it got better…
I know adult women who keep mice. They just happen to like mice. I don’t think there’s an age limit to owning rodents.
And even if it would be considered very odd in some circles, since when do SDMB posters care about that? We’re all pretty odd already.
[QUOTE=Celyn]
2 - Were I to adopt a hamster, would it be massively cruel, or might it be all right, to leave it all alone for the occasional weekend? With plenty of food and water, obviously.
[/QUOTE]
I’ve never owned hamsters ('cuz I’m not a weirdo like you 
/jk), but I see that a lot of people on the internet want to know the same thing, and the general opinion seems to be that it’s just fine to leave a properly prepped hamster by itself for up to four days.
We put it in the freezer and it revived! 
(And yes, ddsun already pointed out the zombie-hamster aspect in the second post after revivification.)
Hamsters are solitary creatures. A pair would end up fighting to the death.
Ask me how I know 
How do you know?
Sometimes a mated pair or siblings will do OK, in a larger cage.
Hamsters don’t much interact with humans even when we are around, so I don’t see how not being around would be a problem.
"Boo will have clean wood shavings, you evil bastards! "
My investigation into this would begin with determining who was the beneficiary on the hamster’s life insurance.
Ooh, so one could, in theory at least, make lots of money by getting people to bet on hamster gladiator games?
(Not that I would, oh dear me no). 
Thanks to all who said it is OK to have hamsters. I might do that. I think even have plasticky wheels these days, which might cut down on the nocturnal squeaking.
Oh yes.
Do you know where the hamster food was made , was there anything from China in his cage ? It could had been lead poisoning if he had any toys made in China .
Yes, my introduction to this principle was putting a male and female hamster together. She flipped him over like a ninja and went for his throat. I jammed my hand in there and her teeth clicked against both sides of my
finger bone, punching entirely through my finger.
Both hamsters were unscathed.
There have been news reports of police busting up at least two separate illegal finch-fighting rings. Humans are dumbasses.
For nocturnal squeaking, WD-40 the wheel axle.
Calling dibs on “Hammibal Lecter” as my gladiator’s name.
“Hammesterball Lecter” is more punny…aka terrible.
Okay I rescind my dibs, yours is better.
I’m going with Hamsterus Rex instead.
Welcome to the SDMB.
It appears that your resurrection of this zombie thread about hamster death traumatized our resident hamsters to the point of inability to perform their function of keeping the Board operational. Unfortunately, such an incident cannot be permitted to pass without substantial consequences.
Please report to the room with the sign that reads: “Caution: Beware of Goats”*
*Do not be misled by the sign. There is no guarantee that your consequences will involve a goat or goats. We often employ giant squids.
It has been many many years. But I still miss my hamster very much.
No more pets for me!