Woman gets whopping $1129 vet bill for hamster she bought for $20: 'He better live up to 10 years'

While pets can brighten up our lives considerably, they also come with many unavoidable responsibilities including grooming, feeding and ensuring their mental and physical well-being. All this can take a heavy toll on your finances. Recently in an ironic incident, a pet owner who brought her sick hamster in for a check-up was hit with an $1129 bill at the clinic. The irony here is in the fact that she purchased the hamster for only $20.

Elizabeth (@sarahcaceresx) was shocked when she received the estimate to treat her "$20 hamster," who had gotten sick. The charges included $587.43 for a Complete XRay Study w/ STAT Review at the ER along with other more minor charges that clearly added up to $1129.46. Although Elizabeth did not specify whether or not she had her little pet treated, the amusing caption "he better live up to 10 years" implied that she did. Another irony is that hamsters live for two to four years. One could, however, argue that since animals' lives are as important as human beings, they might as well be charged the same.

While many TikTok viewers agreed that animals are worth a lot more than $1129 irrespective of their lifespan, they were also left shaken looking at the bill amount charged at the vet. Many pet owners also related to this situation. "I remember we HAD a Guinea pig! They wanted to do a $2500 surgery and the survival rate was only 30%!" shared @sir_clide. "Me with a $1500 bill for my cat that cost $0" added @glocktoberfest. "He might be $20 bucks at the store but when they come home they are worth more than anything. They own the house," commented @ravieno1.

"I spent $900 on an amputation and I'd do it again. I loved having her so much; an extra 1.5 years without pain," expressed @sneezingfit. A few people mentioned that situations like this are why pet insurance may be worth the cost in some cases, especially if a pet owner never wants to be faced with the decision of whether spending money to try to save their pet is worth it based on the prognosis.

When it comes to cute little hamsters, they happen to create the most adorable yet chaotic moments. One lawyer skipped his work day to look for a hamster he was gifted by his daughter. At first, he was extremely upset he had lost the hamster. The daughter tried consoling him. "I'm never going to forgive myself if he doesn't come back," a message from him read. He then stated that would skip work the next day and continue his search if he was unable to find the hamster. He refused to give up and placed the hamster's food on the floor, forming a ring with flour around it. He even mentioned that the hamster enjoys peanut butter and that it could be used to track him down. Furthermore, he admitted that this was the most stressful event in his life since taking the Bar exam. He eventually discovered the hamster hiding somewhere in the house.