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04-16-2015, 05:19 AM
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#1
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Newborn Pup
Join Date: Apr 2015
Location: Hampshire
Posts: 43
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Kiwi or cucumber?
Hi
I recently got a male Roborovski dwarf hamster from Pets at Home here in the UK, and was advised by the employee who was there to help us out (a youngish guy, who did seem very knowledgeable and told us he had owned many hamsters, most of them Roborovskis) , to feed my hamster a kiwi slice every couple of days, to help keep it hydrated. Having watched many YouTube videos (Erin's Animals mainly) that have detailed that hamsters can be fed cucumber to keep them hydrated, we asked the man if cucumber could be fed as well, and he told us no. He said that when he bought his hamsters, he was advised not to use cucumber by the person selling them to him, and told us to stick to the kiwi slices instead.
I'm just a bit confused by these two contradicting points and any help would be appreciated!!
-Maebh
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04-16-2015, 02:56 PM
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#2
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Moderator
Join Date: Aug 2014
Location: Wiltshire, UK
Posts: 3,365
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Re: Kiwi or cucumber?
I'm not sure about kiwi but cucumber is fine. If you need to transport your robo anywhere a slice of cucumber can keep them hydrated for the journey (whereas a bottle would just clang about). But at home you'd have your bottle so he shouldn't need it for hydration but for other reasons. Hamsters don't need as much water as other animals & can easily get diarrhoea if they have too much fruit or veg, so little pieces are fine but introduce them gradually to get him used to it.
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04-16-2015, 03:21 PM
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#3
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PM Fluffy for custom title
Join Date: Aug 2014
Location: Belfast, Northern Ireland
Posts: 3,192
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Re: Kiwi or cucumber?
I don't know if it's just me but I find kiwis very acidic? I know high levels of citric acid is why it's not recommended to give hams oranges so I'd be a bit wary but that's just a personal feeling tbh, I have no evidence whatsoever to support it! cucumbers are definitely fine.
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04-16-2015, 04:17 PM
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#4
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Hamster Antics
Join Date: Sep 2014
Posts: 23,533
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Re: Kiwi or cucumber?
Is Kiwi on the safe list? I can't remember. It would be good if it is because it has masses of Vitamin C - more than Oranges.
To answer your question though, you don't need to feed either of them every couple of days. To keep hydrated they just need fresh water every day. A small piece of veg every day is healthy for their diet, but I keep cucumber as an occasional treat. Charlie gets a different veg most days out of broccoli, carrot, cauliflower, green beans, celery, baby corn. Just two tiny 1cm squares of it. He gets fruit once a week as well as the veg - usually apple or banana, but sometimes plum or a raisin. Again just a 1cm square of it and he only gets one square of fruit.
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04-16-2015, 04:26 PM
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#5
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PM Fluffy for custom title
Join Date: Aug 2014
Location: Belfast, Northern Ireland
Posts: 3,192
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Re: Kiwi or cucumber?
I had a quick Google and found this old thread is kiwi ok?
Possibly too much potassium? Possibly too much citric acid?
Erin's Animals has it on her safe list and if you google "kiwi safe for hamsters" and "kiwi unsafe for hamsters" you get the same results with no indication kiwi is unsafe.
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04-16-2015, 04:36 PM
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#6
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Hamster Antics
Join Date: Sep 2014
Posts: 23,533
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Re: Kiwi or cucumber?
Thanks Shannon - sounds like an 'occasional thing if they like it' thing then.
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04-16-2015, 07:53 PM
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#7
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Hamster Warrior
Join Date: Oct 2014
Location: Lanarkshire, Scotland
Posts: 15,575
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Re: Kiwi or cucumber?
Whenever I'm in P@H, the dwarf hamsters always have kiwi in their bowls.
Mine only get fruit once a week, I usually give them 3 fruits - little bit of each.
Mine love their veggies like me, so I always have a variety to choose from.
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04-16-2015, 11:28 PM
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#8
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Dwarf whisperer
Join Date: May 2014
Location: Wales UK
Posts: 24,789
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Re: Kiwi or cucumber?
I've been hearing this a lot lately P&H recommending kiwi but it does seem to be a new thing so I can't help wondering where they got the idea from!
I'm sure a small piece now & then won't hurt but it's not something I'd like to give too often, mine don't even like it so I don't have to worry about it!
Mine do all love their cucumber though & have a small piece almost every day.
There's a list of safe & unsafe foods in the wiki section if you're unsure what to give Safe and Unsafe Food and Plants - Hamster Central WIKI
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Always loved, never forgotten, forever in my heart
T'ycor, Ziggy, Zephyr, Flynt, Mickle, Little Whisp, Zen, Zeki, Tinwë, Zylvan, Míriel, Calyanwë, Gusto & Meri ❤️
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04-16-2015, 11:45 PM
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#9
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Hamster Overlord
Join Date: Dec 2014
Location: staffordshire,england
Posts: 642
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Re: Kiwi or cucumber?
I have always wondered if they were allowed to eat kiwi and cucumber until we went to buy our latest hamster cookie! They were putting food in cages at the time and refilling water bottles and we asked whether they could have kiwi and cucumber. There reply was yes too both as treats , once a day for a slice of cucumber and every 2-3 days for a slice of kiwi! They were in fact putting it into the bowls at the time i asked, and the hamsters seemed to be really fascinated by it and all woke up to eat it!We also got told that both can be used to hydrate hamsters when there ill or when your going on long journeys, instead of having to use a water bottle. I have tried both with all three of my hamsters and these are the results:
Fudge - likes the kiwi
- doesn't like cucumber
Snowy - likes kiwi
- likes cucumber
Cookie - likes kiwi
- doesn't like cucumber
All three like kiwi, fudge and cookie don't like cucumber, snowy does though!
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04-17-2015, 12:48 AM
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#10
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Hamster Pup
Join Date: Oct 2012
Location: Bristol
Posts: 144
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Re: Kiwi or cucumber?
The last time I went to pets at home they had kiwi in with the hamsters to which me and my mum were like 'they can have kiwi? !'
I have written down the safe/unsafe foods from the hamster central wiki so when I got home I checked and it states it is safe.
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