Have you coded your hamster yet?
bl...@wpcusrgrp.org
Last month, I introduced to (or inflicted upon) alt.pets.hamster version 1.0 of the Hamster Code. Thanks to contributions by a couple of fellow hamster owners, I've reworked the code. I am happy to present Version 1.2 of the Hamster Code!
The Hamster Code is also available on the WWW at http://www.wpcusrgrp.org/~blowe/hcode.html. I'm still looking for input, especially for colours and patterns.
So ... enjoy! And remember to code your hamster! :)
THE HAMSTER CODE, version 1.2
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What is a code? On the usenet, a code is a list of attributes with modifiers to show their applicability to the person or thing being coded. There are geek codes, Jewish codes, cat (and probably dog) codes. The hamster community now has its own code, called (appropriately) the Hamster Code.
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Elements in the Hamster Code:
Name
Breed
Gender/Fertility
Age
Colour/Pattern
H(hair)
W(weight)
S(size)
E(energy)
R(rhythm)
A(Agressiveness)
D(Dwelling)
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NAME:
All hamsters have a name of some sort; many more than one. Since it's probably the most important thing about the hamsters we love, the name is first in the Hamster Code. The hamster's formal name is given first. If it has a nickname, it is placed in parentheses after the formal name. A colon (":") separates the name from the rest of the code.
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BREED:
Humans just love subdividing things into categories, and hamsters are no exception. The list of hamster breeds fortunately is not that extensive.
Regular pet breeds:
B - Siberian
C - Chinese
D - Dwarf
R - Russian
S - Syrian
TB - Teddy Bear
Other not-so-common breeds:
CO - Common
GR - Gray
ML - Mouselike
RL - Ratlike
ST - Striped
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GENDER AND FERTILITY:
Like all small rodents, hamsters are very good at making more hamsters.
X++ Female: I am a hamster factory
X+ Female, fertile
X Female, fertile but segregated to prevent babies
X- Female, too old or too young
Y++ Male, very active
Y+ Male, active
Y Male, active but segregated
Y- Male, too old or too young
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AGE:
Sadly, hamsters are short lived animals. The age element of the Hamster Code is two numbers separated by a slash: the first number is the year in which the hamster was born, the second is the month.
If a hamster's birth date is uncertain, it can be coded as ?/x, where x is one of Y (young), A (adult), or O (old.)
An age of H/H means "Hamster Heaven," that is, the hamster has gone to the Great Wheel in the Sky.
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COLOUR AND PATTERN:
For such a small animal, hamsters come in a surprising variety of colours and patterns. The colour element of the Hamster Code is intended to give an idea of a hamster's main colours and patterns. The colour is in uppercase letters and the pattern is in lower case and enclosed by parentheses.
COLOUR:
B - Blonde
CH - Chocolate
CI - Cinnamon
CR - Cream
D - Ruddy
G - Gold
K - Black
N - Brown
R - Red (Orange)
S - Silver
W - White
PATTERN:
(*) - single colour
(b) - banded
(s) - striped
(f) - front
If a hamster has only one colour, it is written as colour(*), for example,
a golden hamster would be G(*). If there is more than one colour, it is
written as primary colour + secondary colour(pattern). For example, a brown
hamster with a cream coloured band would be N+CR(b).
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H: HAIR
Hair is very important to a hamster: they usually keep their coats looking bright and shiny.
H- Actually, it's FUR
H Normal length hair
H+ I have been mistaken for a tribble
Hair can have some special attributes:
(c) - curly
(s) - skirt
(t) - tuft
(w) - wavy
When a special attribute is used, it follows after the H and before the modifier; therefore, a hamster with long wavy hair would be H(w)+.
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W: WEIGHT
Hamster weights can vary from one end of the scale to the other.
W-- I'm so thin that you can count my bones.
W- I'm slim but healthy.
W I'm an average hamster, not too thin and not too fat.
W+ I'm a heavy hamster, but it's all muscle!
W++ The floors tremble when I walk
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S: SIZE
Even among animals as small as hamsters, their size can vary.
S-- I look like a baby hamster
S- I'm almost as small as a mouse
S Normal sized hamster
S+ I'm a big hamster
S++ I look like a furry tennis ball.
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E: ENERGY LEVEL
Does your hamster run around like mad, or sit and contemplate life?
E-- My human usually thinks I'm dead
E- I'll get up for food
E I sleep and run around (in that order)
E+ My gymnastics would make Nadia envious
E++ My human runs his stereo off my wheel
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R: RHYTHM (Sleep/Wake cycle)
Usually hamsters are nocturnal: they come out at night to run around. But some people have managed to fool their hamster into thinking day is night and night is day.
R-- I'm awake only in the wee small hours of the morning
R- I'm awake in the late evening and early night
R You can see me in the late afternoon and evening
R+ I'll wake up whenever you want to see me
R++ You mean hamsters actually sleep?
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A: AGRESSIVENESS
Let's face it: hamsters are basically wild animals. They simply haven't been around humans long enough to be considered "domesticated." In fact, domestication may be the result of a genetic mutuation. People haven't needed to put hamsters to work for them, so there have not been many breeding programs designed to make them tamer.
A-- I'll let a two-year old boy handle me
A- You can play with me all day and I won't bite
A Handle me nice or I'll nip you
A+ If you're nice and gentle I probably won't bite you
A++ Even that cat is afraid of me
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D: DWELLING
Be it ever so humble, a hamster's home is its own private little castle.
D-- I'm kept in a dark shoebox
D- I have a small cage and would like to have a wheel
D I live in a standard wire cage with a wheel and water bottle
D+ I have a large aquarium with lots of bedding, a wheel, water and food
D++ My human singlehandedly keeps Habitrail in business
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Hamster code example:
ROSEBUD is the first hamster ever to have a hamster code. Here it is:
Rosebud: S X- 95/2 G(*) H(s) E+ R- A D
Brian Lowe
bl...@wpcusrgrp.org
http://www.wpcusrgrp.org/~blowe
Juliet Violette
that's cute!
Mine came up:
LIEPCHEN (Hammie-Girl):
S X ?/Y CR(*) H- W S- E+ R+ A D++
Juliet
Las Vegas
eme...@mclv.net