No wisdom in this saying but it sure is cute :)

ONE HAS TO WONDER exactly why Argentinean boffins were feeding Viagra to hamsters in the first place. What deviant practice had they in mind and would pictures subsequently appear on the web?

But putting aside these unsavoury thoughts, whatever the reason, the scientists at the National University of Quilmes in Buenos Aires appear to have stumbled over a cure for jet lag, reports Nature. Obviously, the hardest part of the experiment involved training the rodents to swallow the blue pills rather than storing them in their pouches.

The hamsters’ body clocks were advanced by six hours, the time taken for a transatlantic flight from New York to London, allowing them to resume wheel-oriented activity 50 percent faster than those not taking the drug. It remains to be seen if sildenafil, the active ingredient in Viagra, will have a similar effect on humans or whether they will be otherwise distracted and not notice the symptoms of jet-lag at all.

A boy who suffers from a rare illness which stunts his growth has shot up two inches - with the help of hamsters.

A pioneering treatment using the rodent’s enzymes has given Oliver Moody his life back, according to his parents.

As well as the growth spurt, the 12-year- old’s organs are being cleansed of the deadly toxins they once held.

And in a rather pleasant sideeffect, the injection of a little hamster has made his hair much softer.

“It is absolutely amazing,” said his father Paul. “Who would have thought a little creature like a hamster could help to give my son his life back. It’s every parent’s dream.”

At the age of four, Oliver was diagnosed with the genetic disorder mucopolysaccharidosis (MPS) VI.

This means he is missing a vital enzyme which breaks down harmful chemicals in the body.

Without it, the toxins collect in vital organs, potentially starving them of oxygen.

Sufferers usually have severe problems with their bones, too, and most stop growing before their teens.

Until now, there was no way to treat the condition. But this method, developed by an American company, appears to relieve the symptoms.

The enzyme that Oliver lacks is extracted from Chinese hamsters, genetically modified and encased in vials. The solution is given to the patient through a drip.

At an estimated £300,000 a year, it does not come cheap, and has to be approved by the Government, rather than an NHS trust. Only seven others are using it in the UK.

But Mr Moody, 48, and his wife Dawn, 44, from Leeds, were determined to give their son a chance.

Before beginning the treatment last May, Oliver was around 3ft 10in tall, and had not grown in two years.

Mr Moody, a company director, said: “The increase in his height was the best thing for Oliver because he really wanted to be a bit bigger.

“But we also know that his organs are improving, too. Before, his liver and kidneys and the area around them were swollen and his tummy had a sort of bulbous look.

“Soon after though, we could tell he was getting better because his tummy went flat. We can see he is getting better - there are little things like his hair was really coarse but then a few weeks after he started treatment it started getting softer.

“We are over the moon, absolutely delighted.’

Oliver, who has a brother Elliot, 15, and sister Emily, eight, receives the hamster extract once a week at home.

“A nurse comes and administers the treatment. It takes four hours so he plays on his computer or watches TV.

“He’s delighted because he gets an afternoon off school. But for us it is just amazing.

“Nothing could compare to getting this treatment for our son - it’s better than winning the lottery.”

It was perfect racing conditions for some furry, but fierce competitors.

It was the annual hamster ball derby at the Petco pet store in Lansing.

Using their hamster balls, the rodents raced down an eight-foot track in the general direction of the finish line.

It’s all for fun and the thrill of the race.

Believe it or not, there are 10 million pet hamsters nationwide.

Mark Francis, Petco employee: “It’s just to help celebrate the human and animal bond. Everybody loves their pet and this is just one way they can enjoy their pet, take it outside and have fun with them.”

A hamster trapped in a kitchen pipe was eventually rescued by being sucked up on the end of a vacuum cleaner.

Henry got stuck in a pipe measuring almost 4in (10cm) wide and 4ft (1.2m) deep at a house in Tamworth, Staffordshire.

After the RSPCA failed to reach him, help was sought from two council wardens who tied a number of hamster ladders and Curly Wurly bars together.

Finally, a narrow attachment on the vacuum was used to retrieve him.

He was unharmed apart from worn down nails.

A statement from Tamworth Borough Council said the owner’s son was terrified of Henry so the wardens found him a new home and also paid the vet’s bill.

It continued: “Henry is now safe and sound and has been given a good home by the council’s customer services manager who has adopted him for her son.”