Welcome to my little Fairy Garden!
About Fairy Garden Hamsters & My Goals
Fairy Garden Hamsters, which is located approximately 50 minutes south of Pittsburgh in Monongahela, PA, was established in 2024 to help provide the Northeast with well bred hamsters. After years of working as a rescue, I decided the only way to break the rodent mill to rescue cycle is by providing an alternative to pet shops and rodent mills in the first place. Additionally, I’m trying to improve the local atmosphere surrounding hamsters and their care through public education and advocacy, as well as pushing to ban the sale of live animals in stores.
I’m working closely with the CHA and OHC and am under direct mentorship from Poppy Bee Hamstery. I plan to breed for temperament, health/longevity, and conformation, with a special focus on rust based colors and longhair. I would like to someday work with roborovski’s too, but I don’t have a timeline for this.
My Care Standards
I’m using enclosures that are at least 775 square inches for all of FGH’s breeding hamsters, with a goal of upgrading everyone into 1000 square inch enclosures over time. Any pregnant/nursing females and pups are kept in converted 50 gallon Sterilite bins. Once the pups are weaned at 4 weeks, the mother will return to her normal enclosure. Once the pups reach 6-8 weeks, they will either go to pet homes, or they’ll be kept behind for breeding and will receive their own enclosure.
Wheels at least 11” and at least 8” of paper bedding are provided in all enclosures (except for the bins - the pups don’t have wheels until they’re weaned and in same sex bins, and bedding will be limited to 4-6”). Sand, cork granules, coco fiber, coco husk, and orchard hay are provided in all enclosures (except for the bins). All enclosures have various hides and clutter, subject to change based on a hamster’s individual needs.
Diet consists of a seed mix paired with Mazuri Rat and Mouse for any pregnant/nursing hamster or hamster under 6 months old, as well as fresh foods and any necessary supplemental foods (like mush for nursing mothers, pups, or seniors). After that the Mazuri Rat and Mouse is replaced with a lower protein lab block. Botanical forage mixes are provided but they are limited to a few safe ingredients to avoid any negative consequences on their fertility or pregnancies. My breeding hamsters also have a variety of sprays available.
The room temperature is kept between 65F and 75F, and the room’s humidity is kept between 40-60%. Both are monitored with hygrometers located in various parts of the room, and the room is kept consistently between those values with the support of natural temperature regulation during warmer weather since the room is in a basement, a space heater for colder weather, and a dehumidifier. I also run an air purifier at all times and replace the filter as needed.
All items are sanitized before being used by another hamster, or disposed of if sanitization is not possible. I regularly perform health checks on my hamsters, and they will see my exotic vet if an illness is suspected. Hands are washed before and after handling, and/or disposable gloves may be worn to help prevent the spread of pathogens.
Basic Care Requirements
NOTICE: purchasing any items through the Amazon links on this page may earn me commissions through the Amazon Affiliate program.
Enclosures
I require that my hamsters go to homes that provide at least 775 square inches of unbroken space. The larger the enclosure, the better (and the more you can style it like a fairy garden for your hamster)! Feel free to contact me before purchasing any enclosures, and I can help ensure they meet the requirements. Enclosures I personally recommend include:
Niteangel Vista Hamster Cage - Medium or large will work, but I recommend going with the large size. This is my favorite enclosure by far!
Niteangel Bigger World - Medium or large will work, but I recommend going with the large size.
Bucatstate Metal Hamster Cage 2.0 - You will want to select the larger version. It comes in black or white and can be stacked with another 2.0 cage with the additional purchase of their stacking accessories. If you purchase this cage, please be careful not to add too much weight to the center of the enclosure or to press down too hard when packing your bedding.
Bucatstate Metal Hamster Cage 3.0 - Either size will work for this enclosure. It comes in black and white and can be stacked with another 3.0 cage of the same size with the additional purchase of their stacking accessories.
75 Gallon Tanks - These are heavy, but they’re great if you plan to keep the cage stationary and/or are worried about chewing. Just make sure you also purchase a lid, and I recommend buying lid clips as well to secure it down. Petco often has tank sales, which helps offset costs.
DIY enclosures - This includes but isn’t limited to: IKEA Linnmon hack; IKEA Pax hack; and cages made from safe, sealed plywood. All of these enclosures require lids as well. To minimize the risk of chewing, I would opt to tile at least the corners but preferably the whole bottom and about 6 inches up the sides.
Wheels
Your Syrian hamster should have full time access to an upright wheel that’s at least 11 inches in diameter, with a solid running surface. Wheels with wire, mesh, crossbars, sand tracks, or tracks with holes must be avoided to prevent your hamster from being injured or getting bumblefoot. I recommend cleaning your wheel at least once a week if you have a wheel pee-er. Feel free to contact me before purchasing any wheels, and I can help ensure they meet the requirements. Here are some wheels I recommend:
Bucatstate Hamster Wheel 12.5'“
Niteangel Super Silent Wheel 12.8”
Exotic Nutrition Silent Runner 12”
Diet
Both a quality seed mix and a quality lab block should be fed for a complete diet, as hamsters may selectively eat their seed mix and miss out on vital nutrients. Providing a lab block will help curb the effects of picky eating and ensure your hamster will not become malnourished.
Seed mixes I recommend include:
Robin’s Gourmet 500g Syrian Hamster Pellet-Free Food Mix
Hamster Eatery 500g Syrian Hamster Seed Mix
Snow White’s Rescue Cottage Seed Mix (contact them to order)
Getzoo Golden Hamster Food
Lab blocks I recommend include:
SunSeed Vita Prima Critter Cubes
Kaytee Forti-Diet Pro Health Mouse, Rat & Hamster
*** Kaytee Field+Forest Hamster or Gerbil - for older hamsters, see note below
*** Older Syrian hamsters, especially males, can have issues processing higher percentages of protein since their kidneys may not function as well as they age. It’s recommended to drop the protein to 15% when your Syrian hamster turns 18 months old to help their kidneys, but some may need to be fed this sooner.
Bedding
Bedding should be paper or aspen, unscented, free from additives like baking soda, and relatively free of dust. Your hamster should have a minimum of 8 inches of bedding so they can burrow, but some hamsters may need more bedding and/or burrow starters before they’ll burrow. You will want to gently compress the bedding so your hamster can build sturdy burrows and has a more solid ground to walk on.
Don’t fully change the bedding unless needed - medical issues, allergies, it seems too dusty, etc. Otherwise, spot cleans (removing visibly soiled bedding) once a week and deep cleans (removing visibly soiled bedding, as well as mixing the bedding to shake out dust and aerate it) every 6-8 weeks should be enough.
My favorites as far as bedding go include:
Small Pet Select Unbleached White Paper Bedding
Oxbow Pure Comfort White Paper Bedding
Full Cheeks Classic White Paper Bedding
Sand & Sand Baths
Your Syrian hamster should have full time access to a sand bath that’s at least large enough for them to comfortably turn around in and contains safe sand. Your sand needs to be calcium-free, dye-free, sepiolite-free, unscented, and shouldn’t be dusty or powdery. Your sand bath needs to be sifted at least once weekly to remove waste. Replace sand as needed. I recommend the following:
Reptisand Desert White - 10 lbs
Niteangel Desert Sand - 2.5 lbs
Niteangel Rectangular Sand Bath
FatPotatCreations Large Squiggle Substrate Container
Hideouts
Your hamster should have multiple hiding spots in their enclosure, including a multichamber hideout as well as a few other appropriately sized hides. Syrian hamsters require hides with an opening of at least 2.5 inches, although larger Syrians might still be too large for this. Avoid hides that are held together by nails or that have rough surfaces like bark. I personally highly recommend these:
Niteangel Two Chamber Peep Shed
Hide and Cheek - includes custom options!
Clutter Items
Hamsters do best in a cluttered enclosure, but keep in mind there is such a thing as too cluttered or poorly cluttered. As you place items, think about how your hamster will use them and if it’ll make their enclosure difficult to navigate. Keep in mind entrance sizes - 2.5 inches or larger for Syrian hamsters - or if there’s a possibility of entrapment. Here are some clutter ideas:
Other Substrates
Having multiple substrates in your hamster’s enclosure is amazing enrichment for them! You can offer different substrates by using different kinds of bedding together (like paper and aspen), as bedding toppers, and/or by providing substrate dishes or dig boxes. These are a few options aside from their bedding and sand:
Seed Sprays
Sprays are a great way to provide mental enrichment for your hamsters. Some hamsters will forage the seeds from the spray, while others won’t touch them but will still benefit from the natural cover they provide. Be cautious with sprays as hamsters who forage them in excess may favor them over their food mix and/or may become overweight. Replace as needed, typically every other week, unless your hamster is experiencing issues.
Some easy to find sprays include millet, oat, and wheat. However, you can find other sprays like flax, sorghum, pagima, delicha, etc. in shops like HamstersWeLove, OakwoodForest, HappyHamstery, or MoonyPaw.
Treats & Chews
A pretty comprehensive list of safe food for your hamster is available on the Ontario Hamster Club website. Common favorites here include eggs, cucumber, broccoli, kale, blueberries, and dried grasshoppers. Other commonly fed treats include homemade hamster safe cookies (many can be found on Etsy) or Gerber Baby Puffs (banana and strawberry is a favorite here).
As for chews - they’re often believed to be essential to keep hamster’s teeth the proper length, but this is inaccurate. Hamsters actually grind their teeth down naturally, although there is still an enrichment benefit by providing them with various things to chew on. Some popular chews include Whimzee’s, apple sticks, and bamboo sticks - this infographic goes over this a bit more. Please note a chew item should never replace proper dental care by an exotic veterinarian if there are issues with your hamster’s teeth.
Travel Carrier
Travel carriers should be roomy enough for your hamster to easily turn around in, especially if you’ll be driving a few hours. I recommend the following carriers:
Imagitarium Temporary Pet Keeper for Aquarium Fish, Large
* I recommend joining care groups on Facebook such as HAMSTERS. You can also reach out to me with any questions, and I will do my best to support you through my experience or by researching the topic.
Adoption Process
Research
I ask that all adopters, especially the main caregiver, have done their research, including looking over the care requirements on my website. Please understand that care requirements have evolved over the years as we learn more about hamsters and gain better access to supplies here in the US. My most basic requirements are having a 775 square inch enclosure, at least an 11 inch wheel, 8 inches of safe bedding, a sand bath with safe sand, and a diet consisting of a quality seed mix and lab block!
Note that everyone in the family should be aware and on board. Surprise gift giving is not encouraged nor accepted as I want to be certain everyone in the family is prepared and understands the responsibilities involved.
Please understand I typically only produce a couple litters per year so FGH’s waitlist could be several months long at times - this will give you time to collect your supplies and make sure you are prepared. Consider that while hamsters may not need regular veterinarian check ups, they may require vet care if ill or injured so a vet fund is recommended.
Application
Once you feel comfortable with your research into basic hamster care and my going home requirements, you will need to apply here and I will review and get back to you via email within 10 days. If I don’t hear back from you, I will usually follow up again via email and then via your preferred contact method. Please keep an eye out, and feel free to reach out if for some reason you haven’t heard from me.
Waitlist
If your application is approved, there is a $30 deposit (to be paid via PayPal) to be added to the waitlist. Keep in mind you will not be in line to be paired with available hamsters until you’re on the waitlist. My waitlist times vary depending on several factors - litter size, whether someone at the top of the list declines a pup from the litter, people back out, etc. For the interim while I’m getting established, I don’t foresee much of a waitlist provided the litters are reasonably sized.
Selection
When hamsters are available, I will reach out those at the top of the waitlist to see if they’re ready. To be marked as “ready” I will need to see photos of the set up and measurements of the enclosure and wheel. Anyone who is “ready” will then receive photos of available hamsters and decide whether they want to take one home or keep their spot and wait for the next litter. If a hamster is selected, then we can begin discussing pickup.
Note that retirement hamsters or hamsters on breeder contract are free, other than the waitlist deposit, but I may be more selective with homes for these hamsters.
Please be advised you cannot pick out your hamster in person, nor do I allow visitors to my hamstery. I have other pets in my home who become overly excited or stressed with visitors, and there are biosecurity concerns with allowing visitors into my hamstery as well. However, I am always happy to provide pictures if requested or answer any questions.
Pickup
I will arrange to meet with you in a public setting. On your scheduled pickup day, please contact me upon arrival to the designated meeting spot. I’ll need your signed Purchase Agreement and the remaining $20 for a total of $50. This covers the cost of your hamster and their going home kit (a gallon bag of Mazuri Rat and Mouse to support their growth, treats and chews, and their birth certificate). I will also need to check your ID to verify your identity. Your hamster will be in a carrier in my car, and I’ll need your carrier to transfer them into within the confines of my vehicle. Upon completion of all these steps, you’ll take your hamster and their going home kit and be able to enjoy your own ethically bred hamster.
Please note I don’t work with shipping or transport, so please keep in mind you will more than likely need to plan on traveling to Monongahela, PA. I can typically make exceptions within 50 miles if needed and may be able to make further exceptions if I have an intent to travel. For more northern adopters, I’m typically able to meet in Salamanca, NY
I cannot hold on to hamster pups indefinitely, as there is a short window of time to send them to a new home. Community living becomes dangerous after 6-8 weeks. Once your pickup appointment has been set, I ask that you give me 24-48 hours notice if you need to reschedule. Pickup schedules are quite busy and I work full time, so flexibility is limited. If you are unable to pick up the hamster by the time it is 6-8 weeks of age, then I may need find a new home, and you will be moved to the bottom of the waitlist.