Syrian that likes Greenies a bit too much?

[InkyPen]

Inky (~5months, Syrian, 145g) has had access to a petite greenie (the one shaped like a toothbrush) for a total of 48 hours within the last 72 hours, with a day off in the middle. In that time, she's almost destroyed it - she's probably eaten two thirds of it, and it's now lying in two halves

Should I be limiting her access to them? I tend to go on the principle that if she's using something then she's enjoying it and it was money well spent, but I'm not sure how unhealthy they are for hamsters, and I don't want to give her greenie-induced malnutrition!

[AmityvilleHams]

If it were a Whimzee you wouldn't have to be worried,but because Greenies contain gelatin they shouldn't be ate so fast For now try and take the rest out,but in the future just get Whimzees somehow so you won't have to worry.They can even be ordered online so if you for example ordered food off Viovet you could get a few Whimzees in the same order along with other supplies!

[chesca_27]

I have a similar kind of problem with Jasper - he goes mental (I mean totally crazy) for a Whimzee or Greenie. He's only allowed them at playtime now, so he can't hoard it. it just means I have to keep an eye on it because he can't be trusted with them.

You could cut a small piece of the Greenie off and just put that in the cage every week or so, as a taming treat. That way, she can still enjoy it, while you feel better.

You could just save them as playtime treats like I do. At the end of playtime/tame box time, it gets taken away again, unless I've come back from a trip and haven't seen him in a while. Then he gets to keep the Whimzee.

[cypher]

The ingredients in greenies are really nothing to stress about & your ham isn't going to be malnourished from overdoing it a bit but I would limit intake, they're quite easy to cut up so maybe just give half in future & maybe not more than once every few weeks.
My Chinese hams are very partial to greenies & get through them fairly quickly so they just don't get them often.
Whimzees or antos dog chews are a little bit healthier & harder so they do tend to last a bit longer & definitely worth a try but some hams can still chew through those at a fast rate so again keep as a special treat & don't give too frequently.

[Thin Lizzy]

I wish Harvey took more notice of his whimzee toothbrush. I tend to but the smaller size.

[InkyPen]

I've taken it off her (cue an increase in bar chewing *facepalm*) Thanks for the tip about Whimzees - next time I go to Pets at Home I'll see if they have any in, and fingers crossed we'll have more joy with them!

[Juliebrei]

we have a ww hybrid that goes crazy for pretty much anything food so we have resorted to hanging bigger things like whimzees and biscrock just within, reach from sisal thread, so she really has to stretch and work to get some. that really limits her consumption and gives her a good workout while she eats

[AmityvilleHams]

If you can't find Whimzees but find Antos,those are pretty much the same thing and will work as well!

[InkyPen]

Ah yes that's a good idea Juliebrei! I'll have to get out the electric drill if it comes to that (I knew there was a reason mum gave me one for Christmas one year...!)

I have to admit, however, It was rather entertaining watching her try to get a whole petite greenie from her main cage to her bin cage extension, down about 1.5m of Ferplast tubing Turns out she's brighter than she looks, as it was too wide for the tubing if carried in a conventional way, but she rapidly worked out that if she picked it up by the end it would fit ROFL

[Juliebrei]

they're smarter than we think there is actually i "tree" you can buy from viovet, where you can hang things from, if you don't want to DIY

Zelda tries to fit them through the opening in her house and also quickly works it out