This One or That One

A woman and her daughter came into the store.
Carrying a hamster cage.
With a hamster inside of it.

O.o
Which usually doesn't bode well.
If a live pet comes into the store....usually that means that they want to return the animal.

This case....
It was muddled at first.

As the woman came in... I think to just exchange the cage originally.
As she didn't like how the top of the cage kept coming off, she couldn't keep it firmly in place.

So she wanted to know which cage was a good cage. One that was more sturdy.
Which....*shrugs* I have no idea.
I only know what customers tell me.
It's rare that I take any cages out of the box. Or put them together.
Soooo to recommend one...*shrugs*

Apparently the hamster and cage were a birthday gift from a couple of days before.
And as the conversation proceeded turns out she was looking for a hamster that wasn't so....furry.
As the hamster they were given. Was a Long-Haired Syrian. Otherwise known as the 'Teddy Bear Hamster' Which their fur tends to be longer and more fluffy.
The mother was concerned that she'd have to cut the fur. O.o Which...I haven't ever heard of a hamster needing a hair cut.
But she was insistent they get a different hamster.
So the daughter looked....

And decided to go for a Short Haired Syrian Hamster.
Which is basically the same as the Long-Haired Syrian...just the fur is shorter. *shrugs*

But the daughter seemed to like Him.
So we went through all the paperwork.
And I exchanged out the Long Haired Syrian for the Short Haired Syrain.

They went on their merry way.
And I placed the returned hamster into a back room as we observe them for a few days if they're returned to make sure that they're healthy.

And went on with the rest of my work duties.

Only, to get a call like half an hour later.
That apparently,
When they got home and the daughter went to put the hamster into the cage.
The Short Haired Syrian latched onto her finger. And wouldn't let go. Drawing blood and apparently leaving a bruise.

O.o Which...I've seen happen....hamsters do bite.
But a Syrian?
They bite. But only if they're startled/think they're being attacked.
It's rare for them to go all crazy and attack.

Especially since I'd handled the hamster before selling it to them. O.o
I mean, he was active, actually liking walking out on people's hands.
But I saw no indication of biting. Just curiosity.

Sooo to hear that it attacked the daughter....made me skeptical.
As why would it bite? Put it in the cage, leave it alone. Perhaps the daughter had been doing just that, moving the hamster...
But it was just as probable that she was handling the hamster when I told them not to for three days.

In any case.
Because she got bitten.
She wanted nothing to do with that hamster any more.
And so the mother wanted to know if she could return the hamster they'd just bought, and buy back the hamster they'd just returned. Why? Because that hamster hadn't bitten them.

To which I said yes.
So half an hour later.
She showed up with the hamster.
I exchanged him out for the one she'd just brought back.

And back home she went. *shakes head*

Guess that's a lesson in "be satisfied with what you have."

-Sarnic Dirchi