1/27/2006: Hamster and snake

The full story:

Hamster named Gohan, right, and snake Aochan live togther in a cardboard box at Mutsugoro Okoku zoo, outskirts of Tokyo, in this January 14, 2006 photo. Gohan and Aochan make strange bedfellows: one's a 9 centimeter dwarf hamster; the other is a 120 centimeter-long (yard-long) ratsnake. Zookeepers at Tokyo's Mutsugoro Okoku zoo presented the hamster - whose name means 'meal' in Japanese - to Aochan as a tasty morsel in October, after the snake refused to eat frozen mice. But instead of indulging, Aochan decided to make friends with the furry rodent, according to keeper Kazuya Yamamoto. The pair have shared a cage since.

Notice Aochan's blue eyes. He's going to molt soon. Slizzy's appetite at such times is at it's nadir. This pic makes look like a size mismatch as well. But now I wonder having turned up his nose at frozen mice, what's he eating? He appears to be saving Gohan for some future feast.

Kinda like the Pilgrim and his pet turkey.

I can guarantee that is a very uncomfortable hamster!

Someday Aochan's jaws will be big enough to get around his "friend."

People who anthropomorphize animals (beyond pretending to talk for their dogs and cats, and even that is sometimes suspect) are foolish at best.

the little hamster hands are in prayer mode.

Wow, this is weird. I landed on this page with stumble earlier today. Almost sent it to UT but the kids pulled me away from the pc.

They are stupid to leave the two together. The hamster could do some damage to the snake as well as the other way around. Any of you ever been bitten by a hamster? Snakes don't heal all that well from multiple bite wounds either.

I wonder which one is the breakfast:
http://letsbefriends.blogspot.com/#109406871460937834
(from the page jinx submitted)

This is about as scary as a goldfish living in a blender.

This image made me think of that great song by War from back in the 70's. Man those were deep lyrics!

Why can't we be friends?
Why can't we be friends?
Why can't we be friends?
Why can't we be friends?

I seen you 'round for a long long time
I really 'membered you when you drink my wine

Why can't we be friends?
Why can't we be friends?
Why can't we be friends?
Why can't we be friends?

I seen you walkin' down in Chinatown
I called you but you could not look around

Why can't we be friends?
Why can't we be friends?
Why can't we be friends?
Why can't we be friends?

I bring my money to the welfare line
I see you standing in it every time

Why can't we be friends?
Why can't we be friends?
Why can't we be friends?
Why can't we be friends?


The color of your skin don't matter to me
As long as we can live in harmony

Why can't we be friends?
Why can't we be friends?
Why can't we be friends?
Why can't we be friends?

I'd kinda like to be the President
so I can show you how your money's spent

Why can't we be friends?
Why can't we be friends?
Why can't we be friends?
Why can't we be friends?

Sometimes I don't speak too bright
but yet I know what I'm talking about

Why can't we be friends?
Why can't we be friends?
Why can't we be friends?
Why can't we be friends?

I know you're working for the CIA
they wouldn't have you in the Mafia

Why can't we be friends?
Why can't we be friends?
Why can't we be friends?
Why can't we be friends?

Why can't we be friends?
Why can't we be friends?
Why can't we be friends?
Why can't we be friends?

Why can't we be friends?
Why can't we be friends?
Why can't we be friends?
Why can't we be friends?

Why can't we be friends?
Why can't we be friends?
Why can't we be friends?
Why can't we be friends?

Why can't we be friends?
Why can't we be friends?
Why can't we be friends?

I always wondered why that song wasn't called, "Why can't we be friends?" That's what I woulda called it.

Why would someone bring money to the welfare line?

So which one of them 'dotted' the i? Maybe it's a Charlotte's Web type situation...

The snake finally would start eating the frozen mice again. It just took some time away from the food...

I tried to find a quote from when I read the article, but it is already gone from the website. Darn!

I don't think the hamster's stressed after being together for so many months.
It might freak when the snake sheds, though.

Know what a small bag of potato chips and a hampster have in commen?,,,,,

They make the same sound when you stomp on them!!!

Fargon, tell the truth now. They threw you out of England didn't they.

Having kept snakes (and rat snakes, too: Corn snakes are a type of rat snake) I can tell you that snake is big enough to get down a full-grown rat. It would take 20 minutes or so to swallow it, maybe. But in a small tank, even a health full-grown rat wouldn't stand a chance against the snake. That hamster wouldn't even make a bulge going down.

But weirder things have happened. The herpetologist who gave me the corn snake also had several king snakes. He would feed those geckos (the little 99 cent guys). They tossed a couple in one time and the king snake ate one but not the other. After about 6 months, they finally rewarded the gecko with his own tank.

It would not surprise me if some rare individuals just had a smell (or something) that made them unappetizing to predators. It would certainly be a natural selection benefit!

Chris

Pals.

This Danish News Site has a video of the snake and hamster. Click on the picture of the snake head on the right side of the page.