I HAVE a little hamster named Nicolas. I used to call him Natalie because I thought he was a she. I guess I was wrong (how embarrassing!). I got him for Christmas. I was supposed to ask for a guinea pig but when I went to the pet store, there was no sign of any guinea pig. There were just little hamsters. So, my parents suggested that I get a hamster instead. I agreed because the moment I saw them, I thought they were cute!

Almost all first-time pet owners get bites or scratches from their pets. Well, my experience was different because I was so scared that my hamster would bite or scratch me that I didn't touch him at all. I would just watch him and poke my finger inside the cage. Whenever he went near my finger, I would yank it out at once.

The first time I took him out, he jumped out of my hands and kept on jumping and jumping. On the second try, I got bitten, and I was so angry that I didn't touch him for about a week. I still fed him myself though. I was also getting impatient because he wouldn't get used to me. If your pet misbehaves, try to be patient with it. Don't do what I did.

After a few weeks, I was determined to tame him. I told myself not to get angry when he bites. Pet owners should remember that when they get their first or new pet. I pleaded with my father to buy me a book about hamsters because that was the only way I could think of to get to know more about my hamster. He couldn't find any books on hamsters, so he suggested that I search the Internet. If you have access to the Internet, just look up a site about your pet because doing so is cheaper. I did search the Internet and I found a lot of tips.