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Old 10-05-2014, 12:58 PM   #1
Flummox
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Default No corn for a Russian dwarf?

I picked up a small sample bag of Carefresh Complete (I'm in Canada) for my new little dwarf, Thistle, which after a bit of research seems quite a good food. But I've also read that dwarf breeds are more susceptible to diabetes and shouldn't have corn. I've picked out the bits of dried corn from the mix but I just wanted to make sure that this is the right thing to do and that I don't need to sub anything else in there for her to have a good diet. Shall I just chuck the bits of corn out and never give them to her at all? There are also a few dried split peas left in, should I remove these too or will they be ok? I've only ever had a Syrian in the UK so I'm a newbie to this type of hamster and food!
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Old 10-05-2014, 01:06 PM   #2
Hekomi
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Default Re: No corn for a Russian dwarf?

They're not as sugary as previously thought, and picking out parts of the mix will make it nutritionally imbalanced.

I am also in Canada, and I feed my boys oxbow and Harlan Tekland 2018.
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Old 10-05-2014, 01:11 PM   #3
Vectis Hamstery
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Default Re: No corn for a Russian dwarf?

I would agree with Hekomi about not picking things out of commercial mixes. Some time ago I tried that with hamsters who had known family histories of diabetes and found that not only did they still go on to develop diabetes, but they had poor condition beforehand due to eating an unbalanced mix. Plus it was a right faff!

Feed them the whole mix, but just avoid sugar containing mixes (those sprayed with molasses) and treats
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Old 10-05-2014, 01:14 PM   #4
Flummox
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Default Re: No corn for a Russian dwarf?

Yeah that's what I was worried about. There wasn't a massive amount of corn in there anyway and I thought a couple of bits per feeding might be ok. Thanks for the recommendations Hekomi, I'll check out those brands.
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Old 10-05-2014, 01:33 PM   #5
Hekomi
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Default Re: No corn for a Russian dwarf?

No problem! HT can only be bought through Flower Town Chinchillas, which are in Brampton.
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Old 10-05-2014, 04:39 PM   #6
Teddy001
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Default Re: No corn for a Russian dwarf?

I have 2 diabetes prone hams- I do pick out the corn, " only" when I give my dwarf a few popped corn pieces, for that day, as a treat- since 1 of my dwarfs loves popped corn, I'll substrate the popped corn instead of the corn bits. I think this is fine, due to, well, popped corn, is corn- I don't want to give her more corn than what she would normally eat within the mix per day, if that makes sense?

I did ask my exotic vet about the corn & peas in hamster mixed foods- I'm not sure I totally agree 100% with her, but when I asked her, if the corn and peas should be removed from the mix, she nodded her head, yes. I think corn and peas are okay in very little quantitys ( but I could be wrong?) - the " dwarf hamster foods, are not formulated specifically for diabetes prone hamsters, only. It's made as a overall general dwarf food mix. I don't think company's that manufacture hamster foods, are sensitive to health specific ( diabetes) when formulating the mix.
I'm going to ask my hams vet clearifacation on the dried corn and dried peas pieces, again, as I have to call her back, on Monday, for a follow up call regards to my Syrian ham.

Last edited by Teddy001; 10-05-2014 at 04:54 PM.
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Old 10-06-2014, 12:35 AM   #7
cypher
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Default Re: No corn for a Russian dwarf?

I think generally some corn is ok it really depends on your mix & how much is in it, some seem to have a lot more than others. What I would avoid is giving any extra corn as treats for dwarf hams.
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Old 10-06-2014, 12:56 AM   #8
Teddy001
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Default Re: No corn for a Russian dwarf?

Everything I've read about "corn & peas" says, to remove them from diabetic prone hamsters food. I haven't due to there's very few pieces in the food mix I feed my dwarfs, but I may start- I'll talk to my vet first, though, before I alter the food mix. I feed my dwarfs Hazel hamster, mixed with Sunseed Dwarf formula mix- there's no corn that I can see in that mix, but there is corn in the Hazel Hamster.
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Old 10-06-2014, 03:23 AM   #9
iCupcake7911
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Default Re: No corn for a Russian dwarf?

Quote:
Originally Posted by Teddy001 View Post
Everything I've read about "corn & peas" says, to remove them from diabetic prone hamsters food. I haven't due to there's very few pieces in the food mix I feed my dwarfs, but I may start- I'll talk to my vet first, though, before I alter the food mix. I feed my dwarfs Hazel hamster, mixed with Sunseed Dwarf formula mix- there's no corn that I can see in that mix, but there is corn in the Hazel Hamster.
Recently, newer information talks about how corn and peas have almost no sugar in them, it'll do more bad then good by taking them out. If you have so 5 pieces of corn in the food bowl, it may seem like a lot but it is covering the whole nutritional analysis.
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Old 10-08-2014, 05:13 PM   #10
Teddy001
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Default Re: No corn for a Russian dwarf?

Quote:
Originally Posted by iCupcake7911 View Post
Recently, newer information talks about how corn and peas have almost no sugar in them, it'll do more bad then good by taking them out. If you have so 5 pieces of corn in the food bowl, it may seem like a lot but it is covering the whole nutritional analysis.
Can you please post the new information? I'd like to copy it and have my hams vet read it- thank you

Add'l; I was told corn and peas- it's not so much the " sugar" content- they are both high in starch, which are can cause weight gain, thus, higher chances for the diabetes.

Last edited by Teddy001; 10-08-2014 at 05:31 PM.
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