Need New Food/Mix

[Pinkchi]

Have been hellishly busy so haven't had the time to get on and post for a while. The hams (Lilly & Esme) are both doing ok, though have lost a bit of condition. It would appear that the mix i'm giving them isn't very good so i'm looking for a better one for them.

At present its a mix of Asda hamster (looked good as no artificial colours/preservatives but only realised now only 14% protein) and Burgess dwarf hamster harvest with some oats, kitten food and extra dried mealworms added. I also have a bag of Science Selective and give Lilly 2 and Esme 1 biscuit per night.

I will not use Harry Hamster as its full of colourants and mostly big biscuit pieces.

Today I bought a new bag of Burgess dwarf hamster harvest and also a bag of Burgess hamster harvest the one for syrians. I'm pondering if I should just mix those 2 together as they both have good nutrient levels, or if I should do a bit more of a mix for them like I have used previously with good results which was based on I believe Noo Boos Hamstery mix. So mixing my Burgess with another mix and adding bits such as oats, kitten kibble, nuts and mealworms etc.

I wish I wasn't so OCD and could just pull any old bag of food off the shelf and feed but I just can't. I have to make sure in my mind that its the healthiest and best I can possibly give them.

I'm also trying to avoid artificial colours/flavors/preservatives as I believe my syrians behaviour has been much calmer since using the Burgess mix to the pets at home she was on.

I just want to pick a good mix and stick to it and not sit up all night scrolling through forums and worrying about it

[Pinkchi]

Just opened both packets of Burgess and the mixes look so much better than I thought they did. I'm actually considering just slowly changing my syrian onto the syrian one and my dwarf onto the dwarf one and leaving it as it is? And just giving a science selective biscuit with it to nibble on.

I worry and obsess over the smallest things to the point it drives me crazy at times. I'm hoping in not the only one on the forum like that. I just want to do the right thing for my hams but I am such a worrier x

[pixiehollow]

I used burgess dwarf mixed with extra millet and mealworms with my dwarfs with some broken up science selective mixed in and for syrians have a mix of harry hamster, burgess, science selective and extra mealworms. Both mixed with cereal from the kitchen. Porridge oats, rice krispies and corn flakes. With the odd cherrios.
All get baby food once a week, although Tink gets most days (old age)

I like to do the best for mine aswell and so I mix everything I can to be sure they get the nutrition they need. xx

[kyrilliondaemon]

I'd go for whatever makes you happiest, but for what its worth I have heard really good reviews of the asda stuff and I'm not sure its worth panicking about exact protein levels that much to be honest

[Thin Lizzy]

I know the burgess mixes you mean.
If you give a little bit of each over a period off a week to 10 days then increase it.
As long as they get protein, it'll be fine.

[Pinkchi]

Well Lilly doesn't seem very fussed on the Asda one and Esme likes it but both have lost weight and condition despite me adding in extra protein. I assume it's the food because that's the only thing that has changed and they both have it.

Last night I mixed 1tbsp of their current mix with 1tbsp of the syrian burgess for Lilly and the same for Esme but with the dwarf. Lilly had 2 science selective and Esme had 1 broken up plus I sprinkled them both a few extra mealworms on top as they both like those.

I think I will continue doing this for a week or so then put them just into the burgess mixes and see if they put any weight on.

Otherwise I will have to resort to putting them both back on the pets at home which I'd rather not have to do as I don't like all the sugar/colours in it

[Pinkchi]

Oops double post!

I do also like the look of johnsons supreme hamster & gerbil but the only thing that puts me off is I can't find it locally and everywhere online have to pay postage for like a £3 bag of hamster food!

We will see what happens but I feel really bad they have lost condition. I've never had this happen before so it must be the food. Esme had a vet check not long ago and I checked Lilly's teeth last night and they are fine.

The only other thing I could think of was Lilly has quite a few treats stashed away, one if those burgess hanging stars and a pets at home rat fruit stick but she doesn't really seem to eat much of it. She's never been a big eater since I got her. Always food left in her small bowl and I only normally half fill it

[cypher]

My dwarfs do well on the Burgess food but if you really want to build them up a bit you could give them some kitten or cat kibble, I use Iams which is a bit expensive but good quality, it's really high protein so you only need give them one or two pieces a day for while to give them a real boost.

[Peanut84]

How about trying Silvers mix from ratRations?
Dwarf Hamster - Basic - £1.38 : ratRations.com

[Pinkchi]

That's true cypher. I have Wainwrights and arden grange kitten kibble to hand so will mix up a little batch of mealies and kitten food to sprinkle on the top.

I did look at Silvers mixes but with Xmas just round the corner I can't really justify the high postage on rat rations.

I'm going to give the Burgess a go and if that fails will probably order from rat rations. Just noticed that they also sell the johnsons mix