an Unexpected Addition
Sometimes things happen when you least expect them. Or maybe I expected this?
I popped into Pet Supplies Plus today for some millet seeds. I was driving by on my way back from the bookstore and I figured, it’s a good moment to grab some as traffic was pretty quiet.
I first went into this Pet Supplies Plus about a month or two ago. Up until then I hadn’t really been to a pet store recently. I have all the hamster supplies I need, and I was getting paper bedding delivered every month or so on auto-ship from PetCo, so I just didn’t have an excuse.
On that first trip to PSP a month or two ago, I went in to buy some freeze dried chicken for Moe. He’s so active all night long I felt like he needed some extra protein.
Of course I found myself perusing the live animals for sale. This is usually a moment of weakness for me, as I look at their little faces and wish I could take them all home. I actually cried the last time I was in a PetCo after looking at a little robo’s face and not knowing what kind of life it might have ahead of it. Granted, I had just lost my little Steven and the wound was still so raw. But that also doesn’t seem sooo out of character for me!
I noticed that one little robo was marked as 25% off. I asked the women working there why he was on sale? They said he had been there for about five months, and they were hoping he’d find a good home soon. They had named him Thor and had written him a little bio. I could see in their eyes how much they wanted him to find a good home. I was so tempted.
But I resisted.
I knew if I took Thor home that day, he’d only be replaced by another “Thor”. And, even at 25% off, I was supporting the system. But I couldn’t get him out of my head. He lived in the smallest, little cage, with a tiny, 5 1/2” wheel and one little hut to sleep under. I don’t even think he had a chew toy (as was evident by the amount of chewing of the plastic house). I hated thinking about how short his life was and how much of it he had spent living in that space. It broke my heart.
So, for the next few weeks I found myself conveniently perusing the aisles of Pet Supplies Plus whenever I was nearby. I would look at the lizards and watch dogs being groomed. I figured, I’d just go, and check in on him, see if he gets adopted.
I did this for a while.
And then today, I went again. And this time Thor was marked down to $3.50 ! It had been at least a month, maybe two, since I initially saw him there. He had now been living in this tiny cage for almost SEVEN months. So. I went to my car, got a little carrier from it (I now keep one in my car… just in case!) and told the girl at the cash register I’d like to buy little Thor.
In my defense, I’d been perusing my local shelters & hamster rescue groups to see if a robo was looking for a home. Ever since losing Oscar, I have felt this particular, robo-sized hole in my heart (although robos are small, compared to hearts, they are not!). But nothing. Mel’s Neighborhood Rodents would be driving through my area soon with a robo or two, but I think many of them were already reserved or were likely to be adopted. I figured those robos I KNEW would go to a good home (since Mel verifies that an acceptable cage set up is ready to go), whereas, I wasn’t sure what Thor’s life might be like. At $3.50, he might end up as snake food.
The girl at the front desk took Thor’s cage down and showed him to me. “Do you still want him?” she asked. I hadn’t actually seen him yet. He didn’t look great, I’ll be honest. He’s missing fur around his rear-end and his ears looks a little wonky. But this only made me want him more. Poor thing.
And so, on my way home from the bookstore today, I somehow acquired another hamster. I think I’ll keep his name, Thor, as it’s been his name for so long already. I got him set up in a simple, 100 qt bin with the basics (sand bath, wheel, bedding to burrow under, some delish treats and interested cardboard to climb on). I want to make sure he doesn’t have mites or anything of concern before moving him to a larger bin set up with items that are more permanent (like a wooden, multichamber hide). I’ve had him next to me while I worked all day today, and I have to say, I think we are going to get along well! He seems so inquisitive. He doesn’t run and hide when I approach, and looks up at me when I talk to him. I had planned on leaving him alone for a while, but I ended up hand feeding him two pumpkin seeds and he took them without issue. Even Moe is only just starting to take seeds from me!
Thor was very active all day today- he ran and ran and explored every edge of his bin. I’m sure it’s a bit of a culture shock, but he has finally settled down and burrowed somewhere.
There’s something so comforting about a tiny, sleeping animal. I just love hamsters.
Happy World Hamster Day!
Happy World Hamster Day to all my hamster friends out there!
Today is the day I spend a few moments to remember how grateful I am to have been introduced to this world.
For a long time, I lived a city life in small spaces and felt that I couldn’t have a pet. How could I keep a dog in my apartment while I’m gone at work all day? I’m allergic to cats. Birds also need a lot of attention. I guess… fish?
One day, a colleague of mine brought in her Syrian hamster (at the time, I really knew nothing about the different types of hamsters, but I now know this). She had him in this little Tupperware container and walked around the office asking if anyone wanted to hold him.
I was surprised- I thought hamsters were mean. I didn’t hold him but I watch her tenderly pick him up and how he sweetly sat in her hands. It left me with an idea.
I was already planning to leave New York and head to California at the end of the year. I promised myself that in my new, Californian life, I would get a hamster.
And, so it was! The hamster in question (STEVEN!) didn’t come to live with me until about six months into living in California. It was mid-COVID (July 2020) and I had delayed getting a hamster because of my fear that I might lose my job or need to move or a million other things. At the time life felt so unpredictable. I suppose it still does… but maybe I’ve just gotten better at dealing with it.
One day, I went to PetCo, I saw Steven, and I knew it was him. I didn’t know about “proper” hamster care. I didn’t know that I should support small animal rescues & shelters by adopting, not shopping. But I knew I could commit to giving this one little life the best life possible. And that’s what I set out to do.
Did I do everything perfectly? Of course not! But Steven was patient and kind. I couldn’t have asked for a better, first, hamster. I’m sure there were times I did things that made him uncomfortable, scared or annoyed. But he always treated me with a shy kindness and curiosity. Steven has been gone for about six months, but I still think of him frequently. The way he used to look up at me. The trust we built together. The sweet little naps he took in his wheel.
I worried that getting a hamster might distract me from career goals. From getting my chores done. From being a good friend or significant other. But what’s funny is, I think he helped me do all those things better. I felt newly energized when I woke up each morning - I couldn’t wait to drink my coffee and see what new burrows he created while I slept. I turned off the lights in the bedroom a little earlier bc I knew he would come out and start running… and oh, how I loved falling asleep to the sound of his busy little feet.
I felt, for the first time, like my life was more important than just my own. I now had Steven to care for, Steven to go to work for, Steven to make up silly stories and songs about.
As COVID dragged on I found myself taking in some homeless hamsters from local small animal rescues and one from the LA county shelter. It amazed me how different they all were. How each challenged me to get to know them in different ways. Even now I can’t think about it too long or I’ll tear up thinking about Laverne’s excited pacing as she waited for someone to come scoop her up. Or Shirley’s little “peeps” and kisses. Or Oscars angry stares (hah!).
So on this World Hamster Day, I say “Thank You” to all my hamsters of past, present and future. Thank you for the love, the learning, the patience and moments in time we shared together.
Sharing a few, recent pics of my current little bud, Maurice :)
Rescue Hamster of the Day!
Hi Hamster Friends!
Today I made a quick video in hopes of finding this adorable little ham, Blair, a home. Blair was pulled from the LA shelter system and now lives with an amazing volunteer in Santa Clarita Valley (LA area).
If you know anyone who has room in their heart and home for a little dwarf hamster, please let me know, I’ll connect you with the volunteer!
Email: rachelgothamsters@gmail.com
YouTube Short (please share!)
New Releases from Bucatstate!
Bucatstate Pet, a new-ish small pet brand (est 2019) just released some new hamster products and I am excited!
What’s even more exciting is that everything new is currently on sale! It’s a great time to get some exciting, new hamster accessories!
Like all hamster products, please do your research before purchasing. With anything I feature below, I will tell you what type of hamster I think it is most appropriate for (robo, dwarf, Chinese, Syrian) and what are the pros & cons that I can see. Not all products sold for hamsters are safe or appropriate for hamsters… but I’ll try to steer you in the right direction by giving you my honest opinion based on three years, six hamsters, lots of time spent on hamster forums and way too much time watching my hamster cams at night :D!
*as an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases
Bucatstate Ceramic Mushroom Hideout
I have a soft spot for mushroom hides. I’m not sure if it’s because I like to imagine my hamsters are like tiny, fairies, living in soft, round, fluffy, opinionated bodies, but they just look too cute when sticking their little curious faces out of a mushroom.
But, enough of the fluffy stuff, this hide is actually USEFUL! Particularly if you live in a warm climate and have a Syrian hamster, because it’s a ceramic hide that is actually large enough for a Syrian (AND has a removable lid, juuust in case your hamster gets stuck. Which they shouldn’t in this hide. But it’s always good to have a removable lid)!
The opening to the mushroom is about 2 3/4” in diameter, about the minimum I would recommend for a Syrian. Of course, always use your best judgement, if you have a particularly large Syrian or they like to fill their cheeks to excess, you don’t want their cheeks being damaged while they go through that hole. All that being said, 2 3/4” is the same diameter that Niteangel uses on the openings of their size L multichamber hides, so if your hamster is using that multichamber, this should also work well for them.
Ceramic hides are great to use during the summer- hamsters can come here to pancake and cool off. They are also really easy to clean or disinfect. I highly recommend this hide if you don’t already have a good ceramic hide option for your ham!
Bucatstate Stackable Metal Hamster Cage
I am SO excited about this cage! How gorgeous! How Handy!
This is a great cage for someone who wants to have more than one hamster in a limited space- these cages are stackable (without sacrificing airflow) and beautiful looking!
The cages aren’t huge, just 776 sq inches (a bit smaller than the 200 qt bin) but they are also almost 21” high, which allows plenty of burrowing space & the ability to put in a large wheel.
I’ve been wanting to get back into fostering hamsters, but I have limited space (in the past I had hamsters everywhere! Next to my bed, on my dresser, in my hallway, on my dining room table…). These stackable cages will be a great way to allow myself to take in some hams needing a home but still have a sooomewhat normal living space (I mean, lets be real, I’m surrounded by hamster things all day long, and that’s exactly how I like it!).
I still prefer the Niteangel Vista size L (link to Amazon: https://amzn.to/4aQpzwi ) as my favorite, “off the rack” hamster cage (meaning, other than assembly, it requires no other DIY). The Niteangel Vista size L is the largest option currently available in the US and I adore it. But, depending on your budget & space, this stackable enclosure might be juuuust what you needed!
Bucatstate 12.5” Acrylic Silent Hamster Wheel
Calling all Syrians! Your wheel has arrived! I’m SO excited to see that both Bucatstate & Niteangel now offer “XL” size wheels in the 12”+ category. Many Syrian hamsters will do fine on a 12” wheel … but if given the choice, I’d always give my hamster a slightly larger wheel.
Bucatstate’s 12.5” wheel is currently only available in clear acrylic, but I believe there are plans for it to come in a number of verry appealing colors (including iridescent!? EEK, be still, my hamster heart).
Bucatstate Ceramic Cooling Castle Hide
Another, super “cool”, product! First, I love the naturalistic, terracotta-looking castle design. I mean. SO cute.
But more importantly, this hide actually has spots for you to insert cooling packs from your freezer if it’s a hot day and your AC is out. How neat is that?!
I remember one summer in LA with my five hamsters during a heatwave. We were supposed to not run our AC at full blast of course, to try to minimize electricity usage, but even if we did, honestly, the heat was just too strong! I felt like I was being baked like a cookie if I went outside.
I took ice packs from the freezer and placed them up against their bins on one side, so if they needed to cool down, they could go lay near them. It actually turned out that everyone was fine, but I worried like crazy and it was a stressful day. This is the hide I needed that day!
Bucatstate Hamster Ladder
Okay, so technically this isn’t a new product, but I do love it, and I only saw it just now.
One thing that I’ve become increasingly aware of is how dangerous bendy bridges can be. If there is any gap in the bridge at all, it’s an opportunity for a tiny toe to get stuck in it. I’ve been very picky about what bendy bridges I use as a result, and am increasingly a fan of these static type bridges- they provide the needed walkway without the risk!
Also, so cute!
Want to see more??
Of course, I can just barely scratch the surface here. Bucatstate has so many adorbs products!
For more about Bucatstate Pet, you can check out their website, or see their LinkTree for direct links to Amazon per country!
Do you have any Bucatstate products? What do you think of them?
Picking a Wheel for my New Hamster!
Hi Hamster Friends!
I’ve seen a lot of questions on Reddit, Facebook & even comments on my channel- how to help a hamster who is having trouble using their wheel?
Well- my first response is to watch, watch, watch! If you don’t already own a pet-cam (like the Wyze pet cam, the one I use and LOVE!) I highly recommend it. Particularly because hamsters are mostly active when we aren’t, and they can be quite shy, observing them when they are doing their thing is so helpful!
I currently have four of these Wyze cams placed around Moe’s cage so I can check in on him and see how he is getting around.
I use the magnets to attach the cams to the cage (they have a magnetic base) then use the clamps to secure the wires out of the way.
*as an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases
For more on hamster cams, check out my ham cam page!
After trying the Nigeangel wooden wheel & the Niteangel Dark Clouds wheel, I finally settled on the Niteangel Super Silent wheel as the best option for Moe right now (this could change as he gets older, of course!). I only have the 8” size available for him (and it looks a bit small, although it’s okay for a few days), so I’m going to buy a 10” Bucastate Quiet Wheel or Niteangel Super Silent for him.
For more about wheels, please see my Wheel Page!
What do you use for your hamsters? Do you find it takes a lot of trial and error to find the perfect wheel for your hamster too?
Follow Me on Etsy!
I realized that some of my fav hamster shops have come and gone (cry emoji!) and I wanted to update links on this website to help you all find some great places to buy from.
I will be doing this, of course, but in the meantime, I figured I’d create a public profile on Etsy and share it so I can share the things I love, what I’m buying right now and discover new, independent, sellers.
Come see what I’m shopping for here! —> Rachel Got Hamsters Etsy Profile
(sadly, not currently selling anything on Etsy. But maybe one day! What should I sell??)
Oops, I Did it Again!
I rescued another hamster, that is!
Oscar, my rescue Roborovski hamster, has been struggling with getting around for the past few months and it seems to be getting progressively worse lately. He lived in his giant, Niteangel Vista size L enclosure for a few weeks before I moved him back into his bin when he was having some undiagnosed health problems we (my vet & I) couldn’t get to the bottom of. I was trying to limit down anything that might have been new in his environment (as he was suddenly very itchy), so I moved him back into his bin cage set up that I had kept still intact.
Oscar also generally seemed happier to be in his bin cage again. He’s always been a shy ham, but in his bin cage he was coming out more and seemed to be more at ease. After several months, now back in his 200 qt bin cage, I’m not sure I see him moving back into the Vista anytime soon.
SO, with an empty, giant hamster cage that I had recently disinfected and set back up for when Oscar was ready, I thought, “what a waste that some hamster who needs a home isn’t living in this!'“
Lately I’ve found myself on Facebook more, perusing my hamster groups and looking for good deals on used hamster cages (haha, it never ends), and I saw a post from Mel’s Neighborhood Rodent Rescue (https://www.melsneighborhood.com/ ) saying she’d be in my area with a bunch of cute faces looking for homes!
I had been missing having a dwarf hamster, and when I saw the “Hernan” bunch, I knew I had to help one out!
He’s only been with me for about 24 hours so far, but he seemed to get around the Niteangel cage just fine and spent a LOT of the night running on the Niteangel Dark Clouds wheel. He’s still a tiny little thing (probably smaller than Oscar!) so I gave him the 8” size for now (although I also have the 10”! haha of course I do!).
Still debating on a name. So far I am thinking…
Maurice
Frederick
Richard
Claude
Timothy
Theodore
…
(probably many more ideas…! What do you think?)
*as an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases
Getting to Know Oscar!
Finally, another video! This one about Oscar the shy Roborovski hamster. Enjoy! :)
Products featured in today’s video
(as an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases):
Pet Greens Wheat Grass: https://shop.smallpetselect.com/products/pet-greens-garden
Bucatstate Quiet Hamster Wheel: https://amzn.to/3sJ9h3k
Niteangel Super Silent Wheel: https://amzn.to/3WggIwf
Niteangel Platform: https://amzn.to/3sK2mqs
Niteangel Wooden platform (additional shapes/sizes:): https://amzn.to/3NylaTv
Adhesive cork to stick to the acrylic risers & other platform: https://amzn.to/3CCZFuU
Niteangel Adhesive Cork: https://amzn.to/3MQI8V8
Love Drizzles Water Bottle Holder: shorturl.at/clGNX
Cork round size M (get size L for Syrians): https://amzn.to/36cOvRr
Cork Flat Size S: https://amzn.to/3IdwPCx
Niteangel Long Bendy Bridge: https://amzn.to/3I0ZACt
ReptiSand (for sandbath): https://amzn.to/3IdwPCx
Sand bath: acrylic tray: https://amzn.to/37AAuh6
Niteangel coconut hide: https://amzn.to/3KHItbf
Sheet Moss: https://amzn.to/3CAjyTu
Clean & Cozy Bedding: https://amzn.to/34zCNju
*please purchase unscented bedding for the safety of your hamster.
Seed Sprays from Hope's Healthy Treats: https://www.etsy.com/shop/HopesHealthyTreats
Water Bowls: https://amzn.to/3J82R4b
200 qt bin: https://www.homedepot.com/p/Sterilite-50-Gal-Stacker-Box-14794K03/308820153
Wyze Cam (for hamster observing): https://amzn.to/3gPh5xL
Magnets for attaching Wyze Cam to cage: https://amzn.to/3NqOP0D
Clamps for securing Wyze cam wires: https://amzn.to/3UaLrck
Camera used for this video - Canon PowerShot G9 X Mark II: https://amzn.to/3XhNGvy
Nylon Pop up Playpen: https://amzn.to/3x882No
Fleece playpen liner: https://amzn.to/3xuGbqZ
Mites!
Welp, it’s been a while!
I got Oscar all set up in a giant, Niteangel Vista cage, only to move him back out again when his started being itchy without a clear cause.
The last few months (Thanksgiving onwards) have been a lot of observing Oscar, trying to figure out what’s going on with him. Was it an allergy? Was his skin dry?
I tried removing the hemp digging areas from his bin, no change in itchiness. I then removed the coconut fiber, again no change. I hadn’t made any changes in his diet other than maybe giving him some mealworms.. but I just didn’t think a mealworm allergy could be the source of this.
We tried putting an antibiotic cream on his itchy sores (provided by my vet of course), but he only overgroomed the area, opened up his scabs and bled all over (so, no more cream for Oscar!).
Oscar has been on prednisone (oral steroid) & baytril (oral antibiotic) on and off for the last few months as we try to solve the problem. The one good thing about all of this is I’ve committed more time to spending with Oscar and slowly (slowly!) he’s come a little bit out of his shell. Oscar used to be the hamster I might not see for week(s) at a time, and only if I got up in the middle of the night.
There was a period when I put his bin at the end of my bed, so as I fell asleep, I could watch him start to get him and quietly observe him. But he definitely wanted nothing to do with me (other than the occasional snack of course).
Yesterday, we headed back to the vet. The next step was a skin scraping or biopsy to figure out what was going on. The vet said that often it was very difficult to do without putting them under, and I worried about the risk of doing so… but if it was the only way forward to get him healthy again, of course it was the right path.
Oscar was SO well behaved yesterday that the vet was able to get the skin scraping without putting him under! The vet saw some microscopic mites on the scraping, so we’ll start a round of ivermectin once we can get some (ugh, thanks COVID conspiracies for taking all the ivermectin!)
The type of mites Oscar has are the kind that normally live on hamsters. They aren’t transferrable to humans or other animals. But, a dip in their immune systems and the mite population can grow out of control. Ivermectin will help get them back into a good place. Then we’ll have to figure out why his immune system was down…. but at least it’s a step in the right direction.
(the good news is this means I don’t have to do a full cage clean & disinfect as these mites don’t live outside his body!)
To distract Oscar from his itchy bod, I got him some nuts-in-shell from Nuts.com to keep him busy. Last night I gave him a cracked open macadamia nut & almond, he seemed pretty excited and did spend quite a bit of time on these! Oscar is still active but hasn’t been running as much the last few days, so I wanted to make sure he had something to occupy his time.
Have you experienced mites on your hamster? How was the recovery process?
[more] New Hamster Bowls!
Hi Hamster Friends!
My birthday was in October, and my family knows me too well.
My mom got me this set of adorable little “pinch bowls” that are PERFECT for hamster usage. I had to share!
*as an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases
Beautiful, New Hamster Bowls
I recently went to an art fair and picked up some gorgeous little bowls I planned to use in Oscar’s new cage set up. Yes, it was a bit of a splurge. At the time I bought the bowls I still had three hamsters and was constantly running out of hamster plates (since they all got fresh food at least once a day, twice or more for the elderly hamsters who ate baby/soft food and medication with their food).
I felt nice to support an artist, and I can’t wait to get some photos of little Oscar looking oh-so-cute in these bowls!
I also have some mugs from this artist that I simply love. The texture & prints just make me so happy in the morning as I drink my coffee :)
If you’d like to take a look for yourself (they would make a great gift for a hamster lover near you!) you can see his studio here: https://www.threewheelstudio.com/
The bowls I purchased were called “condiment bowls” or “salt dish” —> https://www.threewheelstudio.com/in-stock
Goodnight, Sweet Steven
I’m sorry to share that I lost my sweet, little Steven.
I actually lost Steven on Sept 29, 2022, but have found it hard to post about it- as if posting about it makes it really real :/
Steven was my first hamster (as an adult, I did have one in the 90s when I was 10/11 yrs old). He managed to outlive all of my other hamsters who were his contemporaries, and, even in his older age, maintained his curious, earnest energy and commitment to find every flax seed.
Steven most likely was struggling with Lymphoma at the end (as diagnosed by my vet). He was itchy and had little lumps on his body, but was otherwise energetic and had a good appetite. Near the end, he became much calmer and happy to enjoy long massages with his little eyes closed. It was so sweet to touch his little nose and all around his tiny, flower-like ears.
I'm going to miss Steven so much. But I'm so thankful to have had him in my life; so thankful that he opened up a door for me into this lovely internet world of hamsters I've found. A world of sweet, compassionate people, and sassy, curious, tiny little furry faces.
Of course I have a million more videos of Steven to share, which I will. Thanks to all of you for joining me on this #hamstercarejourney so far! I started this channel to document my learning how to care for Steven (particularly in a time when I felt so little was out there about Roborovski hamsters). I feel really happy with the growth I've found and intend on continuing it.
I still have Oscar the Robo to keep my company, and I'm in the slow process of upgrading his cage. I'm debating getting a second hamster, as I do think I like having a dwarf hamster around is a fun addition to a robo. But I might wait a bit, spend a little more time focusing on Oscar and trying to lure him out of his Oscar-shell. Whatever I do, I'll be sure to let you all know :)
Hamster Insurance Now Availalbe!
The day has finally come- hamster health insurance is now available! Click here to find out more.
Is it worth it? Let’s say you pay $250/year for hamster insurance. Many hamsters might not need $250/year of health care -they might just need a nail trim ($20/per trim) and a yearly wellness exam ($60-80).
But, let’s say you have a hamster like my little Laverne. At about 1 yr of age, Laverne developed an abscess that remained with her for the remainder of her life (an additional 1 - 1/4 years). Laverne had three surgeries (I spent approx $1000 on her three surgeries), countless vet apts ($60-80 each), plus medication at about $60/bottle (although it lasted for several months).
My other hamsters did not have as many costly medical expenses, thankfully! So I was able to make it work. But she did cost a lot more than I realized a hamster could or would ever cost!
A more typical hamster might be little Shirley. Shirley (Laverne’s sister), was fairly healthy for her first year of life. Then she developed a tooth issue and had to have her teeth clipped monthly (approx $20/per trim). She also ended up getting pneumonia and needing x-rays at the end of her life ($200 for xrays plus $100 in emergency vet fees). During her last few months of life she went to our regular or emergency vet fairly frequently, I would imagine I spent about $400-$500 on her during her last days. Of course, every penny was worth it to me as I wanted her to be comfortable and happy. But… pet insurance would have come in handy!
Right now I just have little Oscar the Roborovski to keep me entertained. I think, with just one hamster, I can afford to take on the risk of his medical expenses. But if/when I get a second hamster, (particularly a rescue dwarf or Syrian hamster, as they tend to have more medical issues due to poor breeding) I will probably be acquiring pet insurance, and I’ll give you all my full review!
What do you think? Would you get hamster insurance? Do you think it’s worth it?
Goodnight, Little Laverne
All good things eventually come to an end. I can’t believe what a long life Laverne managed to life considering her issues with her teeth & abscess. This girl was a fighter with a never ending curiosity to explore. I’m going to miss her so much.
Hamsters & Birds
Hello, hamster friends! I know I’ve been, again, a bit MIA lately.
Right now I’m house & bird sitting for my parents while they take a many-times-delayed trip to Iceland. If you haven’t ever taken care of birds before, they are pretty high needs. I put in a lot of time daily for my hamsters- preparing them fresh foods, giving them oral and topical medications, coming up with boredom breakers and getting them out for playtime, in addition to cleaning their wheels and bowls and bins.
Now, add two birds to the mix and my life is a lot!
Both of my parent’s birds are rescue birds (#adoptdontshop). We have one cockatiel, Chuck, who was found by my sister in La Jolla, CA, when he tried to land on her to her surprise. We tried to find his owner, but no one came forward, so he came to live with our family permanently (first with my sister, and then with my parents).
We also have a fancy pigeon named Vino. Vino was found by our vet outside, where he had broken a wing and a foot. The vet could tell he clearly was no street pigeon and took him in. Knowing my family loved feathered creatures, the vet asked if we would like to adopt him.
Vino & Chuck couldn’t be more different. Chuck is curious, friendly, wants to eat whatever you’re eating and loves to be massaged for hours each night.
Vino is the master of the floors and will let you know when you step into Vino territory with a little peck at your foot and a pigeon dominance dance. Vino is all white and so beautiful it’s hard to believe he’s real sometimes (and honestly, people often think he’s a statue until he suddenly moves). He likes to tuck under furniture and lay down next to the roomba or under a table. He can be a bit feisty but seems to have a bigger bark than bite - when you pick him up and rub his little head or belly, he gets very zen-ed out and looks insanely cute.
I moved the hamsters to my parent’s house to help ease the amount of back and forth. I keep them in a separate room with the door closed. I don’t think Vino or Chuck would intentionally harm the hamsters, but they might get curious and.. who knows. Not worth the risk!
Hope to be back with you soon with some more robust updates!
New Niteangel Hides!
I’m obsessed with how cute Laverne looks in this Ladybug hide from Niteangel.
I needed to get one for Oscar too, but they don’t make it anymore, so I got these instead :)
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Great Sand-Bath Alternatives
I’m planning to do a major overhaul of Oscar’s living situation. Oscar, my rescue-Roborovski hamster (who came from Baldwin Park Shelter in LA County) is hard for me to figure out. He’s very shy, he’s getting chubby, and the usual hamster enrichment doesn’t seem to work on him.
For example- I’ll try to give him playpen time when I can get him out of his bin. I place all sorts of treats in the playpen, hidden in nooks, in the coconut fiber, etc. Most of my hamsters go crazy in playpen time looking for all their favorite treats and leave with a face full of goodies. But not Oscar. I’ll drop Oscar into the playpen, watch him do a quick tour of the grounds, and then he’ll just find a spot and sit there. Sometimes he’s in the sandbath, sitting, sometimes just in the middle of the playpen.
Oscar seems to enjoy playing in/digging in wheat grass, so I’ve been trying to incorporate that into his life as much as possible. He also seems pretty adept at burrowing and he makes intricate, connected pathways around his bin (which can be frustrating for me if I want to see him, he can quickly slip into one of his many holes and be gone for as long as it takes for me to go away!).
So, I find myself in this situation, worrying about Oscar’s happiness and his chunky body (a mystery, as a hamster who often doesn’t eat all the food he has out, doesn’t enjoy carbs like popcorn, Cheerios or baby puffs, and primarily snacks on dried chicken treats). I used Victoria Raechel’s 10% off coupon on the Niteangel website as an excuse to buy a Vista size L (with coasters!) for Oscar. I haven’t yet attempted to even open the box, but I’ve been gathering appropriate supplies for this enormous cage.
Don’t worry, I’ll be filming the whole thing of course!
In the meantime, I picked up these digging/sandbath bins from Target’s new “Brightroom” line and I LOVE them! Lightweight, inexpensive, beautiful to look at!
Hambucks
Hello, hamster friends!
It’s Sunday morning, one of my favorite types of mornings. I was drinking my coffee and I saw I had a little alert on my Etsy app. I opened it up and was shown this adorable store called Innodove.
I’m so excited about all of it. There’s a hide that looks like Starbucks (appropriately called “Hambucks”)… and just so many more, ridiculously cute things.
My budget is tight lately due to frequent vet trips with elderly hamsters, but I’m keeping this link around for when the times are more bountiful.
Have any of you shopped at Innodove? Any reviews, thoughts to share?
New Wheel!
Hey Hamster Friends!
Coming at you soon- a review of this wheel from Bucastate!
Full disclosure- they did send me this wheel for free, but I have not received any other forms of payment and I’ll be giving you my full, honest, opinion, of course!
I got the 10”, mint green wheel, but I now see they had additional, translucent colors available, which look really gorgeous. I do love a translucent wheel… but I also love a pop of color… now I finally can have both!
So far, I would say that the wheel is very comparable to the Niteangel Super Silent Wheel ( https://amzn.to/3RuihVk ). The height is adjustable, the materials feel very similar. The wheel is very quiet and hardly perceptible when it’s in use. In the US we went from having very few, good, silent wheels in early 2020, to now having quite a few brands! For those of you in other countries, you might find that you have better access to certain brands over other brands (for instance, I believe Canadians have trouble getting their hands on Niteangel wheels), so I’m very happy to see another brand making species-appropriate hamster items. That’s always a win in my books!
So far, my only constructive criticism is that the largest size it comes in is 10”. I believe that 10” is really only appropriate for dwarf hamsters, Syrians should be using 12” or even 14” (if you can find it!). If you’re a frequent visitor to my YT channel or blog, you’ll know that even some of my robos use 12” wheels, so I’m a big proponent of large and in charge wheels.
All that being said, I’m going to guess they have a 12” wheel in the works, since I’m seeing new products from them pop up on Amazon quite frequently these days.
(EDIT: Bucastate does have a 12” wheel, but currently not available on Amazon. I’ll add it here when it is!)
Right now this wheel is in Oscar the Robo’s bin. He ran on it last night and seemed to have no complaints. He was in a particularly good mood this morning though, when I gave him some seed mix he squeaked with joy!
(Watch the video of Oscar squeaking here—> https://youtube.com/shorts/fb9CPrJwTWY?feature=share )
I’ll give it a few weeks before I do a full review of the wheel, but I wanted to put this out there for those of you who might be on the hunt for a good wheel.
Have you tried any Bucastate products? Do you have any thoughts to share?
One Less Thing to Throw Away
If you’ve kept up with my #hamstercarejourney, you’ll know that I had two dwarf hamsters (Laverne & Shirley) with dental issues.
While Laverne seems to have teeth (Shirley lost her top, front teeth), they don’t seem to be fully functional. She can’t open seed casings or bite off a chunk of Mazuri lab block.
I kept Laverne & Shirley fed with a combination of ground up hamster food (like ground up Mazuri lab blocks & ground up almonds, walnuts, flax seeds, etc) and baby foods. One of my fav baby food brands (or, should I say, THEIR fav baby foods) is Serenity Kids.
After months of giving my hams baby food (at this point… 7-8 months??) I just discovered that Serenity Kids has a recycling program for their food pouches! How cool is that! You just collect the pouches and then get a free shipping label from TerraCycle to send them to be recycled.
It’s a bummer I didn’t realize this until now. But… now I know!
Serenity Kids: https://myserenitykids.com/collections/baby-food-pouches
TerraCycle Serenity Kids Program: https://www.terracycle.com/en-US/brigades/serenity-kids
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