Introducing ... the Hamster Code
bl...@wpcusrgrp.org
Hello to all hamster lovers!
A popular pastime on the 'net is to set up and use "codes," that is, a list of attributes with modifiers that show their applicability to the person or thing being coded.
Since I started reading alt.pets.hamsters, I noticed that in all the time this newsgroup has been running, no one has set up a hamster code. So I created one and am introducing it to the hamster world. It is my hope people posting to alt.pets.hamsters will include their hamsters' codes as well. I have included Rosebud's hamster code at the end of this message, just before the Hamster Code text.
I have put the code together for the entertainment and use of the hamster community all over the world. Please feel free to suggest additions, changes, and corrections. I can be reached by e-mail at bl...@wpcusrgrp.org.
Here is the full text version of the code with an example at the end. There is an HTML version of the code on the WWW at http://www.wpcusrgrp.org/~blowe/hcode.html.
Take care!
Brian Lowe
bl...@wpcusrgrp.org
http://wpcusrgrp.org/~blowe
Rosebud: GO G 96/2 X S E+ A+ R- H <== This is a hamster code
Hamster pages: http://wpcusrgrp.org/~blowe/hamster.html
WWW Hamster Code Page: http://wpcusrgrp.org/~blowe/hcode.html
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THE HAMSTER CODE
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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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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.
CH - Chinese Hamster
CO - Common Hamster
EV - Eversmann's Hamster
GO - Golden Hamster
LT - Longtailed Hamster
MG - Migratory Hamster
ML - Mouse-like Hamster
RT - Rat Hamster
RD - Russian Dwarf Hamster
SD - Short Dwarf Hamster
ST - Striped Hamster
SH - Striped Hairy Foot Russian Hamster
TB - Tibetan Hamster
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COLOUR:
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. But it would make the code too complex to try and give an idea of the pattern as well.
G - Gold
W - Shite
S - Silver
B - Black
N - Brown
C - Chocolate
R - Red (Orange)
D - Ruddy
Colours can be combined with a "+" sign; eg, B+W=Black and White
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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. 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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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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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++ The floors tremble when I walk
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W: WEIGHT
Hamster weights can vary from one end of the scale to the other, too.
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++ 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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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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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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H: HOME
Be it ever so humble, a hamster's home is its own private little castle.
H-- I'm kept in a dark shoebox
H- I have a small cage and would like to have a wheel
H I live in a standard wire cage with a wheel and water bottle
H+ I have a large aquarium with lots of bedding, a wheel, water and food
H++ 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: GO G 96/2 X S E+ A+ R- H
DanielleDW
OK. This is kind of fun. Here's mine:
Huey: GO G+W 95/10 Y S W+ E+ A- R- H+
My hamster Huey even has his own e-mail address: HueyH...@juno.com
Sometimes he gets more mail than me :(
bl...@wpcusrgrp.org
In <553onj$n...@newsbf02.news.aol.com>, danie...@aol.com (DanielleDW) writes:
Hi Danielle,
>OK. This is kind of fun. Here's mine:
>Huey: GO G+W 95/10 Y S W+ E+ A- R- H+
Hey, another hamster code! Thanks for joining in.
Brian Lowe
bl...@wpcusrgrp.org
Rosebud: S X 95/2 H(s) S W E+ A+ R- D