Latest news with #hamster
Yahoo
24-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
'How my pet hamster led me to my future wife'
When Chris Davies's daughter first begged him for a hamster, he wasn't exactly thrilled. But eight-year-old Lily, after hours of research, managed to convince her dad they were not just "starter pets" and to welcome one into their home. The NHS nurse bought Popcorn, a hamster he said he knew there was "something different" about from the beginning. But nothing could have prepared Chris for the "surreal" impact the rodent would have on his life, eventually leading him to the woman he will soon marry. Not long after bringing Popcorn home, Chris' life took an expected turn as he had a "sudden" break-up. "I was broken after," he said. Yet during those lonely times, it was Popcorn who offered him unexpected support. "I thought I'd just be more open-minded and see what this animal was about." Chris was surprised to find that Popcorn behaved more like a loyal puppy than a rodent. "He was following me like a dog," he said. "I got him on the sofa with me, and he fell asleep on my chest. I couldn't believe it." For Chris, who struggles with anxiety, Popcorn soon became a source of calm and connection. "It was just a really beautiful thing. It was mindfulness. "Being a nurse in the NHS, some days are quite hard and it's really stressful, but Popcorn would just calm me down." Lily and other family members began encouraging Chris to post videos of Popcorn's behaviour online. "I was kind of anxious at first," Chris said. "How many blokes do you see lying on a sofa with a hamster?" But almost as soon as Chris began posting videos of Popcorn on TikTok, they took off. More than140,000 fans were charmed by Popcorn's unusual personality, his affection and his bond with Chris and Lily. He became, as Chris lovingly described him, their "micro-dog". What followed was a bizarre set of events no one could have been predicted, Chris said. As Popcorn gained popularity online, Chris and Lily wrote a book together about the impact that the little critter had on their family, which was then published in May 2024. Then one evening, Chris then received a comment from a fellow Cardiffian, Carrie, telling him his content was "cute". The pair got chatting, soon discovering mutual passions, a shared love for animals and even the same profession. "We were living only a mile apart, but we'd never bumped into each other," Chris said. "It was crazy." Chris and Carrie met in person a few months later and when Carrie held Popcorn, Chris said, it was like a something "clicked into place". The family, which has now grown to include Carrie and her children as well, sadly lost Popcorn in the summer of 2023. But fast forward to today and Chris and Carrie are engaged, set to marry this December. Their wedding cake will even feature a small tribute to Popcorn, with his name written at the bottom. "Without him it wouldn't have happened, you know. He was cupid, in a way." Chris said. Though Popcorn has been gone for a few years now, his impact remains immeasurable. For Chris, he was more than just a pet. "There's never be another Popcorn," he said. "He was just a one-off."
BBC News
24-05-2025
- Entertainment
- BBC News
'Popcorn the hamster led me to meet the love of my life'
When Chris Davies's daughter first begged him for a hamster, he wasn't exactly eight-year-old Lily, after hours of research, managed to convinced her dad they were not just "starter pets" and to welcome one into their home. The NHS nurse bought Popcorn, a hamster he said he knew there was "something different" about from the nothing could have prepared Chris for the "surreal" impact the rodent would have on his life, eventually leading him to the woman he will soon marry. Not long after bringing Popcorn home, Chris' life took an expected turn as he had a "sudden" break-up."I was broken after," he said. Yet during those lonely times, it was Popcorn who offered him unexpected support."I thought I'd just be more open-minded and see what this animal was about."Chris was surprised to find that Popcorn behaved more like a loyal puppy than a rodent."He was following me like a dog," he said. "I got him on the sofa with me, and he fell asleep on my chest. I couldn't believe it." For Chris, who struggles with anxiety, Popcorn soon became a source of calm and connection."It was just a really beautiful thing. It was mindfulness. "Being a nurse in the NHS, some days are quite hard and it's really stressful, but Popcorn would just calm me down."Lily and other family members began encouraging Chris to post videos of Popcorn's behaviour online."I was kind of anxious at first," Chris said. "How many blokes do you see lying on a sofa with a hamster?"But almost as soon as Chris began posting videos of Popcorn on TikTok, they took off. More than140,000 fans were charmed by Popcorn's unusual personality, his affection and his bond with Chris and became, as Chris lovingly described him, their "micro-dog". What followed was a bizarre set of events no one could have been predicted, Chris Popcorn gained popularity online, Chris and Lily wrote a book together about the impact that the little critter had on their family, which was then published in May one evening, Chris then received a comment from a fellow Cardiffian, Carrie, telling him his content was "cute".The pair got chatting, soon discovering mutual passions, a shared love for animals and even the same profession."We were living only a mile apart, but we'd never bumped into each other," Chris said. "It was crazy." Chris and Carrie met in person a few months later and when Carrie held Popcorn, Chris said, it was like a something "clicked into place".The family, which has now grown to include Carrie and her children as well, sadly lost Popcorn in the summer of fast forward to today and Chris and Carrie are engaged, set to marry this wedding cake will even feature a small tribute to Popcorn, with his name written at the bottom. "Without him it wouldn't have happened, you know. He was cupid, in a way." Chris Popcorn has been gone for a few years now, his impact remains Chris, he was more than just a pet. "There's never be another Popcorn," he said. "He was just a one-off."
The Sun
20-05-2025
- Entertainment
- The Sun
I'm a pregnant mum of 4 struggling on UC – we're in a 2-bed but have a new addition… trolls call me ‘neglectful & cruel'
FAMILY GROWTH Trolls insisted Nicole's house is "going to stink" after she revealed the new addition to the family A PREGNANT mum-of-four has been slammed by trolls after revealing they've got a new addition to their family. Nicole Austin regularly goes viral on social media when she shares a look inside her messy two-bed home - an issue she's been trying to get on top of. 6 6 6 6 However, she found herself under fire once again after sharing a TikTok video in which she shared the news that the family have a new pet. "We also have a new addition, a hamster!" Nicole - who has three daughters of nine, eight and six, a two-year-old son and another boy on the way - said in the clip. Referring to the mess over the floor surrounding the animal's cage, Nicole continued: "That is bedding and hamster stuff all over the floor because I've just cleaned the cage." But people in the comments section were unimpressed by Nicole's revelation about the new addition, with one writing: "Why the f**k would you get a pet?" "Wtf was she thinking?" another added. "Hamsters do actually take up a lot of time, I bet it's left to rot after the fun wears off, especially with a newborn coming. "The woman is so selfish!" "If your children have additional needs and you're allowing them to live in this filth then you're an even worse mum of what I thought already," a third sighed. "Neglectful and cruel! Sort it out." "Why the f**k have you got a pet in these circumstances?" someone else wondered. "You don't deserve kids or pets," another cruelly commented. "Your house is gonna STINK with a hamster cage you don't even clean your own home never mind their cage!" someone else said. As another wrote: "Can't afford the kids she's got but throws a pet in to the mix! "Stop expecting social media to fund your life." Elsewhere in the video, Nicole explained that however hard she works to get her "tiny" two-bedroom house into shape, she always feels like she's "drowning". "I never feel like the house is good enough," she sighed. "Even when it is all tidy, it doesn't feel tidy. We don't have the money to get all the storage stuff. "And I need to also be saving for a car. How do people find the money? "And how do people manage on a low-income household doing all these things? "You guys can hate me all you like, but I really really need your advice." Predicting that people were going to respond telling her to get a job, Nicole added: "I'm working really hard to improve my social media so I can earn more money. "And I'm always on the lookout for jobs for myself. "Although I don't know how I'd manage a full-time social media career, a job and all my kids' appointments too. "Life's so hard." "I'm struggling so bad to just keep on top of everything financially!" Nicole wrote in the video caption. "I don't know how people do it! "This world is so expensive and trying to get a car after you've had kids is wild." 6 6
