last updated 10-23-2026

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, soon to be umbrella’d under NAHA (North American Hamster Association) and am under direct mentorship from Poppy Bee Hamstery. I aim to breed for health/longevity, temperament, and conformation, with a special focus on rust and black based colors (with hopes to someday feature mainly silver pearl chocolate/silver chocolate tortoiseshell) 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. As an exception, any pregnant/nursing females and pups are kept in converted 50 gallon Sterilite bins (approximately 620 square inches) or 40 gallon breeder tanks (648 square inches) for better access and ease of monitoring. Once the pups are weaned at 4 weeks, the mother returns to her normal enclosure and the pups are separated into same sex enclosures. Once the pups are 6-8 weeks old, 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 inches and about 8 inches of paper and/or aspen bedding are provided in all enclosures (except for the maternity enclosures - the pups don’t have wheels until they’re weaned and in same sex groups and bedding will be limited to about 4 inches). Some combination of sand, cork granules, corn cob granules, coco husk, coco fiber, and/or orchard hay are provided in all enclosures (except for the maternity enclosures). All enclosures have various hides and clutter, subject to change based on a hamster’s individual needs.

Diet consists of a seed mix - we currently use our own homemade mix! - paired with Mazuri Rat and Mouse. For any pregnant/nursing hamster or hamster under 6 or so months old, I really try to prioritize the Mazuri to help support their growth. I may use other lab blocks, such as Science Selective Hamster, for older hamsters depending on their needs. I also provide fresh foods and any necessary supplemental foods (like mush for nursing mothers, pups, or seniors). 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.

Litters So Far…

Planned Litters

Note that any of these pairings and the timing are subject to change based on a variety of factors. Pairings with * are my preferred pairings.

*Fairy Garden’s Otho x Poppy Bee’s Madeleine (00.574% COI) - late October pairing, pups born in early November, ready to go home AFTER Christmas

• This timing of this pairing is very iffy. They were paired once already and Madeleine had a chemical pregnancy. I am waiting for her cycle to return to pair them again, and will hope for a different result.

Poppy Bee’s Tyke x Poppy Bee’s Madeleine (06.255% COI) - late December pairing, pups born in mid January and go home by the end of February

• This pairing is ONLY a possibility if her litter with Otho doesn’t pan out by a certain point.

*Poppy Bee’s Tyke x Poppy Bee’s Wolf Alice (09.509% COI) - late March pairing, pups born in mid April and go home by end of May

• This pairing is ONLY a possibility if Tyke doesn’t father a litter with Madeleine.

Fairy Garden’s Sesshomaru x Poppy Bee’s Wolf Alice (01.600% COI) - late March pairing, pups born in mid April and go home by end of May

• This pairing is ONLY a possibility if Tyke isn’t paired with Madeleine and Wolf Alice isn’t paired with Tyke.

*Fairy Garden’s Jack x Poppy Bee’s Jet/Tinker pup (00.636% COI) - mid June pairing, pups born in late June and go home by mid August

*Fairy Garden’s Asta x Fairy Garden’s Otho/Madeleine pup (06.490% COI) - mid August pairing, pups born in late August and go home by mid October

Leanne - Short haired, male, flexible date

Tiffany - Patterned, middle/end of 2027 or early 2028

Brittany - Cinnamon/rust/golden, female, early 2027

Ally - Female, flexible date

Elizabeth - Dominant spot, shorthaired, male, ASAP

Brianna - Female, late 2027

Ashley - no preference, flexible date TBD on current hamster

Stella - Satin, Tortoiseshell, male, open to retirees, 2027 but flexible

Tobenna - Longhaired, ASAP

Will be working through the rest of care quizzes (6) 10-24-26

Will be touching base with waitlisters 10-25-26 for potential updates

2 people need to fill out waitlist form as of 10-23-26

2 people paid for the quiz but did not take the quiz as of 10-23-26