Lyra (Adopted)

Species: Syrian 

Gender: Female

Age/DOB: 9mths (DOB: 15 April 2023)

Likes: Digging, tasty chew toys, sniffing hands and fingers, and running. 

Dislikes: Grabby hands and the mortifying ordeal of being known.

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


If all hamsters are liquid, then Lyra is steam. This cautiously curious creature decides when SHE wants to investigate YOU. If you try to grab her, or touch her without her permission, she will slink away as fast as possible. But don’t take it personally! She’s just learning that her world isn’t actually terrifying and horrible and scary when humans are in it. 

Unfortunately, Lyra is a return hamster, meaning she was adopted out and then had to be returned due to unavoidable circumstances, and as a result may take a LOT of patience for her to get to trust you. BUT TRUST SHE WILL!!! Her curiosity and hungry eyes will work in your favour. She’s a bit of a greedy girl and can be easily baited with treaties. However she doesn’t always like to eat them in front of you! 


Never one to bite, she’s just trying to sus you out while taking things slow, even if that means trying to learn what part of your hand is the treat she wants. Just take your time, go slow, and let her learn to trust you. Her fosterer has found that she for some reason, find very hairy male arms fascinating, much to her fosterer’s fathers delight. 


Besides hairy men, Lyra loves to dig. Like LOVES. Which means.. Sand will go EVERYWHERE, and if you give her a buttload of bedding, she will prefer to burrow under all of the bedding than any cute hide out you give her. It’s a good thing she’s an adorable tortoise shell patterned hammo. 

BONUS: Her fosterer has a pedometer for her Niteangel wheel, and she really is quite the speed demon (see last picture)! 

Requirements:

Cage: Min. 100x50x50cm 

  • Acrylic tank preferred

    • She is extremely used to this size, and reducing in size would only stress and annoy her.

Wheel: Min. 27cm

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:). 

  • 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 Rodipet Organic Teddy Hamster Food Junior

    • 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! 


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.

  • 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.