McFlurry (Adopted)

Species: Dwarf Hybrid 

Gender: Female 

Est. DOB: July 2024

Likes: Whimzees, late night jogging, and tunnels.

Dislikes: Jangling keys, busybodies, and trickery.

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

Requirements:

Cage: Min. 90x50x50cm - As per HSS guidelines

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

Bedding: 

I am currently using a mixture of the following:

  • Oxbow Pure Comfort 

    • I 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 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.

    • She also has a bit of Niteangel brand dry moss layered with other hamster safe wood substrates in a few of her hideouts for texture. This is because kind donors to HSS have given us so many supplies over the years. (And with proper st9rage they can last for a while!)

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 given her a few veggies and dried fruits and of those she enjoys:

    • Strawberries, beansprouts, green beans, carrots and blueberries.

      • You can buy in very small amounts for good prices of these kinds of treats and more at the Scoop whole foods store in SG! 

  • She LOVES XXS Whimzee treats!! 

  • I've also provided her with sprays like red millet and flax. 

    • Millet can be the kind that is marketed to birds!

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 - DIY them with cardboard toilet tubes!)

  • It is recommended 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.

  • 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 her to get in and out of it should be fine. 

Profile: 

How to make McFlurry: cookies, cream, and SPEED. Miss Flurry is part of our McBabies group and was the smallest of the bunch. But you wouldn’t be able to tell from the chunk she has developed into. She does live up to her namesake despite her spherical shape, and can be seen spinning her wheel into a flurry (HAH) during the night when it is quiet and calm. 

She’s still a bit skittish but occasionally can be bribed to approach your hand with a treatie such as freeze dried strawberries, dried coconut flakes or fresh veggies. BUT DO NOT BE FOOLED! She will know what is up if she sees your other hand or fingers move out of the corner of her eyes. Once the jig is up, she's gone in a flash zooming into the safety of a tunnel.

Her fosterer feels she has the capacity to become more trusting and calm, especially since she’s still a young blueberry of a hammy. Will McFlurry spin her way into your heart???