Species: Dwarf Hybrid

Gender: Male

Est. DOB: May/June 2025

Likes: Sleeping under his wheel, Peeing on his wheel & Daytime treats.

Dislikes: Rude behaviour, When a finger isn’t a treat & Sharing food.

Requirements:

Cage: Min. 90x50x50cm - As per HSS guidelines

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

PLEASE NOTE: He pees on his wheel ALL. THE. TIME. You NEED to wipe it down at the minimum, 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

https://fatpouches.com/collections/bedding

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!

Witte Molen sand (or any other HSS approved sand.)

Sand bath size should be at least 14cm in diameter or length.

Currently using this: https://www.ikea.com/sg/en/p/mixtur-oven-serving-dish-clear-glass-40133989/

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:

Long Black, AKA Babyman, is a sweet lil’ guy that can often be found sleeping under and around his wheel, and will even come and say hello in the morning! Coming from a batch of 14 surrendered hamsters, he was initially thought to be bonded with his father/brother/lover(???). That soon turned out to be FAKE as the bigger ham started bullying him within the week. Although they were given matching coffee names, they had to be separated. And since being separated, LB has flourished!!!

He’s a healthy 45g and fits so perfectly in your hand. Always curious, he will step into your palm and nibble at your hand until he realises, “oh this isn’t food”. While he’s not greedy, he will happily accept any treats - he’s quite partial to mealworms and eggy treats. And unlike most boy hams, he can be quite active and surprisingly, not stinky!!! Yes!!! CORRECT!!! He smells surprisingly nice despite his wheel-peeing habit.

Will this soft and delicate shot of coffee be your daily wake-up call?