Meet Our Hamsters

Behind every RoseLark design is careful observation, lived experience, and a great deal of tiny paws.

Our hamsters — along with those we foster and a small number of trusted welfare-aligned homes — help us ensure that every product supports natural behaviour, correct sizing, and ethical enclosure standards.

They are not “props.”
They are not content tools.
They are individuals.

Each with their own preferences, personalities, and very strong opinions about hide entrances.

How Our Hamsters Help Shape RoseLark

We observe how hamsters naturally interact with:

Internal hide space
Entrance width and height
Turning space
Sand bath depth and width
Hoarding behaviour
Nesting preferences
Enrichment engagement
Movement between zones within an enclosure

If a product restricts behaviour, it’s redesigned.

Ethical hamster care means designing around instinct — not aesthetics alone.

Meet the Test Team

Jesse Pinkham

Long haired male syrian hamster in happy henrys homes wooden castle

Species: Long-Haired Syrian Hamster
Personality: Shy, gentle, quietly observant
Favourite Feature: Spacious hides with generous internal room
Speciality: Thoroughly inspecting hide entrances and turning space

Jesse is a very late riser and prefers the calm of quiet evenings before emerging to explore. A beautiful long-haired male Syrian, he was rescued as part of a mass overbreeding situation and has always been a sensitive, cautious soul.

He has never fully learned to trust humans — and that’s okay. At RoseLark, we design around who animals are, not who we expect them to be.

Jesse consistently chooses hides with the most generous internal space and comfortable turning room. He is particularly observant when it comes to entrance sizing and will immediately reject anything that feels restrictive or exposed.

His quiet preferences have helped refine internal dimensions, entrance widths, and overall hide security — ensuring our designs truly prioritise comfort and behavioural safety.

Mei Li

Mei Li - Chinese hamster in ethical enclosure

Species: Chinese Hamster
Personality: Gentle, cautious, and quietly curious
Favourite Feature: Secure hides with comfortable internal space
Speciality: Trust-based interaction and climbing stability testing

Mei Li is a slender Chinese hamster with the species’ characteristic long body, mouse-like features, and balancing tail. Naturally cautious, she is slowly building trust and confidence through calm, predictable routines.

One of her sweetest habits is walking directly into her 3D printed hide to be gently transported to and from her playpen — a behaviour that reflects both thoughtful design and growing trust.

Mei Li also tests how hides perform when climbed on, carefully scaling roofs and edges before settling back into cover. We observe structural stability, grip, and overall security when products are explored from above.

When offered a treat, she will politely take it before darting back to her hide to stash it or enjoy it in private — reinforcing the importance of secure, spacious interiors that support natural hoarding behaviour.

Mei Li reminds us that good design supports not only instinct, but confidence.

Mochi Pukupku

Dwarf hamster in ethical care enclosure

Species: Dwarf Hamster
Personality: Determined, energetic, and endlessly curious
Favourite Feature: Deep bedding and spacious sand baths
Speciality: Burrowing behaviour and platform stability testing

Mochi Pukupku is the newest member of the RoseLark family. She came from a home where her enclosure was very small, bedding was minimal, and no upright wheel was available.

Now, with space to explore and proper depth to dig, her favourite activity is burrowing.

Mochi immediately tunnels beneath platforms and hides, testing whether structures remain stable and secure when bedding shifts below them. Because dwarf hamsters are enthusiastic diggers, she helps us ensure platforms are reinforced, weight-distributed correctly, and safe even when fully undermined.

She also plays an important role in assessing sand bath size and depth. Dwarf hamsters are particularly fond of rolling and digging in sand, and Mochi makes full use of the space — helping us confirm that dimensions allow proper, unrestricted grooming behaviour.

Mochi reminds us how quickly hamsters thrive when given the opportunity to express their natural instincts — especially when those instincts include digging, rolling, and disappearing into freshly made tunnels.

Lilo

Lilo is proudly cared for by @thefluffymindspace

Species: Syrian Hamster
Personality: Energetic, particular, and a true burrow engineer
Favourite Feature: Deep bedding and customisable hides
Speciality: Burrowing structure and enclosure redesign testing

Lilo is our 12 month old Syrian queen and the true ruler of burrow engineering! Every fresh enclosure set up turns into a full construction project — she builds what we can only describe as the hamster equivalent of the London Underground inside her 120L BUCATSTATE home. She’s endlessly busy, full of personality and always on the go, whether she’s tunnelling, foraging or redesigning her space overnight.

As a very particular lady, Lilo loves products that meet her “needy girl” standards, which is why we adore RoseLark’s 3D printed pet safe range. Their items are not only practical and easy to clean, but can be customised in beautiful shades to match our themed set ups perfectly.

Lilo’s determination means we pay close attention to how our products perform once bedding has been thoroughly reworked overnight. Her ambitious tunnelling helps us ensure hides remain secure, internal space stays usable, and designs continue to support natural burrowing behaviour.

Lilo helps ensure our designs remain stable, secure, and supportive — even after a full night of enthusiastic “renovations.”

Waffles

Waffles is proudly cared for by @thefluffymindspace

Species: Syrian Hamster
Personality: Gentle, affectionate, and people-oriented
Favourite Feature: Enrichment-led enclosure layouts
Speciality: Exploration and engagement testing

Waffles is our rescue boy and the gentlest little soul you could meet. He absolutely thrives on human interaction and is happiest when he’s out spending time with us or exploring a brand new enclosure design.

His sweet nature makes him a joy to be around and to create enriching spaces for — he truly appreciates every little detail.

Waffles’ gentle, inquisitive nature allows us to observe how new layouts and enrichment pieces are explored at a relaxed pace. His engagement helps us assess whether spaces feel inviting, easy to navigate, and comfortable for longer periods of time.

And replacing his final line with something more balanced and aligned:

Waffles helps ensure our designs feel enriching, accessible, and thoughtfully arranged — not just functional.

Percy

Percy is proudly cared for by @rorie.princess

Species: Long-Haired Syrian Hamster
Personality: Intelligent, gentle, and full of joyful energy
Favourite Feature: Unique and interactive features
Speciality: King of Themed Enclosures

Percy, named after Perseus, the legendary Greek hero, has flourished since his rescue, delighting in his enriching environment and nightly routine of free roam and human interaction. Percy’s favourite activity is running on his wheel with remarkable dedication every night, closely followed by digging in his sand, grooming his long hair and enjoying tasty treats. He is full of energy, yet remains gentle and intelligent, recognizing his name and listening attentively when praised. A friendly call from his carer prompts Percy to head over to investigate. Percy thoughtfully explores new spaces, hides, and dig boxes with careful curiosity, showing interest in themed enclosures by enjoying their unique and interactive features and finds pleasure in celebrating special occasions, expressing his happiness with zoomies. Every day with Percy brings warmth and joy.

Through Percy, we observe how interactive layouts, themed designs, and enrichment features encourage confident exploration, engagement, and joyful movement within an ethical enclosure.

Ember

Ember is proudly cared for by @littlepumpkin.andpoppy_

Species: Dwarf Hamster
Personality: Calm, methodical, and quietly focused
Favourite Feature: Multiple hides and treat hiding areas
Speciality: Foraging and food storage behaviour

Ember is growing into the calmest, most methodical girl! At almost 8 months old, Ember’s favourite activity is collecting her treats. She will stay out, foraging, until every last seed is carefully stowed away in a burrow or hide.

She loves platforms or open-fronted hides that she can inspect and sit in for a well-earned rest. One of her favourite items is her squeak heart hideaway, in custom colours to match her perfect pink set up… she’ll always be a pink princess girl!!

Through Ember, we observe how enclosure layouts support natural foraging behaviour, food storage, and repeated movement between hides, helping ensure our designs allow space for both activity and quiet retreat.

Ophelia

Ophelia is proudly cared for by @littlepumpkin.andpoppy_

Species: Syrian Hamster
Personality: Gentle, cautious, and quietly observant
Favourite Feature: Large, spacious hides for storing treats and toys
Speciality: Multi-chamber use and low-profile navigation

Ophelia is a “ghost hamster” who was unfortunately very scared when she came to us. She’s now over a year old and has come out of her shell. She loves lots of enrichment and low, spacious areas that she can sneak around, as well as bridges and structures such as logs that she can move beneath.

She’s a very tentative burrower, but she absolutely loves her wheel time. She would be lost without her many substrate stations — coco soil being her favourite — where she will sit for ages, finding and snuffling out her treats.

Through Ophelia, we observe how shy or cautious hamsters interact with enclosure layouts, particularly the importance of spacious hides, low covered routes, and multiple substrate areas that allow them to move, forage, and feel secure at their own pace.

Alfee

Alfee is proudly cared for by @treasuredpawshr

Species: Dwarf
Personality: 50% sugar, 50% spice…100% perfect
Favourite Feature: Maximum enrichment to burn off her abundance of energy
Speciality: World-class durability tester (and enthusiastic taste tester)

Alfee is one of a kind, fuelled by a spirit so huge it’s hard to imagine it fits inside her little body. Often found burning the midday oil, she roams her enclosure at all hours looking for interesting things to explore and places to forage. She’s always on the go and needs an environment fit for a pocket rocket princess!

Alfee has known appropriate care from a young age and, as a result, has high expectations in what she wants from her home — we love this for her! With easily interchangeable 3D-printed dig boxes and hides, we can happily cater to her every whim.

Through Alfee, we observe how high-energy hamsters interact with enrichment-heavy layouts, ensuring our designs remain durable, engaging, and able to withstand constant exploration, foraging, and the occasional enthusiastic taste test.

See our Rainbow Hamsters — remembering the hamsters who helped shape what we create.