You awaken with a start as the sounds of laughter and shouting echo through your small hamster cage. You find yourself nestled in a soft, pink bedding that smells strongly of straw and cedar. The metal bars of your prison provide ample ventilation, but do nothing to block out the loud commotion that seems to emanate from all corners of the room.
Jimmy, your new owner, is an innocent boy with wide eyes and a gaptoothed grin. With both hands he shakes the cage, causing it to rattle, as he stares down at you from the other side of the bars. "jij! jij, come see!" he exclaims, beckoning you over with his finger.
Reluctantly, you climb out of the cozy bedding and onto the cold floor. Your little hamster legs struggle to maintain balance on the small wire mesh, but you manage to inch yourself towards Jimmy's smiling face. He reaches into the cage and picks you up, cradling your small, soft body in his chubby hands. "This is jij," he says proudly to his parents, who are busy preparing the house for the youth's sixth birthday. "I'm gonna take good care of it!"
