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Old 03-06-2018, 02:52 PM   #1
ShannonSides
Newborn Pup
 
Join Date: Mar 2018
Posts: 4
Question First Custom hamster diet - please help!

Hi everyone! So I am relatively new to hamster care, currently own one Syrian named Pippin! We just got him about a week ago. Not sure exactly how old he is but I don’t think he’s quite full grown yet. I am working on putting together his diet. I have it set up in a pill organizer and I was hoping you experts could take a look and help me out!

So as a base I am using Kaytee Fortidiet prohealth pellets. They are 20% protein, 4% fat, 7% fiber.

Here’s my weekly plan:
Sunday & Thursday: 2-3 Kaytee pellets, some fresh veggies. Not sure exactly how much is a good amount, I was thinking like a spinach leaf and a small piece of cauliflower? (Obviously I’ll switch up the safe veggies, just need help knowing how much to give.)

Monday & Wednesday & Saturday: 2-3 Kaytee pellets, and a bit of a protein mix I’ve made. The protein mix I made has sunflower seeds, macadamia nuts, pistachios, and dried meal worms. I’m thinking just a quarter-size amount of this mix with the pellets - again need help with amount!

Tuesday & Friday: 2-3 Kaytee pellets and a piece or two of dried pasta for fiber. I’ve found Pippin really likes egg noodles. Are there certain pastas that are better than others?


Any feedback is much appreciated, especially with the quantities! Again, I’m still relatively a beginner (this is only my second hamster and my first time doing a diet plan like this) so if this is way off please let me know how I can be better!
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Old 03-07-2018, 02:07 AM   #2
cypher
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Location: Wales UK
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Default Re: First Custom hamster diet - please help!

If you're going to give a custom diet then you do need to have a better idea of the nutrients you will be giving in addition to the pellets.
Pellets are far from ideal as they don't offer any opportunity for feeding naturally (foraging, opening seeds etc) & the ingredients aren't always the best.
I'm not sure your plan to give just a few pellets a day is going to allow her to create an adequate hoard, you do need to feed enough to allow for that.
Hamsters need to have an adequate amount of food available at all times so it's best to fill the bowl or scatter enough for a few days at a time.
The protein in the pellets is on the high side already so you wouldn't need to be adding in extra protein foods, if those foods were to replace pellets then you would also need to know the other nutrient levels in them.
Pasta as a treat now & then is fine if they enjoy it but unless it's wholemeal pasta it won't offer much in the way of extra fibre.
It does sound as though you want to give your ham a healthy varied diet but tbh I think you would do far better to give a good muesli type mix like Hazel Hamster which has good ingredients & allows natural feeding behaviour.
You could give a wide variety of fresh veg in addition to that, beginning gradually & working up to a small piece daily.
Once or twice a week a small piece of nut or other seeds can be giving in addition too but I would stick to a good quality mix as the base of your hamsters diet.
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Last edited by cypher; 03-07-2018 at 02:24 AM.
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