Up until last week I used to share my 5.15 wakeup call with another early bird. Unlike me, he’d be brighteyed though not quite bushy tailed and raring to go.

Scurrying about, busying himself with things to do and making sure everything was just right for when he’d finished his night shift

We’d natter to each other as i prepared to venture out to my other less glamorous job as a school cleaner and put the world to rights in our 45 minutes together.

That was until last Sunday when his hustle and bustle became silent and we shared our precious moments no more.

 There’s no need to send sympathy cards flooding through my front door this wasn’t a human bereavement but i suppose to us it was like losing a member of the family.

I speak of course of our late lamented dwarf Chinese hamster, Sam Squeak, he of spider hamster ability and sunflower seed stuffed cheeks.

Purchased along with his brother Lava after a plea from the children for a pet for their birthday back in September 2011, the two little rodent fella’s came to live with us and charmed us with their antics.

Making burrows under their sawdust to avoid being seen. That odd noise they used to make that sounded like they were using a tiny pneumatic drill, climbing the bars of their cage and giving it some right old welly on their wheel.

Like Noel and Liam Gallagher though these brothers didn’t always get along and eventually things became so acrimonious that they decided to split up and live in separate cages.

The single life suited the two very well and soon the sound of bitter fights were replaced with something more harmonious.

Then in the summer we noticed Lava wasn’t doing so well, while they were both getting on in hamster years Sam was still running about like a good un but Lava was beginning to slow down and seem not so nimble on his feet. An accidental knock of his cage onto the floor didn’t help matters much either and one day in June he struggled to the corner of his cage, lay down and quietly passed away.

Many tears were shed as we buried him in a small box behind the garden fence and the realisation that we’d have to go through it all again at some point was a bitter pill to swallow.

Sam seemed to be going from strength to strength though and showing no signs of giving into old age yet , still giving us the run around when we were trying  to clean his cage, concealing himself like the world hide and seek champion . Dying seemed to be the last thing on this fella’s mind.

That was until however 2 weeks ago when I spotted what looked like a lump on his chin, we dismissed it at first as a displaced bit of stored food but when he emerged a few days later looking like he could give Bruce Forsyth a run for his money  we knew something was wrong .

A visit to the vet confirmed that while he did have a growth he was still in good nick and that with the help of some antibiotics for the infection he’d picked up there was no reason to have him put down and should let him just do his best with it.

And do his best he did,he was still living it up , in particular giving it his all in a spectacular wheel display as i sat typing at the computer last Thursday.

Then on Sunday I noticed his favourite nuts hadn’t been touched for nearly 24 hours and an inspection of his cage confirmed our worst fears.

As he was buried watched by two sad faces from their bedroom window and two trying not to cry adults, we all swore off ever having any other pets.

After all they come into your life, make you love them, then rip your heart out when they die.

So that’s it we’re never letting anything furry , scaly or feathery steal our hearts again ...

Well, until the next time , that is .