Okay to leave Brazil Nut in cage?

[Nienna]

I have a bag of brazil nuts in their shells that I bought in the fall; I had meant them for my rats but they died before they could enjoy them. I've had one out on the floor when Baklava has her out-of-cage time, but I'm not sure if she really knows what to do with it! Other than a few nibbles she's not bothered it much.

So I was thinking of putting it in her cage, since she has all night to figure it out. But because she's never eaten a brazil nut before, I'm afraid she'll eat too much and upset her stomach. (Or is it only fruits and veggies that need to be introduced gradually?)

Thanks!

[Thin Lizzy]

Brazil Nuts are perfectly fine. You mentioned it's in a shell, have you taken it out of the shell?

[Nienna]

No, I haven't. I actually don't have any way to open them, unless I would want to try a hammer.

[jemmalg]

I've given mine whole Brazil nuts in the shell before, they take a good while to get them out so I wouldn't worry about her eating too much! Munching through the shell is good for their teeth too. If she doesn't make much progress with it, it might be worth cracking it a little if you can so she gets the smell of it

[Nienna]

Okay, thanks!

[Thin Lizzy]

Originally Posted by jemmalg

I've given mine whole Brazil nuts in the shell before, they take a good while to get them out so I wouldn't worry about her eating too much! Munching through the shell is good for their teeth too. If she doesn't make much progress with it, it might be worth cracking it a little if you can so she gets the smell of it

Jemmalg, that's good to know that, will look out for them, it'll make it more fun and work for my hammies.

[Fluffagrams]

I used to give my first hamster (a Syrian boy called Zac) Brazil nuts still in their shells and he loved chewing through them to get to the contents. I'd totally forgotten that I used to do that until I had seen this thread so as a consequence had never offered them to my Chineseys.