I am preparing to bring home my three Chinese hamsters within the next week and I have been researching the best food option for their nutritional needs. I have gotten a lot of suggestions for Hazel hamster food, which is supposed to be the same product as the Harry hamster food sold in the UK.
However, in my research I have found the lists of ingredients for these two products, and they are not the same:
Harry Hamster Food
Harry Hamster complete muesli | Supreme Pet Foods
Ingredients
Lucerne meal (alfalfa),
flaked maize, soya, wheat flour,
maize, flaked wheat, flaked peas, oats, sunflower seeds (min 4%), locust bean, peanuts (min 2%), flaked soybeans,
banana & fenugreek oil, soy oil, minerals. Additives: Colourants.
Hazel Hamster Food
Supreme Pet Foods Hazel Hamster Food - Food - Small Pet - PetSmart
Ingredients:
Flaked whole wheat, ground whole wheat, pelleted soybean meal, dehydrated alfalfa pellets,
whole corn, flaked peas,
flaked whole corn, sunflower seeds, flaked soybeans, peanut kernels, kibbled locust beans, soybean oil (preserved with BHT), peanuts in shell, pumpkin seeds, wheat middlings, salt, calcium carbonate, sodium sulfate, vitamins, minerals, added fd&c colors
I currently feed my hamsters (syrian & robos) Kaytee Forti-Diet Pro-Health with DHA, Omega-3
Kaytee KAYTEE Forti-Diet Pro Health Hamster & Gerbil
Ingredients:
Corn, Wheat, Milo, Sunflower, Millet, Oat Groats, Sun-cured Alfalfa Meal, Dehulled Soybean Meal,
Ground Corn, Toasted Corn Flakes, Shelled Peanuts, Toasted Wheat Flakes, Ground Flax Seed, Canadian Field Peas, Green Split Peas, Ground Oats, Ground Wheat, Ground Rice, Calcium Carbonate, Dicalcium Phosphate,
Dried Cane Molasses, Salt, Soy Oil, Algae Meal (source of Omega-3 DHA),
Fructooligosaccharide, DL-Methionine, L-Lysine, Yeast Extract, Yucca Schidigera Extract, Vitamin A Supplement, Choline Chloride, Mixed Tocopherols (a preservative), Ferrous Sulfate, Manganous Oxide, Riboflavin Supplement, Zinc Oxide, Vitamin B12 Supplement, Vitamin E Supplement, Niacin, Menadione Sodium Bisulfite Complex (source of vitamin K activity), Rosemary Extract, Citric Acid, Cholecalciferol (source of vitamin D3), Copper Sulfate, Calcium Pantothenate, Pyridoxine Hydrochloride, Thiamine Mononitrate, Calcium Iodate, Biotin, Folic Acid, Dried Bacillus licheniformis Fermentation Product, Dried Bacillus subtilis Fermentation Product, Cobalt Carbonate, Sodium Selenite, Artificial Color. Allergen information: Contains peanuts and/or other tree nuts
Also, I have received a lot of good advice about limiting corn (maize) in the Chinese hamsters diet. Both of these formulas seem to have a significant amount of whole corn and flaked corn.
What are your thoughts about this?
Any suggestions for preferred diet choices for the Chinese hamster?
With the exception of the added sweeteners (highlighted in purple) I see no advantage from switching from my current product to Harry/Hazel hamster food. I think that my food may offer more complete nutrition in terms of vitamins, minerals and supplements.
Please, respond with your thoughts/comments/suggestions!
I really want to provide an appropriate diet for my Chinese hams
Sorry this is such a long post!!!