Reaching In

 So our cages have locks on them.

You know...to prevent people from accessing the animals without our supervision.

The main thing about the locks though is that they're on a hinge system.

So there's this big 'bar' across all the cages in a row and if you put your key in the lock and unlock it the 'bar' folds down allowing you to pull the cage out so you can open it up.

Downside to having this type of bar system is that little kids will use any type of purchase they can find to hold onto so they can pull themselves up to see the animals that are in cages taller than them.

Which this flat plasticy sort of bar....has just the right type of handholds to encourage little fingers to grab on.

And that means that with enough force, the flat bar across the cage can actually be pulled down without unlocking the cage.

It doesn't happen that often. But can still occur.

And there's this one particular lock along a row of our hamster cages that seems to take a major beating when it comes to be 'accidentally' pulled open. 

It's gotten to the point where the little lever that 'locks' the cage has seen so much wear and tear that it's nearly snapped off at this point. (I have had my manager order a new part for this) 

Meaning that it's a lot easier to pull open this particular bar than it should be because the lever in the lock has been warped enough with the stress of being pulled open that it doesn't hold as well as it should be.

Normally it's not that big of a deal.

We see the bar has been pulled down and go 'lock' it again. 

Today though?

I walk by the hamster area and see that the bar is down...but I also see a man standing at the cages.

With one cage pulled open.

With him reaching into said cage to try and grab a hamster.

And I was like !!!!! "SIR YOU CAN'T DO THAT!" 

Ugh.

Like...it always boggles my mind when people think they can just...touch things. That they can just reach in and grab the animals themselves. (though usually this occurs with crickets and sometimes with fish as those are easier to access) 

But like....I don't know if one of his family members was the one to pull the bar down.

But why in the world did he think it was a 'good' idea to try and see the hamster himself? Especially since we're still suffering from the pandemic stuff and such?

*shakes head*

They ended up getting a couple of hamsters (one for each kid, one in each cage)

But still. I was irritated at them for just assuming they could reach in and grab a hamster.

Not. A. Good. Idea.

Until you next find these words;
I'll be watching the leaves. 
Enjoy the day!

-Sarnic Dirchi