My hamster

This is Falafel; I bought him from a pet shop, and I don't trust these people to be able to tell boys and girls apart. I chose a unisex sort of name on purpose, but this little fella was in a cage marked 'Female Syrian Hamsters'. Later, when I saw him carefully licking what were definitely male naughty bits, I realised that my lack of confidence was totally

justified.

I combed his fur with a toothbrush before taking the photo (not the same one that I use to clean my teeth, I hasten to add), so he looks all neat and smart for the camera. He was very well behaved while I did this; Herbert would not have tolerated this kind of treatment in a million years, so it was just as well that she had short hair.

(By the way, for any readers not familiar with my hamsters, Herbert was a female hamster sold to me as a male. I wonder if pet shop staff know where babies come from ...)