Save The Hamsters!: The Help A Hammy Program by Alex Brown

What is Help A Hammy?

The Help A Hammy Program is a program to inform potential and former hamster owners, pet shop workers the most important breeders, that your happy hamster may have an unhappy fate.

My Experience

I had a hamster once his name was Mr. Nibbles, he was a real sweetie he would snuggle for an hour on a fluffy blanket while we watched a movie and he never ever bit anyone during his whole life. Until one day while I was doing some school work I noticed his eye was way bigger and goopier than ever, I started panicking I told my dad and frantically about Nibby's eye. Later, when mom came to look at him we went on a website all about hamsters and we discovered he had Diabetes and Glaucoma. Soon after he died. We found out that stinky pee (a clue right under our noses) was a sign of Diabetes and we didn't even know it.

Pocket Nib Nib snuggles Photo by: Alex Brown

Why Would That Happen?

Hamsters are prone to Diabetes, they will pick all the seeds out of the food mix causing an imbalance in nutrition. I call this "candy seed picking.  If your hamster does not do this bad habit (or you put them on a diet) they still have just as much of a chance of getting diabetes depending on what the breeders feed the hamster's mother and father. If the hamsters parents already have Diabetes the genetic make up will cause the baby hamsters to become more prone to the disease.

What To Look For

To check if your hamster has diabetes check for concentrated/stinky urine, seed hoarding (hidden seed) and lack of exercise. (their fur may smell bad as well)

Help A Hammy Purpose

I want to reach out to unsuspecting breeders and hamster owners to warn them that their hamster may have Diabetes and in the future to feed their hamster less seed and more veggies. I have set a goal to keep having people feed their hamsters healthy food and slowly begin to eliminate their glutinous habits    and have happy hamsters stay happy.

Hamster Food Suggestions

For hamster food I prefer cut up vegetables such as carrots, lettuce and especially kale, timothy hay is also an option that is good for them as well but they often reject it. Anything and I mean ANYTHING besides that I would research before you give it to your hamster (yes, even cucumber you should research ) P.S hamsters can still eat seed just give it to them only for a day or two a week so they don't pig out :-) Other Suggestions: you can also use a sifter to make sure that the amount of sunflower seeds is balanced
                                                                                                                         

The President Paragraph

     The President is the leader of the U.S.A. He signs laws passed by Congress, and also is Commander-in-Chief of The Armed Forces. He discusses problems with world leaders. Last but not least, he chooses officials to help run the country.

Ronald Reagen Photo By: Happyme22

Two Steps Forward One Step Back

     I had a bad experience with public education, my first years were fine but when I got older the math curriculum changed and I was struggling with division, multiplication as well as other parts in math. Both schools I went to (I won't tell names) had very bad math curriculum. Some methods they wanted to use which were "supposedly" easier ways to do math included, "lattice method", "box method" and the the most ferocious " Big 7". These methods were used to teach division and multiplication.
     The more I struggled, my mom decided to send me to a math tutor for half an hour every Friday to do multiplication cards and division work sheets and I did great! I went back to class proud and excited to conquer this math, only to fail again. The reason for all these times I failed was the school was teaching me fake math and my tutor was teaching me real math. My mom had enough and so did I, so  for the Summer I was sent to a math class to give myself a boost. I started learning more by the second and before I knew it I was nailing it! The math was real. I understood the concepts and why repetition in math is important. This helped us decide to homeschool for fifth grade, we've discovered the sky's the limit, cursive is back, I love history and I finish at twelve.

So parents if you or your kid is failing think about what the school is teaching you, Is it real?

The Treasure Seekers: Mini Book Report

I am Reading The Treasure  Seekers by E Nesbit so far Dora (the eldest of six kids) gathered all the other kids Alice, Dickey, Oswald, Horace Octavius and Noel to come up with ways to find treasure for the family which has become poor since their mom died, their plans were:

• Horace Octavius - gold bandits
• Oswald - highway robbery or a rescue
• Alice - divining rod
• Dickey (the sophisticated one) -mail order business 
• Dora - digging for treasure 
• Noel - was secretive about his idea

I would dress up as sickly hobo kid and go out to beg for money and for the grand finally I DIE but then when I feel a warm hand in my shoulder, I gasp and cough then slouch back up and because the poor soul feels so sorry for this poor kid he gives me money galore. Just kidding, that's not right! I would rather go into business, I would get a lot of old clothes and make stuffed animals, dresses, bonnets and more! Back then, the main stream items people buy and sell are clothing, dolls, soap, jewelry and ink, I would try all of those to see which one sells the best.

The Way Ben Franklin Likes His Turkey

In an endearing letter to his daughter Ben Franklin said:

"I wish the eagle hadn't been chosen representative for our country. He is a bird of bad character. He will watch as the diligent River Hawk dives down to catch his splendorous meal to take back to his mate and chicks but then the eagle attacks him and grasps his prize for he is too lazy to catch fish for himself. He is like a robber more so than a honorary bird. The king bird not smaller than the common sparrow battles him boldly and drives him away. I prefer a Turkey, because the turkey is a much more honorable bird though a little vain and silly he is a bird of courage and would not hesitate to attack a grenadier at his farm with a red coat on."

I would choose the Secretary Bird because it sounds organized and honorable.


Resources:
http://www.fi.edu/franklin/birthday/faq.html#35

The Pontiac Rebellion

     The Pontiac Rebellion was named after the chief of the Ottawa Indian tribe which were allies with the French. The Indians were being pushed off their land by the British, the Indians waged war against them. The first attack was Fort Detroit, The Indians would trick the British by letting them have access to the fort and when everybody was inside the Indians would rush to the fort and kill as many as they could. They repeated the following strategy to other forts, in fact, they were ruthless and killed a school teacher and her ten students.
     Because of the ruthless killing militias were formed, this intensified the fighting. Finally, the British and Pontiac signed a treaty that stopped the conflict. However, no prisoners were taken and no land was ceded by the indians.
   

Proclamation of 1763

     After The French Indian War the British and the French signed a treaty. The British victory led to the Proclamation of 1763. This Proclamation stated settlers could not could not go beyond the Appalachian Mountains and could not make land deals with the Indians. This upset many colonists, some had already settled beyond the boundary and their land was taken away. Many ignored this Proclamation. some veterans of the war were to receive land grants as a reward. The British did procure land from the Indians for the purpose of settlement.

     The contention settlers had with The British Proclamation was interference in private matters. Many felt it was unnecessary to go through the British parliament in order to obtain a way of living.

The Old Crippled Tree

     There once was an old crippled tree in the middle of an old American town, the people despised it so. They where unhappy with its rusty, flaky bark and its twisted branches with a big squirrel hole in the high middle. The town folk complained it made their town look grey and lacking color, like the old man who lives in a shanty on the far part of town.
     All the town had a meeting and decided the tree would be cut down at once. The old man was chosen to accomplish this, they provided him an ax and nothing more, so he started for the large tree at a slow pace. Then he chopped it down in a few thwacks for the tree was very dry. Inside was a fine crimson brown color, some awed but some had no interest in it. The very next day there was a lot of elegant fragrance in the air and the women and men sprang from their windows to see … a mahogany cottage and an old man with a gun barrel to match sitting on a stump of a chair. Every one began to walk and wonder to the old mans house as soon as they got there they cheered "Oh,where did you get that wonderful wood?!"
     Then he quieted all the town folk and said "Why you fools it is the old twisted tree I cut down the other day," at once they all awed at the mistake they had made. They all trudged home wishing they had the The Mahogany Tree.

"A mahogany cottage and an old man with a gun to match sitting on a stump of  a chair"
Photo by: jo-h

"Sitting on a stump of a chair"
Photo by: Robert Beljil photography