Hamster has started to become picky

Davidjan · 05-23-2016, 05:53 PM

Hey guys my Syrian who is coming up to a year old now, has started to become very picky to everything, she was fine eating a mix, then went off it so i brought the Supreme Science, she was fine eating that for a while and then she decided that she didn't like it anymore, so i brought harry hamster and now she eats only certain parts, she is also given fresh products often. Im just worried she's not going to be getting all the nutrients if she doesn't eat the whole mix.
Is there anything i can do to make it more appetising or something? Im not really sure what to do?

pinkneon · 05-23-2016, 05:58 PM

You could mix them together maybe? So give both the Harry Hamster and the Science Selective together?

cypher · 05-23-2016, 09:24 PM

Some hams do get picky or go through phases with what they will or won't eat but as long as she is able to eat properly then the only answer really is tough love! You could give a mix of both but just don't top up the food for more than a few days unless it's been eaten.

Lala Noma · 05-23-2016, 10:45 PM

My hammy was very picky. Now I give her extruded food mainly, and she has all the nutrients in each pellet. She loves it, maybe you could put extruded food in her mix?

freyashamsters · 05-25-2016, 12:10 AM

Some hamsters do get picky through certain phases of their life if they're feeling cheeky lol

Pelleted food offers no variety at all so I'm not sure that would be the best option. I know a lot of people mix Harry Hamster with SS Pellets, therefore as long as they're eating the pellets they are getting all they need and the mix offers some variety

Pebbles82 · 05-25-2016, 03:36 AM

Sometimes it's difficult to know if they are being picky, because most of what they take from the food bowl is hoarded and they eat from their hoard while snug in bed a lot of the time. I find fresh food is always taken!

I've sometimes found Charlie has hardly taken any food out of his bowl for a few days - but that can be because he has an enormous hoard.

I would stick with the Harry Hamster and maybe add a few science selective biscuits to it. Hamsters do tend to eat what they need.

You can also partially scatter feed. So put half the usual Harry Hamster in the bowl and scatter the other half on the substrate, then add 3 or 4 science selective biscuits to the bowl and a couple on the substrate. They love finding food and foraging for it.

I supplement with a tiny piece of fresh veg every day (every 2 or 3 days at first until they get used to veg or it can upset their stomachs). About a thumbnail sized piece or 1 cm cubed (whichever is easier to imagine). Usually, broccoli, carrot, cauliflower, cucumber or green beans - and a different one each day for variety. I also give a piece of cheese about once a week (same thumbnail size) and half a brazil nut about once a week. Occasionally a small piece of plain cooked chicken if you happen to be having roast chicken or cold chicken (but nothing cooked in sauce or gravy).

You can get some healthy chew sticks as well, which help keep their teeth trim - they have wood inside. The Rosewood dandelion ones and mini rodent sticks tend to go down well and have some healthy ingredients.

Having said all that, if it's something you've just noticed and she's a year old, then maybe her teeth need checking. If her teeth have got overgrown or one has fallen out she could be having difficulty eating. See if you can get a look at her teeth without upsetting her. And you could maybe try softening the Harry Hamster - add a small amount of boiling water to the mix before putting the bowl out, and let it cool down before putting the bowl in the cage.

Does she seem to have lost weight at all? If not and she's healthy looking and active, I wouldn't worry too much.