As the cooler seasons begin, humans go from wearing tank tops and shorts to dressing in layers and long sleeves to keep warm. Likewise, animals with fur tend to pack on the pounds and grow new, thicker fur in fall and winter.
Unfortunately, for a hairless hamster named Silky, she never had the luxury of having toasty fur to keep her warm, as a rare genetic mutation is to blame for her smooth skin. So, when the shivering critter showed up at the Oregon Humane Society, animal technician Selene Mejia was convinced she needed to do something to help her.
That’s when Mejia decided to crochet a small, custom sweater for Silky. With the addition of the fluffy sweater wrapped snuggly around Silky’s tiny body, the hairless rodent would be much warmer in the wintertime. Now Silky can thrive just like any other hamster.
As many know, however, some animals hate wearing any sort of garment or accessory. Fortunately, Silky enjoys her sweater, which looks more like a wooly vest – look ma, no sleeves! The hamster can easily mover her arms with ease while wearing her hand-knit article of clothing.
Right now, the hamster only wears her signature sweater on certain occasions because vets are concerned that she’ll try to eat it. For the times she doesn’t wear her little garment, Silky stays warm in her clean habitat.
Having no fur might be a challenge for Silky, but in the end, she’s still a hamster; she just has specific needs.
“While she isn’t fluffy like a normal hamster, she is just as cuddly and playful as any other hamster, says Diana Gabaldon of the Oregon Humane Society, “She does need to be kept in a heated environment, especially during the winter, and have a higher protein diet to keep her warm.”
Due to her special needs, the hamster would require a good home with an attentive owner who would be mindful of her requirements.
As of October of 2016, Silky was recovering from an eye infection. While it’s uncertain where Silky is today, she was eventually adopted out to a forever home following the recovery of her infection. We hope she went to the best home possible!
Scroll down to meet Silky, or as many commenters refer to her as, a small, sweater-wearing hippo. Isn’t she just so cute?
