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Old 04-14-2019, 05:43 AM   #1
Courtflash
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Question Best hamster food mix in the UK?

TL;DR at the bottom!

Hi guys. I live in London with five robo's and I've been feeding them a mix of something called Witte Molen Puur hamster food and Supreme Petfoods Science Selective Hamster, as well as added mealworms and fresh vegetables every few days.

However, I realised today that I haven't been paying proper attention to the protein, fat and fibre intake of my hamsters. I checked Hamster Hideout, but I can't seem to find a good food mix that doesn't have some sort of questionable ingredient and there doesn't seem to be that much variety here in the UK. Maybe I'm looking in the wrong places.

I'd appreciate some help, because my four robo boys have been sneezing since I first got them in October, and it hasn't stopped since. I've tried 4 different kinds of bedding, and they've had all sorts of antibiotics, but nothing has made a difference. Although I haven't seen/heard two of them sneeze for a few months, the other two sneeze constantly (no mucus oddly enough), and I have no idea why.

My one female robo hasn't had even a little sniffle, which makes me think it's an allergy rather than some kind of infection. I want to change their food to see if it's possibly what they're eating that's causing the sneezing.

Apologies for the paragraph.

TL;DR
Please help me find a healthy food mix I can get in the UK. If possible, please include the amount of protein, fat and fibre in the mix, as well as if it contains any added sugars or risky preservatives.
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Old 04-14-2019, 06:02 AM   #2
alpacassei
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Default Re: Best hamster food mix in the UK?

The best UK food in terms of nutrition is Harry Hamster however the pieces are quite big for robos which makes it harder to ensure they’re getting a good mix. The mixes are all German but you can buy them in the Uk online.

https://www.zooplus.co.uk/shop/small...er_food/620085
https://www.rodipet.co.uk/pet-foods/...nior-500g.html

The protein in the Rodipet mix is a little low but its designed that way so you can vary the protein source yourself: mealworms pne day, dried shrimp another, etc its also a good idea to scatter dried herb/flower mix around areas of the cage for stimulation/foraging
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Old 04-14-2019, 06:13 AM   #3
mangoandmimi
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Default Re: Best hamster food mix in the UK?

I use the rodipet hybrid mix alpacassei mentioned for my robo and it's great. Better than the Bunny mix imo. But with 5 of them the price would be really high. Have a look at mixerama (probably this one) or the getzoo mix as both come in larger quantities and work out cheaper despite the high postage cost. Good quality & high variety balanced mixes, much better than the ones you'll find in this country.
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Old 04-14-2019, 06:18 AM   #4
Courtflash
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Default Re: Best hamster food mix in the UK?

Thank you so much! I'm checking them out now! Rodipet looks really good, and I already mix mealworms into their food for extra protein so I'll just keep doing that.

Quote:
Originally Posted by alpacassei View Post
its also a good idea to scatter dried herb/flower mix around areas of the cage for stimulation/foraging
I actually started doing this a few months ago! They're not used to digging around and finding food, but they're slowly getting used to it. I really enjoy watching them find things in their substrate. Would you say that Rodipet's other products are safe/reputable in terms of food? Because I would be interested in getting treats and foraging mixes from them as well. The Pets At Home treats are too sugary, and the amount of fat in their forage mixes is pretty high.
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Old 04-14-2019, 06:29 AM   #5
Courtflash
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Default Re: Best hamster food mix in the UK?

Quote:
Originally Posted by mangoandmimi View Post
I use the rodipet hybrid mix alpacassei mentioned for my robo and it's great. Better than the Bunny mix imo. But with 5 of them the price would be really high. Have a look at mixerama (probably this one) or the getzoo mix as both come in larger quantities and work out cheaper despite the high postage cost. Good quality & high variety balanced mixes, much better than the ones you'll find in this country.
Thank you for the cheaper alternatives, but please don't worry! Even with five of them, they probably eat as much as a Syrian and a Campbell. They really don't eat that much, plus two of them are tiny! My female weighs about 22g. I think I'll go with what rodipet has to offer, but this is mainly because their site is in English lol. Google translated the other two sites, but not that well... ^^"
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Old 04-14-2019, 06:41 AM   #6
mangoandmimi
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Default Re: Best hamster food mix in the UK?

Yes I know what you mean, much easier with an English site isn't it.
If you're after treats off rodipet these are really good for encouraging natural foraging behaviours. Keeps them occupied and usually go down really well with dwarfs. I have to limit them a bit with my robo as she can't seem to restrain herself haha.
https://www.rodipet.co.uk/pet-foods/...rays-100g.html
https://www.rodipet.co.uk/pet-foods/...rays-200g.html
The flower mixes are also nice, generally use some of those with some herbs and birch leaves (rodipet) and it provides a good and natural foraging environment.
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Old 04-14-2019, 08:17 AM   #7
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Default Re: Best hamster food mix in the UK?

Quote:
Originally Posted by Courtflash View Post
Thank you so much! I'm checking them out now! Rodipet looks really good, and I already mix mealworms into their food for extra protein so I'll just keep doing that.



I actually started doing this a few months ago! They're not used to digging around and finding food, but they're slowly getting used to it. I really enjoy watching them find things in their substrate. Would you say that Rodipet's other products are safe/reputable in terms of food? Because I would be interested in getting treats and foraging mixes from them as well. The Pets At Home treats are too sugary, and the amount of fat in their forage mixes is pretty high.
As far as I’m aware, only one of the Rodipet forage mixes is unsuitable and that because it contains cotton litter (natural fluffy bedding) which can get caught on paws and teeth etc.
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Old 04-16-2019, 01:18 AM   #8
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Default Re: Best hamster food mix in the UK?

I mix a Rodipet mix 50/50 with the Bunny dwarf mix - and I have to say he really likes the Bunny mix! It has smaller seeds and mealworms in and the mix of the two works well - so I put equal amounts in a lock and lock box and mix it up and put out feed from there - which lasts quite a long time. I''ve tried the different Rodipet ones and prefer the junior bio dwarf mix - our robo didn't like the senior one, which seems to have a lot of herbs in, so I stuck with the junior one.

The mix of those two together is a good variety, but is also a bit low on protein, so I also add the odd science selective pellet or scatter a few of those every 3 days or so - it's an all in one food so they get all the nutrients required - but not good to use on its own as it doesn't have enough variety. This does have the correct protein levels. But in between I give a nut as an extra (more protein and gives them something else to forage for) - either a bit of a walnut half or half a cashew nut (plain not salted). Plus a tiny bit of fresh veg each day - the fresh veg is the thing they go for first each day - I vary it between cucumber, carrot, broccoli and baby corn, which I tend to have in the house, and if they're lucky they get a baby spinach leaf - which you can buy in bags but it only lasts a few days so unless you eat it there's a lot of waste.

So have linked the particular rodipet and bunny dream mixes that I mix together below

Rodipet mix 16.9% protein

https://www.rodipet.co.uk/pet-foods/...nior-500g.html

Bunny dream dwarf hamster basic 15.5% protein

https://www.zooplus.co.uk/shop/small...er_food/280189

The two mixed averages at 16.2% protein - ideally they should have 18% or more.

Science selective contains 19% protein - so two or three of these mixed in or scattered every few days for foraging boosts the overall protein, along with the extras.

https://www.amazon.co.uk/Supreme-Pet...r=8-1-fkmrnull

I find our robo really loves foraging and finding the "extras" so I put those in a different place for him to find, or on the floor of the cage, not in the food bowl

His food bowl is never emptied but he does have large hoards so he does take it - but I find he only takes food from the bowl when it is freshly put out! So end up emptying it every other day and refilling it.

I order two of the rodipet each time, to save on postage, and two of the bunny each time also to save on postage (sometimes more than two with Zooplus) then you don't have to order so often.
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