Oreo Crumley
Oct 2020- Feb 18, 2023
Oreo was a very special and very loved long haired Siberian hamster(teddy bear). This sweet little guy got brought home after Pittsburgh had just gotten dumped with snow in December 2020. Over the next few years he got to enjoy traveling all over the place, all the way to Michigan and all the way down to the beaches in Virginia and North Carolina- he even got snuck into a military base! We were blessed with 2.5 years of snuggles and cuddling with him. He was especially loved by his owner Calli, her Mom, and Calli's Uncle, Joe who spent countless hours holding very still while Oreo slept in his arms. Oreo loved to run in his wheel and forage for food. A favorite past time was to move his house and rehide his stash while he came running and tried to pack it all back in his cheeks! He sure loved his treats, some of his most favorites were to eat the little strings of bananas like spaghetti, licking avocado off fingers, noodles, cucumbers, and of course any kind of fruit! He was very particular about his food, he would peel the skin off of almonds and was even able to eat just the fleshy outside of sugar snap peas while leaving the inside film. Oreo enjoyed packing his cheeks with goodies and had a very intricate system of which ones went into his house, and which ones were eaten and “hidden” behind his wheel. Oreo always thought “he was people,” he would stand on his hind legs for a long time while everyone watched as he wobbled but stayed there. Oreo was so smart, he could even destroy things from inside his ball, he pulled a sock and curtains into the tiny slats that were no wider than his teeth and shredded them. His favorite thing to do besides escape, was to sleep with people. He often would snuggle right into you and close his eyes and go to sleep. He would stay like that for hours, giving everyone so much enjoyment. When he escaped, you'd find him creeping around close to the ground and 2x's his normal length! Oreo got to even enjoy the outdoors in the summer, sitting outside with his beloved Calli and his fur sister Olympia. He got to explore the grass and clover in the sun. He would occasionally snack on some of the wild flowers and made a meal of the hydrangeas. Each night, Oreo went through his “witching hour” and woke up and ran and jumped around on the bed. He was so fast! He was also so smart! When he first came home, he was sleeping in Calli's room and escaped. He went back into his cage where he was found the next morning. It was only known he even escaped because of the shredded paper towel that he brought into his cage to sleep on- clever little guy!
The time flew by so fast, and even 20 more years would not have been enough time. Oreo taught his family what God's unconditional love for us is like. Just as He knows every detail of us, we learned every detail of Oreo, from his little “cow ear” spots, one black whisker, and tiny little pupils in what look like “just” black eyes, down to his tiny little “chicken feet”.
“And even the very hairs of your head are all numbered. So don't be afraid; you are worth more than many sparrows.” Matthew 10: 26-31
Oreo you are so, so loved, and will be so missed. You left your gentle little paw prints all over our memories, and a hamster-sized hole in our hearts.