Winky

Species: Dwarf Hybrid 
Gender: Male
Est. DOB: Apr/May 2025
Likes: Sleeping in corners, mealworms, and snoozing under his wooden bridge
Dislikes: Being approached from his bad eye side, rude behaviour, and being told no
Fosterer’s Instagram: @deep.space.ham9 

Requirements:

Cage: Min. 90x50x50cm - As per HSS guidelines

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

  • PLEASE NOTE: He occasionally will pee on his 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 mixtures of the following bedding types, 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

  • Boxo Comfort Small Animal 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. 

      • PLEASE NOTE: As he only has 1 working eye, you will need to make sure it is not too difficult for him to get in and out of the sand bath. You can use a bridge of some sort to help with this.  

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:

IMPORTANT: Do not place high platforms or any hideys/decoration that are too high for him to reach or that will encourage him to climb high as his depth perception and eyesight is greatly affected by only having 1 working eye.

  • 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. 

Profile: 

Winky is a super special boy with 1 super special eye. Why is his eye so special? Because he will always have an eye on YOU!!! This fatty baby boy is a gentle and cotton soft ball of delight who doesn’t let his disability get him down. He can run, dig and burrow with the best of them, and you’ll barely even notice he’s only got the 1 eye. 

When he’s feeling affectionate he will give your finger little kisses/licks to let you know he’s content with your dangling hand, otherwise he will give you a little nip to say, “not now human!”. Winky is an easy going guy who can be found popping in and out of his hideys during the day for snacks or drinks of water, and is very content to sleep in the open, wedged into a corner. 

Winky has so much to offer and so much love to give, will you be the one for him?

IMPORTANT NOTE: As he only has ONE (1) working eye, his future human must make sure he does not high platforms or anything that involves complex climbing for him. The result of only having 1 eye means his depth perception is even worse than a hamster with both eyes working. Thankfully, hamsters generally do not have great eyesight, so as long as you make sure that anything he climbs on is not too high, he should be a-ok.