Leslie

Species: Dwarf Hybrid 
Gender: Female
Est. DOB: 24 August 2026 
Likes: Mealworms, groundnuts, and toilet paper tubes. 
Dislikes: Grabby hands, salmon, and shenanigans.

Fosterer’s Instagram: @deep.space.ham9 
Feel free to shoot a DM over if you’d like to see the current enclosure set up. 

Requirements:

Cage: Min. 90x50x50cm - As per HSS guidelines

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

  • PLEASE NOTE: She has a horrible habit of pooping and peeing on her wheel. 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 

  • Tafit Hamster Paper Bedding (PLAIN WHITE)

  • Jonsanty Hamster Bedding (PLAIN WHITE)

  • Boxo Comfort Small Animal Bedding

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 potentially create dust. Once this is done though, it will be fine for the hamster.

  • Any HSS approved sand such as Niteangel, Sanko or Witte Molen.

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

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.

    • I’ve had good experience with the following brands: Niteangel, Kaytee, and Marukan

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

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 her 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 there is 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.

      • EG: Burdock roots, dandelion roots, Whimzee toothbrushes in XXS, nuts still in shell - you may need to partially break these open before giving them.

  • 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. 

Profile

When Leslie arrived at her foster home, she was such a teenie weenie scaredy baby! Weeks later, she’s grown into a cautiously curious, petite girly-pop. She’s not super food driven as many other hamsters, but she will pretty much LEAP at the chance to eat some mealworms. You will most likely find her emerging in the late evening, zooming in and out of her favourite cardboard tunnel tube. However she can be found coming out during the afternoon for drinks of water, or rolling around in the sand.

She’s incredibly soft and willing to give human hands a second shot, even if she’s still quite spooked by them. Leslie is best suited to a human who is willing to take the time and effort to gain her trust, and teach her that humans are not to be feared.