Yvonne Zhu

Hi! I'm Yvonne, a freshman at Duke University!

I started owning hamsters at 6 years old with no knowledge of proper care, but learned about it later when I got my second hamster at 13 years old. I have cared for both hamsters and guinea pigs and currently own a female Syrian hamster named Almond Roca.

I founded FatPotat with my twin sister Sky in 2022 after learning about the lack of proper supplies for hamsters and other small animals in the US pet supply market. I love to do hands-on work and run FatPotat Creations, FatPotat's ethical care shop. 

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Outside of animal care, I like to row, sing, and participate in Public Forum debate.

Sky Zhu

Hello! I'm Sky, a first-year student at Duke University.

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A few years after getting my first hamster at six years old and knowing nothing about proper care, I got a pair of guinea pigs. Being a very inquisitive third grader, I consulted online forums for the first time in my pet-owning journey. I learned so much about how misleading most pet store pamphlets and library books are for most "exotic" pets. Since then, I've owned hamsters, guinea pigs, and rats.

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I created FatPotat with my twin sister Yvonne in 2022 after experiencing firsthand the lack of proper resources for rodent owners in the US. I also run FatPotat Creations!

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Aside from FatPotat, I love volunteering at a therapeutic riding barn, singing, and debating.

Addison Lim

Hi! I'm Addison, a freshman at James Madison University.

In early 2021 I got my first hamster (Winter White Russian Dwarf) and did not properly understand the fundamentals of proper small animal care. I soon realized that I needed a bigger setup and better food, so I invested in better care.

In April of 2024, I adopted a 10-month-old rescue rabbit from a hoarding situation and named her Dior! I had researched about rabbit care since 2021, and I am living my fullest with Dior!

Callie Gao

Hi! I’m Callie, a high school sophomore in Maryland.

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Ever since I was young, I've dreamt of owning a dog, but that wasn't an option for my family. After some years, I finally came across hamsters, which were the perfect match for me! Luckily, I started my hamster care journey with knowledge of proper care and now have a cute male Syrian hamster named Moose.

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I joined FatPotat because I'm passionate about hamster care, especially in regards to the lack of resources for small pet owners in the US.

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Besides animals, I like to compete in Jiu Jitsu and draw.

Aanya M

Hey!! I'm Aanya and I live in India.

I love animals a lot and I enjoy taking care of them and advocating for them. I love to take pictures and videos of my pet rabbit Oreo whenever I get the chance. I am currently in high school with science (physics, chemistry, and biology) and maths as my main subjects. I aspire to either become a veterinarian or a biotechnologist in the future. I hope I can spread awareness about animals being mistreated and abused.

Apart from my love for animals, I also enjoy playing basketball and listening to music. Reading books is one of my favorite hobbies!

Ashley H

Hiya! I'm Ashley and I'm in the UK. I'm currently working as a tutor but my passion is community arts, specifically theatre.

I have been keeping rats for 4 years now. We got our first rats from a pet shop and I have learned so much since then. I am very passionate about sharing my experiences and knowledge so that others don't have to make the same mistakes that I did. I have a YouTube channel where I make videos sharing an honest perspective of keeping rats and also sharing information for other rat keepers.

I'm so excited to be a part of the FatPotat team and to share and learn with you all.

Ellie

Hey y’all! I’m Ellie, a graduate student from North Carolina, U.S. 

I currently own two rabbits, Miss Junie Bea and her boyfriend Mr. Jiggy, both of which I rescued locally in NC. As a new rabbit owner I did lots of research and was disheartened by both how little resources were readily available for rabbits and how easily it was then for misinformation to spread about their care.

Consequently, I am now very passionate about educating others about feed, treats, and toys for their small pets that are both safe and budget friendly. I also am proud to share with others about the joy of owning rabbits; that they are such wonderful and rewarding companions to cohabitate with. 

When I’m not working or studying, I enjoy video games and reading. :)

Kyle P

Hey y'all! I'm Kyle, and I'm from California, U.S.

 I rescued five abandoned Guinea pigs in January of 2022 with no knowledge of how to care for them (and no intention to keep them). I fell in love and ended up doing research to keep two. The other three jumped between different homes before coming back to me permanently in May of 2022 and June of 2023. I also have various spiders, and care for my brother's rabbit.

I plan to go into zookeeping as a career, and have always had a passion for animals. I joined FatPotat in hopes of making proper care more widely known to reduce the number of animals that are cared for improperly.

Allyson M

Hey there! I'm Ally, a senior in secondary school based in Toronto. 

As a child, my greatest desire was to have a pet- so when my dad brought up the idea that we get a rabbit during the pandemic, I jumped on the idea immediately. We soon adopted Odyssey, a lop mix rabbit.

Unfortunately, we provided subpar care until I delved deeper into research, quickly improving Odyssey's standard of life and forming a new passion in the process. 

To continue my journey aiding owners reach ethical care standards, I joined FatPotat as a writer. 

Outside of animals, I enjoy video production, playing various instruments, and swimming. 

Sara H

Hi there! I’m Sara, and I am based in Maryland. Also, I’m currently a junior in college.

Animal care has always been a major part of my life, and I have spent three years of my life in veterinary medicine directly. As a child, I had a pair of female guinea pigs for six years, but my complete understanding of proper small animal husbandry developed during my late teens.

Currently, I own a dog, a Syrian hamster, and four guinea pigs, but I also have recent experience with dwarf hamsters and rescuing various endangered rodents for shelters, too!

FatPotat is an organization I joined due to its interest in the welfare of small animals and my experience in drafting guides for local groups. I hope to share my experiences of raising these lovable creatures with owners looking to educate themselves on updated care information. 

Eddie

Hi! My name is Eddie, and I'm a college freshman studying animal sciences.

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I've had a passion for animals for as long as I can remember. I've kept a variety of small pets throughout my life, including rabbits, a hedgehog, and currently a pair of gerbils. I joined FatPotat because these animals are so misunderstood, and it's important to me to change people's viewpoint and help them understand that just because an animal is small doesn't mean they have small needs. My main career goal is to have my own small animal rescue.

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Apart from animals, I'm really into music and play several instruments. I also like painting, writing, and hiking.

Smock

Hi! I'm Smock. I live in New Jersey and I'm a junior in high school.

Hamsters and mice have always captivated me, for no good reason. I started with my first hamster when I was 11-12, and she didn't have the best care. Over the course of the years I've owned rodents, I have strived to improve my husbandry of small animals. Today, I have hamsters and a male mouse.

I joined FatPotat to make proper care more accessible and easier to find for the average owner.

In my free time, I like to draw small animals.

Artemis L

Hi! I’m Artemis, and I’m a high school junior from Connecticut.

I first got into guinea pigs from extensive research, and after a few months, I felt I had known enough to begin fostering. Pretty soon I found an online community of people who shared the same love for guinea pigs as I do, and they’ve helped me from keeping Mars and Jupiter out of their mom's cage to me now helping others. One of my boys, Tommy, comes from a hoarding situation, and it’s had a lasting impact on his physical and mental health. My hope is that someday, no pigs will have to endure what he did.

I joined FatPotat to continue advocating for proper animal welfare, and to share my knowledge of guinea pigs with even more people.

Aside from animals, I work at a t-shirt press at my school, do various forms of art, and generally create stuff.

Mishy H

Hi! I'm Mishy, and I am a high school junior in the US. 

I am a super big animal lover, but hamsters have always been my favorite.

Ever since 2015, I've held them dear to me, I love caring for them and each hamster I've owned has had their own spunky personality.

I currently have an adorable long hair Syrian named Benny! (he is incredibly clumsy.) Most of my friends and classmates know me as the one crazy hamster person who won't stop reposting videos and pictures of hamsters to their story, but I genuinely love these little guys, they've helped me a bunch. I hope I can help advocate and spread proper care and resources for owners!

In my free time, I like to draw and make illustrations as well as powerlift!

I’m so happy to be a part of a group that is just as passionate as I am about not just hamsters but small pets in general! 

Anna G

Hello! I’m Anna. I am from England.

I have a winter white hamster called Crumpet. I have always loved small animals and adopting her (after doing lots of research, of course) was the best decision I have ever made.

I joined the FatPotat team to spread awareness about ethical hamster care.

Aside from animals, I love to bake and play guitar.

Eva K

Hi, I'm Eva!!!

I remember when I knew next to nothing about caring for hamsters, over 2 years ago! My journey into rodent care in general started with a simple curiosity. I'd never owned any before, and my knowledge about them was so limited.

And that's when I turned to the vast wealth of information available on the internet - where it captivated me. Forums, studies, and other social media sites quite literally became my virtual classrooms for hamster and mouse care. I scoured through Hamster Hideout (before it was closed), Das Hamsterforum, and Mouse Fanciers, where owners would share their experiences with hamsters/mice and advice.

I'm excited to share my experiences and knowledge with others who are just starting their journey into hamster care.

Through this platform, I hope to offer guidance and inspire fellow rodent enthusiasts to provide the most accurate, species-specific care for these amazing pets (and make the owner's care journey easier).

Ben

Hi! I'm Ben. I live in Maryland and I'm a high school senior. 

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I own a dwarf hamster, Syrian hamster, and tarantulas! I'm very involved with proper hamster care and I would love to expand my care to other rodents in the future!

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Both of my hamsters are disabled. I got both of them from rehoming situations. Both were in CritterTrails and weren't being taken care of properly, and their disabilities were ignored. I take pride in the fulfilling life I'm able to give them.

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I'm so excited to be part of the FatPotat team and to help inform people the best I can on hamster care!

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Besides my pets, I love to play the Sims, listen to music, and doodle.

Nex

Hey! I'm Nex.

I'm from the UK and have always loved animals but became really passionate about small animals in particular after getting my first hamster Apple! 

Having a small animal as a pet has really opened my eyes to the complete lack of care, consideration, education and research that pet stores, pet brands and sometimes even vets have on small pets.

I want to help well-meaning owners and potential owners of small pets learn the appropriate care and give their pets the happiest, healthiest life possible!