Hamster Hideout is pleased to present, its second winner of the prestigious ‘Hamster of the Month‘ award!

Total Entries:49

Judges: Chippy (winner of Hamster of the Month, Apr 08), nicolapompicola, Jordyn, allyss_callie

Here’s an exclusive interview with the winning hamster, Miss Izzie Behr.

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1) Congratulations, Miss Izzie Behr, for winning “Hamster of the Month”! Tell us about your life story.

Oh, wow, thank you. It’s such an honour to win over all those gorgeous hamsters.

As for my life story, I shall fill you in, but be prepared, it is not all peachy. Let’s start from the beginning… I don’t remember much of my early days, but I remember having lots of siblings that I had to fight over to get my mom’s milk. My sisters and I were separated from our mother and brothers one day and we ended up in this big glass box that these beings would peer in at us. We played at night and slept during the day. This one day, as usual, I was up before all my sisters and I was playing by myself when this being began watching me. I showed off a bit for her and ran about the front glass pressing my paws against it trying to push it down. I even tried to get my sisters to help me and ran into the hut where they were sleeping and tried to wake them by shaking the hut, but they just wouldn’t get up. So I came back out and decided I needed a grooming, and did so and styled my hair in a cute mohawk. Soon the being was accompanied by another being and then suddenly a massive claw came in and tried to capture me. I tried to run away, but it was too clever and it captured me, and the next thing I know, I’m in this tiny box. There was a bunch of movement going on and lots of different sounds and smells outside this box. I kept sticking my nose out the holes to get a better idea of what was going on. Soon I was introduced to my new home and my first and favourite treadmill of all time.

Just a few days later my left eye began to bother me. The being seemed to be quite worried, and as the night went on my eye bothered me more and I then couldn’t see out of it. The being seemed quite upset and the next morning she came in and put me back in that small box. After some movement and weird sounds and smells, the box opened and a bunch of beings were peering in at me. I spent a couple weeks in another home without my treadmill. I was pretty bummed out to not have my treadmill, but I was busy healing from this weird thing that was going on with my eye. I think my eye ended up falling out, but I’m fine now. I didn’t care for a bunch of my hair falling out around the eye though, as my mohawk didn’t quite work as well. Soon that being returned and I ended up back in that tiny box again. After more movement and weird sounds and smells I met up with my treadmill again. I was really happy to see it and went for a run. For a while, I was afraid of the being when she’d come visit me, but as time went on, I grew to trust her and I now enjoy seeing her as her presence usually means a yummy treat for me.

2) What are your likes and dislikes?

Well, my first and foremost like would be my treadmill. I just love that thing to pieces. I enjoy running marathons each night in it. I also like those yummy yoghurt drops my being brings me, as they’re quite yummy. I also like the various foods my being brings me. I really do love food. I enjoy taking all my food out of the pit my being puts them in and moving them over to my treat corner that’s under my waterspout. I leave the icky brownish black things in the food pit though. I don’t know what the being is thinking trying to feed me those, as they are just icky. The rest of my food is very yummy though. I also enjoy styling my hair into cute mohawks.

3) Describe your ideal, perfect day (or rather, night).

I would get up at my usual time of 7pm and check the food pit to see if I missed anything earlier. If so, I take the yummy pieces out and put them in my food corner. I then groom myself. This is an intensive project as I have very fluffy, long hair and I must make sure every speck of it is clean and pretty. After which I have a nibble or two on some yummy food. A little sip of water, and then I’m off for a run on my treadmill. At some point the being will come and open my box and she’ll lift me out and give me a yoghurt drop. I’ll sit there and nibble it until I’m done and then I just leave it there and go explore. On an ideal day, the being will place the yoghurt drop into my food pit so I can enjoy it some more later. On an ideal day I will also have a run in that bubble my being puts me in at times as it’s fun to run about in it. Also on an ideal day I would also get a treat or two of some fresh goodness. Basically, a lot of eating and running is my ideal day, which is much like any day. I enjoy my life in my safe box with my treadmill and endless supply of yummy foods coming in.

4) Tell us more about your owner, dogma.

I assume you are speaking of my being. She is pretty cool. I only see her a bit each day when she comes and visits me as I’m out in a room all alone like I like it, however sometimes she brings my box to her room and I sometimes hear these other creatures stirring in there. Also, when I call out, my being sometimes responds with weird noises. She’s a strange one, but I adore her and I love her even more when she gives me yummy treats.

5) Is there anything else you want to tell HH?

Well… I guess I’d just like to say thank you for being there for my being through tough times and I hope you enjoy your little hamsters like my being enjoys me.

Well, I’m off to run another marathon on my treadmill, take care. *goes off for a run*

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Credits: HH Designer Cloudpuff for making the award certificate

See past and present winners, at the HH Hall of Fame

Psst … Want to win? Check out the current contests at the forum

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In this week’s edition of “Featured Hamster Home“, we look out how hammyhamsters build her very first bin. What caught my attention is how she attach a Crittertrail door on the bin, which really struck me as very clever.

Hamster Hideout (HH): How did you attach the Crittertrail door on the bin?

hammyhamsters (hammy): Since I used to have all my hamsters in Crittertrail cages (that is, until I realized how cruel it was to keep hamsters in such a small, confined area), I have a lot of extra Crittertrail cages. For this bin I cut off the door and back of one of the Crittertrails. Then I cut a hole (the size and shape of the door) with an electric jigsaw in the bin. I also did this on the back of the bin. After this, I got some screws, washers, and nuts and attached the pieces of the Crittertrail with these.

HH: Do you usually access your ham from the doorway or the top?

hammy: Usually when it’s night time and time for the hamsters to be awake, McLovin (the hamster living in this bin) is standing at the doorway, ready to come out! It’s easy to access him from the doorway at night, but if I have to clean their cages during the day, I access him from the lid.

HH: How did you make the top lid?

hammy: For the top lid, I cut out a hole in the lid, measured how much wire mesh I needed, cut the wire mesh, and attached the mesh with screws, washers, and nuts.

HH: What tools did you use?

hammy: For tools, I needed a drill with a couple different bits, an electric jigsaw (used to cut the holes in the bin), a lot of screws, washers, and nuts.

HH: What are the estimated costs for setting up this home for McLovin?

hammy: If you don’t include the tools I had to buy (since I didn’t really have a lot to begin with) then the bin was basically free! I already had the storage bin in my house, so I didn’t have to buy that either. If you have tools and a couple bucks to spend on a plastic storage bin, you can make a bin cage. It’s really not too hard.

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Hamster Hideout is pleased to present, the winner of the second ‘Ham Art of the Month’ award!

Total Entries: 12

Judges: mollldoll (Apr 08 winner), Cloudpuff, Maremoto

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“Erika was our hamster. She passed away, but the next birthday cake we made was in her image. Yellow cake, butter cream icing, graham cracker and lots of love!”
- mamamia (winner, Ham Art of the Month (May 08)

We have some really good entries this month, but the judges’ choices are all unanimous.

When I first saw this cake, I almost flipped out of my chair in awe!

I mean, it is already so difficult to bake a cake, let alone create a 3D hamster cake, & made in the likeness of a beloved hamster, no less. Great job, mamamia! This is such a deserving win!

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Credits: HH Designer Cloudpuff for making the award certificate

See past and present winners, at the HH Hall of Fame

Psst … Want to win? Check out the current contests at the forum

  Share with the web