Species: Dwarf
Est. Age: 6 months
Gender: Female
Likes: attention, millet sprays, thick bedding, licking, a variety of substrates, fresh foods
Dislikes: hard surfaces, being flipped over, green beans, herbs
IG Stories Highlight: https://www.instagram.com/stories/highlights/18065836924247834/
Countess is a bright and curious hamster with a fun personality to boot! She likes stuffing her hideouts full of bedding and raiding her millet sprays. Most of all, she enjoys attention from her fosterer. When she hears you approaching, she also makes her way to the door of her cage! Countess is very amiable and has never bitten her fosterer, but she has given many licks while being stroked in a secure palm.
Countess is not very food-motivated, and will often disregard food in favour of smelling your hand. She can also be picky when it comes to her food mix, refusing to finish a bunch of dried herbs and mung (green) beans in her food bowl every time. Though it may be tempting, don't give in to her diva-ness and her cute face!
Despite her nature, Countess came from a home devoid of attention. It's how her foot healed in a strange position after it fractured somehow, resulting in her hind foot being in a slightly unnatural position. As a result of this old injury, Countess has a stump on her foot that is prone to developing pressure sores if it is rubbed too much. Hence, Countess is a hamster that requires special care. Please refer to the end of this description for a more detailed list of what to take note of if you think Countess is the right hamster for you!
Even with her disability, Countess is endlessly curious! She likes exploring new substrates like coco peat and sand, but food puzzles may not be her cup of tea! Of course, the best way to stimulate her is through a play session. This also gets her to exercise!
Are you the special person that can give Countess the attention and love she deserves?
(P.S. Countess is currently growing a patch of her fur back, but we've included pictures of it for full transparency!)
Requirements:
Cage: unbarred cage, at least 80 x 50 cm base.
- To avoid injuries from falling due to bar climbing, Countess' forever home should be a barless cage. The increased size of her cage is because Countess cannot run on a wheel and hence needs to get her exercise in other ways such as running around her cage.
Wheel: No permanent wheel
- It is not recommended that she is given a wheel 24/7 in her cage to run on as it could put too much pressure and friction on her stump. If a wheel is provided, she must be supervised and be given it for a short period of time.
Bedding/Substrates: Unscented paper bedding, thick layer.
- Countess needs a soft surface at all times to walk on. This means a thick layer of bedding over a cloth or peepad on the base of her cage. Bedding like wood shavings are not recommended as it may scratch the bare skin on her stump.
Food: Bunny Nature Dwarf Expert
- Countess is currently being fed a combination of Rodipet and Bunny Nature, but tends to LEAVE (haha get it?) a lot of the dried leaves/herbs from the Rodipet mix behind.
Enrichment: Recommended different substrates
- not a necessity, but definitely benefits in stimulating Countess outside of play sessions
- no platforms, to avoid falls
