Hello!

[Olivia Catte]

Hi guys! Thanks for being so welcoming -From Sherlock and me.
I have another question. I know Sherlock needs lots of protein especially cuz he’s a bit of a baby. But I’m vegetarian, and I can manage giving him boiled egg maybe twice a week. The pet store that has hamster and bird supplies is really far, so the only time I’ll be able to get mealworms is if we go to that part of town, maybe in 3 weeks. Is there any sort of vegetarian source of protein for hamsters that I can give him, more often than twice a week? His normal food gives him slightly less protein than he requires, so what can I do?

[AmityvilleHams]

Vegetarian sources of protein would be broccoli and tofu,with broccoli being good for numerous reasons including fiber and healthy extra vitamins and such.Tofu really needs to be kept in moderation(for various health issues that soy can cause if fed too often),around once a week.

However,you do need to feed animal protein frequently.It would be best to do so with every feeding.You really can't get the natural hamster diet without adding animal protein,whether dried mealworms or freeze dried chicken(avoid cooked protein as this has far less nutritional value and is much less natural).

[Drago]

Originally Posted by Olivia Catte

Hi guys! Thanks for being so welcoming -From Sherlock and me.
I have another question. I know Sherlock needs lots of protein especially cuz he’s a bit of a baby. But I’m vegetarian, and I can manage giving him boiled egg maybe twice a week. The pet store that has hamster and bird supplies is really far, so the only time I’ll be able to get mealworms is if we go to that part of town, maybe in 3 weeks. Is there any sort of vegetarian source of protein for hamsters that I can give him, more often than twice a week? His normal food gives him slightly less protein than he requires, so what can I do?

Being a vegetarian and having to deal with meat eating animals can be difficult, but luckily, you don't have to feed meats all that often. For young growing hamsters, opt for 18% protein to achieve maximum growth rates. This typically can be achieved very easily considering the fact that a typical high quality mix will contain 16% or so protein levels. For protein- Lentils, tofu, eggs, crickets, and mealworms all will work (though the last two are meat, I'm sure you'll have less of a moral issue with it). You can also offer hamster safe dog biscuits which are high in protein and nutrients. Meat should be offered once or twice a week (or more if you feel necessary), preferably in the form of insects or biscuits. Meats themselves aren't super natural for hamsters as they'd rarely consume a mammal or bird in the wild, but lean meats can be offered no problem. If you can, buying a bag of freeze dried chicken or turkey will work excellently. Freeze dried obviously is better nutrition wise as all the protein is concentrated, but cooked can work alright as well.

I know it may be hard to feed meats being vegetarian, I know as I am too, but it simply must be done. Hamsters naturally eat live sources of protein and it benefits them greatly. If you don't want to touch the meats, why not ask a friend, parent, or sibling instead? Good luck

[cypher]

If you can find freeze dried chicken where you are (usually sold as cat treats but check it is just chicken) that keeps for ages & makes a really good protein supplement, the main vegetarian options are tofu, just the plain silken kind, mine all love their tofu & a little scrambled egg is good too although I wouldn't give that more than once a week.

[Olivia Catte]

It actually won’t be a problem feeding him meat as long as we don’t consume it. I, actually, will be the one handling meat and mealworms, etc, as I’m the least squeamish in the family, and my parents have more of a moral issue with it than me (I doubt they’ll mind as long as I’m taking care of everything). As for freeze dried chicken, how much will I need to feed him?And (forgive me, I know nothing about meat) does it have to be specifically for pets or can I find this in, say, local grocery stores?

[AmityvilleHams]

2-3 pieces of freeze dried chicken is fine.If it helps to find products sourced from free range chicken,try and aim for that.You won't find it in a grocery store,but you'd need to find it from a pet store,but make sure it isn't made in China or irradiated due to regulations making Chinese products very harmful to pets.

[cypher]

I've never seen freeze dried chicken sold other than as a cat or dog treat so best have a look in pet shops for that, do be careful though as many cat/dog treats are mostly junk with very little meat so read ingredients.
Hard to say how much as it comes in all shapes & sizes but you don't need much of that kind of protein rich treat, remember too much protein can be bad too so maybe a piece about the size of your nail once or twice a week is probably ample.

[Olivia Catte]

Thanks, guys! The vet said his food has more than enough protein for him, but I’ll get him mealworms ASAP anyway.

[AmityvilleHams]

Vets are rarely if ever trained in nutrition,and if they are it tends not to be a thorough course anyways and is often biased and focused towards dogs and cats(biased by big veterinary diet companies which often fund the tiny amount of false knowledge getting learned that make terrible dog and cat food,of course!)so I wouldn't consider the opinion of a veterinarian too reliable when it comes to diet.

[Drago]

I have to agree with amity, vets are really only given an overview on the biological needs of animals (most commonly cats, dogs, bovine animals, and horses) and are then trained more extensively in diseases, how they affect animals, how they're best treated, and how certain medicines react with an animal's body. Someone who specifically studies rodents or hamsters on the other hand, would be a much better source for diet advice