Hamster Society (Singapore)

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Goma (Adopted)

Hamster Society SG

Species: Syrian 

Gender: Female 

Est. DOB: 1 Feb 2024

Likes: Dehydrated tofu, fresh fruit and veggies, tunnelling 

Dislikes: The ol’ bait and grab manoeuvre, having an audience while running, insects 

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



Goma is quite the cautious cutie, always preferring to stick her little nosie out of her preferred hidey of the month, rather than run out paws first. And with her origin story being what it is, it makes perfect sense! Like many of the hamsters that come to HSS, she was abandoned in a cage with her sister at a void deck, and whilst the two girls were hiding, people began to use the cage for trash as it looked empty!! And it didn’t end there: Her fosterer thought she was a boy for the first month or so of her stay. THE AUDACITY!!!!!!!!!!


Thankfully, she hasn’t let any of these ‘instances’ get in-between her and a better life. As she is still quite a young ham, she is still figuring things out. Is it food or finger? Are you friend or foe? Am I friendly or fearful? Just be patient with her, give her time and treaties and soon she will learn to trust you. In fact! As of typing, she has started to trust her fosterer and approach her hand cautiously to be taken out for a little run around on the couch or her fosterer’s father. While out and about she enjoys a bit of ‘sayang’ time, aka getting nice pets and treaties, and being told what a pretty girl she is and how beautiful and soft her fur is. 


Goma is a big fan of all the usual fan favourites: pine nuts, dehydrated tofu, flax seed sprays, but she also loves her fresh veggies! Luckily she’s not a huge hoarder and will eat her fresh goodies as soon as she gets her little pink paws on them. She’s also a huge fan of making her own tunnels and would really benefit from deep bedding in at least half of her enclosure. And even though she is partially potty trained, she still has a habit of peeing on her wheel and occasionally her favourite hidey. But you just  can’t get mad because she’s so adorable!!! 


Requirements:

Cage: Min. 90x50x50cm as per HSS requirements

  • Acrylic tank preferred

Wheel: Min. 27cm as per HSS requirements 

Bedding:

  • Oxbow Pure Comfort 

    • Currently using the natural brown colour as I have found in the past that the white and coloured varieties are very dusty. However, the white colour is also suitable.

    • I also find it to be a great bedding for tunnelling when slightly pressed down.

      • 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:). 

  • I find that although my fosters enjoy having a variety of bedding, they enjoy using the teabag bedding the most for their nest.

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

    • Currently using Niteangel, but Oxbow and Kaytee are 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.

Food: 

  • Currently using FatPouches Standard Hamster Seed Mix and Bunny Dream Expert Syrian mix

    • 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 Syrian seed mix such as Rodipet brand to provide diversity in “healthy” feed/foraging.

  • Fresh veggies, fruits and even boiled eggs! 

    • She seems to enjoy fresh veggies a fair bit:)

  • IMPORTANT: She either doesn't like or never bothered to try using a water bottle when given one, so she is currently STRICTLY a water bowl girl!

    • Her water dish or bowl would need to be refilled AT LEAST every other day. Just monitor that nothing terrible starts floating in there…

      • Currently her food and water bowls sit on top of a plastic platform to prevent accidental spillage.

Enrichment:

  • At least 3 hideouts 

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

      • Trustie brand from PLC for the smaller ones is a good option.

      • A main nesting area can be made by connecting 2 hideouts with one tunnel (EG: plain tunnel with middle hole, or T shaped tunnel)

  • It is recommended that she 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.