Cook For Your Hamster: Mathijs Van Der Paauw's Happy Hamster Rodent Cookbook

Mathijs preparing hamster Ceasar Salad.

Not obsessive at all.

MVDP: My hamster hobby is my favorite thing to devote my (precious) spare time to. Taking care of a pet is a very rewarding and fun thing to do. From that, HamsterTracker.com was born; a combination of hobbies; hamster-care, photography, blogging, electronics, software engineering, etc. The challenges I experienced doing all this are all dear to me.

From all that the Happy Hamster book evolved; a very exciting (new) adventure! The experience of working with Chronicle Books is a very enjoyable one. They coached me during the writing process while always listening to my remarks and (sometimes crazy) ideas. To finally have a physical copy of the book in your hand is an indescribable and very special feeling, something I hope that I've earned 'bragging rights' on this subject for life!

I could write a book about this exciting adventure, it would now include this exciting new chapter; my interview with LA Weekly, a newspaper I am responding to from the other side of our globe! Pretty cool that my love for my hamsters caused all of this!

SI: Has Lucy ever rejected any of the meals you prepared for her? If so, is it devastating for you?

MVDP: If it would, I suppose you should blame the chef; if your audience doesn't like your cooking, you may have picked the wrong ingredients, or simply prepared it the wrong way.

With hamsters it's hard to know if they *truly* like it; when they're presented a new recipe they generally go into pouching-mode; stuffing it all in their pouches to quickly bring to the place they sleep. A quick night snack is not only for humans, as you may also know.

I always do a full cage clean the day after I serve a meal like this. I have never found any food remains in the bedding. Job well done, I suppose.