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Old 05-21-2019, 10:18 AM   #1
merlin
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Default Calci-worms (or worms in general)

Hi fellow Ham-parents,

My little Arthur is almost 2 years old. I feed him home-cooked or raw fresh food 2 times daily and keep a balanced nutrition that way, supplemented by Sunburst and Oxbow Garden Select which is in a ceramic bowl for him at all times. I always love letting him try new things, and it's very exciting for him too. It's his birthday soon and I would love to get him something brand-new and nutritious. I'm wondering if anyone has advice/recommendations/insight regarding the dried worms from Exotic Nutrition (or worms in general): https://www.exoticnutrition.com/Prod...oz__332EN.aspx

Arthur has never tried worms, and gets his animal protein (so important for hammies) from chicken, beef, salmon, eggs, and sometimes milk. He loves all of these, especially beef, eggs, and milk.

I am wondering about letting him try worms, which are more in line with the hamster diet in the wild, and wondering what you all think and what advice you could give me.

Thank you so much.
Mike (aka Merlin)

P.S. I have attached a recent photo of my little King Arthur with some "Boredom Breakers" that I made him with raw walnut half shells filled with a mixture of flour, seeds, walnut pieces, and water, and baked slightly until hardened. These are his favourite toy at night when he's out and about.
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Old 05-21-2019, 11:19 AM   #2
Ria P
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Default Re: Calci-worms (or worms in general)

Arthur has the most expressive face! I can almost hear him say "why are you taking a photo of me when i'm just about to tuck into my midnight feast?"
I like the walnut half treat idea and have stolen it, thank you. I sometimes give Henry a bit of my homemade biscuits (weigh a banana and mash it, add an egg, chopped nuts, some raisins, dash of cinnamon and the weight of the banana + 30g of porridge oats, mash it all up and leave for 30 mins, put little heaps of the mixture on a baking tray and bake/dry for 10-15 mins) which he adores and never hoards because he scoffs it wherever he happens to sit.

Yes, i've always sprinkled an insect mixture of dried mealworms and other insects around his cage.

He loves green, natural stuff from the garden like a small dandelion leaf or flower or a few clover leaves.
He turns into a ballet dancer when i dangle a cooked strand of wholemeal spaghetti in front of his nose or plays tug of war, pulling till it snaps and then runs off with it.
Is Arthur also a foodie?
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Old 05-21-2019, 02:43 PM   #3
EmmaAndChester
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Default Re: Calci-worms (or worms in general)

Calciworms/black soldier fly larvae are safe. I have 4 winter whites, and they love their live insects; they get a variety, including dubia nymphs, calciworms, wax worms, mealworms, crickets & the occasional locust. I have a leo & hedgehog, so always have a variety of live inches on hand - the hamsters go nuts for them. 2 out of my 4 absolutely hate any kind of dried insect, but they adore the live stuff. but dried is perfectly fine too!
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Old 05-22-2019, 01:34 AM   #4
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Default Re: Calci-worms (or worms in general)

Quote:
Originally Posted by Ria P View Post
my homemade biscuits
Stealing this recipe for myself thank you Ria. Hams MAY get a look in. Maybe.
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Old 05-22-2019, 07:34 AM   #5
Ria P
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Default Re: Calci-worms (or worms in general)

[QUOTE=Shannonmcn;921931 Hams MAY get a look in. Maybe.[/QUOTE]
Lol! Enjoy.
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Old 05-22-2019, 09:51 AM   #6
merlin
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Default Re: Calci-worms (or worms in general)

Quote:
Originally Posted by Ria P View Post
Arthur has the most expressive face! I can almost hear him say "why are you taking a photo of me when i'm just about to tuck into my midnight feast?"
I like the walnut half treat idea and have stolen it, thank you. I sometimes give Henry a bit of my homemade biscuits (weigh a banana and mash it, add an egg, chopped nuts, some raisins, dash of cinnamon and the weight of the banana + 30g of porridge oats, mash it all up and leave for 30 mins, put little heaps of the mixture on a baking tray and bake/dry for 10-15 mins) which he adores and never hoards because he scoffs it wherever he happens to sit.

Yes, i've always sprinkled an insect mixture of dried mealworms and other insects around his cage.

He loves green, natural stuff from the garden like a small dandelion leaf or flower or a few clover leaves.
He turns into a ballet dancer when i dangle a cooked strand of wholemeal spaghetti in front of his nose or plays tug of war, pulling till it snaps and then runs off with it.
Is Arthur also a foodie?
Omg this is lovely! Yes Arthur is SUCH a foodie! He has a whole list of favourite recipes that I've assembled for him. He particularly loves scrambled eggs with sweet corn and actually knows what days he gets it and expects it. He has squeaked loudly on those days when I've been late in serving it to him haha.

Your biscuit recipe sounds incredible! His birthday is coming up on Sunday and I am definitely going to make that for him! Thank you so much!

I do very much wish that I had a little garden to bring him fresh things, and that he could walk in. We live in the city, so poor Arthur doesn't get to enjoy such things. But we make do as best we can. He loves little food games when he's out at night like the spaghetti-tug-of-war that you do with Henry. He likes when I open nuts for him. He places his little hands on my leg while I do it, then gently takes the meat from the shell and runs off with it. Omg they are just so precious aren't they?

Thanks for your advice too. I've gone ahead and bought some dried mealworms and some other lovely treats for Arthur to have for his birthday. Food seem to be the best presents right now. He's not so interested in toys right now, and his current favourite toy is a specific cardboard box.

Do you have a photo of Henry? I would love to see him. Oh and thank you for your kind words about Arthur. He is such an expressive fellow and has so many expressions. I can always tell more or less what he's feeling. He may be the most expressive and communicative animal I've known actually. Hamsters really are amazing.

Warm wishes,
Mike
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Old 05-22-2019, 09:52 AM   #7
merlin
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Default Re: Calci-worms (or worms in general)

Quote:
Originally Posted by EmmaAndChester View Post
Calciworms/black soldier fly larvae are safe. I have 4 winter whites, and they love their live insects; they get a variety, including dubia nymphs, calciworms, wax worms, mealworms, crickets & the occasional locust. I have a leo & hedgehog, so always have a variety of live inches on hand - the hamsters go nuts for them. 2 out of my 4 absolutely hate any kind of dried insect, but they adore the live stuff. but dried is perfectly fine too!
Oh that's excellent, and great to know! Thank you so much! I've bought the dried worms for Arthur's birthday, so we'll see if he likes them. I'll report back here on this thread.

Warm wishes,
Mike
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Old 05-22-2019, 12:19 PM   #8
flowerfairy
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Default Re: Calci-worms (or worms in general)

What a brilliant thread!
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Old 05-24-2019, 02:36 PM   #9
Ria P
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Default Re: Calci-worms (or worms in general)

I can't fathom this Quote thingy because I'm hopeless with technology...

I think its amazing that Arthur is able to tell the days and time when his scrambled eggs are on the menu and even squeaks when Merlin (very aptly named) isn't on time. That's so cute!
Reminds me of my mother who didn't get a weekend lie in for years because her guinea pig started to squeak and whistle loudly every morning at 07.00 demanding his breakfast.

Henry loves a drop of plain porridge but proper cooked one not the fake microwave stuff. I put it in his egg cup and the other morning he staggered out of his house half asleep strictly following his nose with whiskers going like mad and almost ended up with his face in the porridge.

I've only had Henry since March, he's not a cuddly or sociable hamster but I can see big changes in his behaviour. He was a small, weedy and frightened pet shop hamster and he's still small for a Syrian but he is slowly starting to trust me. He run around on my bed again tonight and then had a grooming session and little snooze sitting close to me. Nice to see him so relaxed outside of his cage.

Here's a photo from tonight...I hope it works and shows up.
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Old 05-26-2019, 09:51 AM   #10
Ria P
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Default Re: Calci-worms (or worms in general)

HAPPY BIRTHDAY King Arthur!
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