our house before me and she was not amused when I arrived. She had this ball she would roll around the carpet in and she would charge it into me and make me very frightened! Soon we became friends though and she would play chase with me - well I was playing anyway, never too sure if she was.

My humans say she was very different from their first hamster and never really liked being handled. She would tolerate it ok but didn't enjoy it and really couldn't wait to be put down so she could clean the smell off her!

She was ALWAYS cleaning! In fact I think it may have been her who taught me how to spend so long grooming my legs - much to mum's disgust!! Haha!! Monty had her own toilet and she always dirtied there and she had the cleanest cage of any hamster ever!!

Sadly Monty died when she was only just over 1 year old! (Oct 97).  She took ill suddenly and despite every effort by ourselves and the vet, we couldn't save her. We were very upset and we haven't had another hamster since. They don't live long and we all get very upset when any animal dies :( Hope you are having fun Monty - chasing some puppies in your ball somewhere.