Nobody loves hamsters more than West Delaware’s Josh Reddingius (10).
Reddingius has four hamsters right now and has purchased all of them from the Fish Shack in downtown Manchester.
Reddingius has loved hamsters since he was eight years old. His mom’s friend owned a hamster and made him interested in buying one. His mom agreed and asked him what hamster he wanted. He knew right away that he wanted an orange and white one.
He came home from school one day, and when he walked through the door, he saw a hamster in a cage. He has never been happier than in that moment.
He named it Humprey based on the book “The World According to Humprey.” When Josh was ten, Humprey passed away.
After Humprey, he bought more hamsters, including one named Cinnamon. “He was my best friend and slept on my shoulder,” Reddingius said. “He was a very special hamster.”
Cinnamon passed during the summer and Reddingius misses him every day. He had Cinnamon cremated and put into a necklace that Reddingius now wears every day. “It reminds me that he is always with me,” Reddingius said.
Reddingius made the decision that he is not going to purchase any more hamsters after these last four. “It is too hard to see them go,” Reddingius said.