The hamsters came from Everett Engle of Engle Laboratory Animals whose breeding stock originally came from Gulf Hamstery.[2] The hamsters escaped on their second night living at the White House.[3] President Kennedy captured them later under his bed.[3]
The pair had a litter of pups. One hamster drowned in a tub and the rest were eaten by their father[1] and then "the mother hamster killed the father and then died herself, probably of indigestion."[4]