Meet Puff

[ashleynicol3]

Hello! I got my first Syrian hamster two weeks ago. His name is Puff. I got him from PetSmart, so I'm not sure how old he is, but he seems small, so I'm guessing he's fairly young. Puff is my first Syrian hamster (and my first male hamster), but I've had hamsters before - a Roborovski named Henny Penny (a look-don't-touch hamster) and a winter white named Pearl. They both lived to be about two years old.

Henny Penny and Pearl lived in bin cages. Puff lives in a 29-gallon aquarium. I thought it would be big enough, but after doing some research, I'm not sure it is. It'll do for now though.

Taming seems to be going well. He'll stand on my hand and take treats from me. Taming tips are appreciated since Pearl was tame from the start and I was never able to tame Henny Penny.

What type of food should I feed Puff? I've been feeding him Oxbow Essentials Hamster and Gerbil Food, plus Brown's Tropical Carnival Natural Select Seeds Treat. He likes both, but are they nutritious enough? I also bought All Living Things Fiesta Rice Puffs from Petco and he LOVES them, but I'm not sure they're healthy? He also likes broccoli and baby carrots.

[Ruth Edwards]

Puff is so pretty, really cute.i hope he's really friendly with you.

[CMB]

Congratulations. Puff is lovely. His tank will probably need upgrading as he grows. He may also need a bigger wheel.

His tank layout looks good. Did you add the platforms?

[AmityvilleHams]

The rice puffs would likely have artificial dyes which are quite unhealthy(some being known to cause cancer and numerous other health problems,they're really not worth risking when there are tons of other safe options!).

Any treat or food must not contain sulfur dioxide,artificial flavors,artificial dyes,propylene glycol,vague biproducts(animal fat,digest,derivatives,biproduct meal,meat and bone meal,unspecified liver,etc),BHA/BHT/ethoxyquin(known to cause cancer,in UK products it's possible to have it in products with "E&C approved" antioxidants etc as a loophole term that doesn't make manufacturers specify what is really used),or ever be made in China or irradiated.There shouldn't be any sort of maltodextrin,sorbitol,fructose,dextrose,etc or similar processed sugars/artificial sweeteners(molasses is fine for Syrians and non-diabetes prone species though).Any product shared with dogs or cats must never contain wheat,corn,or derivatives of those

The diet definitely isn't suitable though,with Oxbow on its own being quite fibrous and having no real variety.Brown's in general isn't a great quality brand,and you'd want a stable diet that is carefully mixed rather than just adding extras.Instead of your current diet,I'd switch over to either Harry/Hazel Hamster or Higgins Sunburst mixed with Carefresh hamster/gerbil food.

For the Carefresh and Higgins mix,it's two thirds Carefresh to one third Higgins but must have added freeze dried chicken and a pinch of flax seed to have suitable protein levels.Broccoli and carrots in moderation as a treat are great,but you could also try plain puffed rice(or other hamster safe grains)or a high quality natural baby puff(such as Happy Baby Organics or certain Gerber products).There are also Whimzees(not Greenies,those are better avoided as they're not that beneficial for keeping teeth trimmed!)which are generally good but be careful with which shape is used since there are a small amount that may not be hamster safe.That's not all potential treats though!

[cypher]

Welcome to HC & congrats on getting Puff
He does look adorable!

If you can get Harry/Hazel hamster food I would go with that for your main mix, have a look here for other fresh foods & safe treats you can try with him.

I'd suggest putting more substrate in the cage so he can dig & burrow & there isn't so much empty space.

[ashleynicol3]

Originally Posted by CMB

Congratulations. Puff is lovely. His tank will probably need upgrading as he grows. He may also need a bigger wheel.

His tank layout looks good. Did you add the platforms?

The wheel is actually a 9" lazy Susan. I bought a flying saucer from Petco, but it didn't seem big enough, plus it took up a lot of floor space. I figured 9" would be good for now. I added the ledges myself. Everything is attached with industrial strength Velcro, which is surprisingly sturdy, plus I attached corner brackets to the ledges for additional support. There's fleece inside each ledge so he (hopefully) won't pee on the wood. I made the ladders out of popsicle sticks. It's hard to see, but there's a glass "house" behind the big ladder. He doesn't seem to like it much though. He's actually built himself a nest under the truck in front of the wheel.

[ashleynicol3]

I'm in the US, but it looks like I can get Hazel Hamster from Amazon, so I'll try that. He doesn't seem to be a picky eater, so that's good. I know he needs more toys and treats, so I'm working on that. I'll try the Gerber puffs! I'm kinda crafty, so I've been trying to think outside the box - making my own toys, etc. instead of buying the junk at PetSmart/Petco.

I can definitely add more substrate too.

Thanks!

[AmityvilleHams]

I wouldn't use any fabric items inside a cage It's just not worth the risk with hamsters as they tend to chew just about anything.You could use plain popsicle sticks and Elmer's glue as ladders on their own and replace if they get urinated on,but it's definitely not worth risking fabric to avoid that!

You could also try a DIY natural wood seal(a quick Google search helps for recipes,just be sure all ingredients are hamster safe).Making your own toys and such is a great idea though,especially since you can be sure that everything is natural and completely safe!

Keep in mind that an upright wheel(not flying saucer type!)is very important and that it should be 12 inches in diameter for a Syrian.The preferred wheel on the market would be the Silent Runner(12 inch)which although it's online exclusive and a significant investment is a very long lasting wheel and much safer than other wheels.It's truly silent,and stays that way,plus the solid stand and lack of axle as well as enclosed front make it 100% safe

[ashleynicol3]

I took the fleece out. I used to have a chinchilla and fleece was recommended for them - so was Oxbow. That's why I chose those things, but I have to get out of the chinchilla mindset as hamsters obviously have different needs! I'll look into getting Puff a bigger wheel. I'd probably have to move the upper ledge, but that's OK. I have a big glass "vase" with a hole the front that I think would make a good digging tower for him, so I was thinking about cutting a hole in the bottom of one of the ledges so he could climb up, then dig his way back down. I have lots of ideas!

[Thin Lizzy]

Hi Ashley and welcome to HC.
Puff is so very cute.
His wheel will be fine for a little while, definitely more substrate and a couple of more hideouts.