Flat White

Species: Dwarf Hybrid 

Gender: Male

Est. DOB: Jan/Feb 2025

Likes: Corners, Food & Tunnels.

Dislikes: Being woken up, Sharing space & Wiggly fingers.

Requirements:

Cage: Min. 90x50x50cm - As per HSS guidelines

Although at the moment he is in a 100x50x50cm acrylic cage. Please keep this in mind if you go with a 90cm long cage as he may have gotten used to a larger size. 

Wheel: Min. 21cm - As per HSS guidelines. 

PLEASE NOTE: He pees on his wheel a fair bit. You should wipe it down every other day. You will start to see it become opaque and nasty and you will know it’s cleaning time.

Bedding: 

I use a mixture of the following bedding, however you only need one (1) kind of any of the stated paper based beddings. I personally enjoy mixing textures as I have access to various types via donations. 

  • Oxbow Pure Comfort 

    • NOTE: it is important to manually crumble the compressed bedding when it is taken from the packaging while the hamster is NOT in the enclosure as this can create dust. Once this is done though, it will be fine for the hamster.

  • Teabag Bedding from FatPouches

  • Jonsanty Hamster Bedding

OPTIONAL: 

  • Timothy hay or Aspen shavings to provide texture and structure for tunnelling mixed into the paper bedding, or to place inside hideouts as extra texture.

    • Currently using Niteangel and Kaytee, but Oxbow is also ok.

      • ALTERNATIVE: Can also use the Marukan brand of Aspen shavings.

        • Optional: Shredded tissue paper for a pop of colour! Currently using IKEA brand coloured paper napkins.

    • I also have placed some Niteangel brand dry moss layered with other hamster safe wood substrates in a few hideouts for texture. Shout out to all the kind donors out there!

Food: 

Currently using a mixture of FatPouches Standard Hamster Seed Mix and Bunny Dream Expert Dwarf Hamster. 

  • I encourage you to also get a foraging mix from FatPouches such as the Foraging Seed Mix or Delight Mix! This can be sprinkled and lightly mixed into the bedding every few days. 

  • Alternative foraging choices can simply be another brand of HSS approved seed mix such as Rodipet brand to provide diversity in “healthy” feed/foraging.

I've also provided him with sprays like millet and flax. Millet sprays that are marketed towards pet birds are just as tasty for hamsters. 

Enrichment:

  • At least 3 hideouts 

    • Can be one large nesting area/chamber hideout and 2 smaller ceramic or cardboard hideouts.

      • A main nesting area can be made by connecting 2 hideouts with one tunnel (EG: plain tunnel with middle hole, or T shaped tunnel - DIY them with cardboard toilet tubes!)

  • It is recommended he has enough bedding to properly dig around in. Please refer to the HSS website for further advice.

    • OPTIONAL: Non perishable treats and food hidden in bedding.

  • OPTIONAL: A dig jar or box partially filled with coco peat and mixed with non-perishable (as in not too oily to attract ants) and dry treats and seeds, as well as some short stalks of sprays. 

    • The FÖRVAR jar from IKEA is a good choice for this kind of enrichment activity!

    • RAJTAN from IKEA is another alternative. 

    • As long as the jar or container is slightly tilted or easy for him to get in and out of it should be fine. 

Fosterer’s Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/deep.space.ham9/ 

Profile: 

Some hamsters are scaredy cats, and some hamsters are meanies. Flat White may be a mix of the two, but he’s just misunderstood… Coming from a batch of 14 surrendered hamsters, Flat White was initially thought to be bonded with a smaller hamster. However, soon after arriving at his fosterers home, he realised he actually didn’t LIKE sharing. After being split up, Flat White found himself to be more at peace and content with the space. He found that he enjoyed hiding in the corner behind his bubble tea hidey, and even burrowing deep in bedding!

Flat White’s true love however, will ALWAYS be food. From his hefty weight of 70g, to his inability to leave a full food bowl unattended, Mr Fatty will never not accept a treat. Fatty White is truly best suited for someone who likes a challenge, because getting him to trust you enough to stop nipping at your fingers will be a TRUE test of skills. That being said, he’s not a vicious guy and he’s not biting for the sake of being cruel, he’s just a lil’ nervous and probably carries some deep seeded hammy trauma. 

Adopt this fat-fat naughty boy, and you’ll never be bored in the evenings again!