So...

[liam4mail]

... from October my little Syrian arrives. He was born at the end of August. Where do I start? Surely one of the brands of food pellets is better than the rest. Can anyone recommend? And if we are not allowed to mention brand names in public can someone send me a private message?

I have seen a Syrian on YouTube eating a baby corn on the cob. A full one. How often can they have something like this? And how much? I have no idea of portion sizes.

How about treats? I do not want to buy any old tack. Are there any good organic (or whatever the buzzword is in hamster world for healthy!) treats out there?
Hey is it possible to make some ourselves? One of us should start doing that and selling them for charity perhaps!

I have also seen a Syrian eat a large dog biscuit on YouTube. The owner said it was low in salt. Can they have such things? He said no onion or garlic content. Why no onion or garlic?

I have also seen a Syrian eat a French fry on YouTube. How disgusting. YouTube should report such terror to the RSPCA!

Water, fresh daily, tap or bottle, chilled or room temperature? I have a water bottle ordered. Hmmm... what about the drops for vitamins? I am hearing mixed reports about those. What about these blocks for licking for minerals?

I have ordered some books so they will advise me on food types more. I am worried about portion size though and variety.

[Bunsey]

that's a lot of questions!

I use Harry Hamster food mix, as do a lot of people. To that i add some lentils and barley, but you don't have to add those. Aside from the mix i give veggies such as broccoli, courgette, spinach, sprout, cabbage. One piece a day only though, as too much can give them diarrohea.

I give the briscrox dog biscuits or the pedigree milk bones. the main thing to avoid is onion and garlic containing one.

I also give hard boiled egg, scrambled egg, wholewheat pasta (cooked and cooled), tiny bit of wholemeal toast, porridge

The main thing is the mix and the other stuff is just a side thing. I would give only one thing a day out of the list.

[liam4mail]

Thank you for that!

So would one sprout be considered a portion size?

How do you mean lentils? Where do you get them from? I read barley is bad because the sharp edges when they store food in their cheeks... where do you get barley from?

Do you mean dry porridge oats?

How much of a hard-boiled egg?

[suga]

I also use Harry Hamster food. I supplement the food with carrot, broccoli a sprinkle of wheat germ.
As individual treats she has porridge if I am having it for breakfast, or some grape, apple, cucumber- tiny pieces.
When you get your hamster - ask for a small supply of the food that the hamster has been eating and then you can start to change over to something else gradually. You also have to remember not to change too much in one go as it can give hamsters an upset stomach.

[souffle]

We also use Harry Hamster. It contains a prebiotic which is good for the hamsters digestive system. We also supplement with the things Bunsey mentioned. You can buy most from the health food stores like Holland & Barratt or the dried veg section in supermarkets. We add barley (its fine) lentils, bulgar wheat, linseed, and some of the soup mix packs you can buy sometimes which has dried veg in in.
A whole sprout is too much. We give a finger nail size bit of fruit or veg, maybe one type daily. Brocolli, cabbage, apple, sprout, green or red pepper, courgette etc but not citrus fruits onion or garlic. A little cooked pasta, scrambled or boiled egg, porridge, weetabix, cooked chicken again in fingernail sized pieces are enjoyed too.
We find they do not like the mineral blocks and the vitamin drops are not necessary and make the water bottle go green! They de enjot the naturals range of treats from P@H and also the vitacraft treat sticks with a wooden middle are good as they keep teeth in trim.

[liam4mail]

Good tips on the changeover of foods. Thank you suga!

Thank you souflee! I never thought about going to Holland & Barratt!

[jayne]

I use the same as mentioned, Harry Hamster for my Winter White mixed with some budgie seed mix. For Max, my syrian, he is currently on Acorn hamster mix which he likes although i will gradually get him onto Harry Hamster.
On top of this, some of my hamsters favourites are (in finger nail size portions as mentioned and given 2-3 times a week)

Babycorn
Cucumber
Courgette
Strawberries
Cooked spaghetti (so cute to watch them munch away and hold it with their little paws)
Brocolli
Carrot
Grapes

plus.. baby food, Heinz rice pudding goes down really well. Both Max and Dasha love it, again small portions. Mine get this once every week as a little extra treat. Max likes the Vitakraft yoghurt drops, rotastak choc drops and the fruit sticks as mentioned by souffle. Dasha is doesn't seem to care for these types of treats and much prefers fresh veg and baby food of course!

Basically, as the others have said, it's a matter of trying your hamster slowly on different foods and in small quantities.

For a more comprehensive list, here is a section from the WIKI

http://www.hamstercentral.com/wiki/Safe ... and_Plants (http://www.hamstercentral.com/wiki/Safe_and_Unsafe_Food_and_Plants)

Remember not to give anything containing garlic, onion, high salt, citrus fruits and human chocolate.

[liam4mail]

Thank you ever so much jayne! And yes I am constantly on YouTube watching them munching and holding food! :D