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Pebbles82 · 05-25-2016, 03:36 AM

Sometimes it's difficult to know if they are being picky, because most of what they take from the food bowl is hoarded and they eat from their hoard while snug in bed a lot of the time. I find fresh food is always taken!

I've sometimes found Charlie has hardly taken any food out of his bowl for a few days - but that can be because he has an enormous hoard.

I would stick with the Harry Hamster and maybe add a few science selective biscuits to it. Hamsters do tend to eat what they need.

You can also partially scatter feed. So put half the usual Harry Hamster in the bowl and scatter the other half on the substrate, then add 3 or 4 science selective biscuits to the bowl and a couple on the substrate. They love finding food and foraging for it.

I supplement with a tiny piece of fresh veg every day (every 2 or 3 days at first until they get used to veg or it can upset their stomachs). About a thumbnail sized piece or 1 cm cubed (whichever is easier to imagine). Usually, broccoli, carrot, cauliflower, cucumber or green beans - and a different one each day for variety. I also give a piece of cheese about once a week (same thumbnail size) and half a brazil nut about once a week. Occasionally a small piece of plain cooked chicken if you happen to be having roast chicken or cold chicken (but nothing cooked in sauce or gravy).

You can get some healthy chew sticks as well, which help keep their teeth trim - they have wood inside. The Rosewood dandelion ones and mini rodent sticks tend to go down well and have some healthy ingredients.

Having said all that, if it's something you've just noticed and she's a year old, then maybe her teeth need checking. If her teeth have got overgrown or one has fallen out she could be having difficulty eating. See if you can get a look at her teeth without upsetting her. And you could maybe try softening the Harry Hamster - add a small amount of boiling water to the mix before putting the bowl out, and let it cool down before putting the bowl in the cage.

Does she seem to have lost weight at all? If not and she's healthy looking and active, I wouldn't worry too much.

05-25-2016, 03:36 AM
Pebbles82 Hamster Antics Join Date: Sep 2014 Posts: 23,533	Re: Hamster has started to become picky Sometimes it's difficult to know if they are being picky, because most of what they take from the food bowl is hoarded and they eat from their hoard while snug in bed a lot of the time. I find fresh food is always taken! I've sometimes found Charlie has hardly taken any food out of his bowl for a few days - but that can be because he has an enormous hoard. I would stick with the Harry Hamster and maybe add a few science selective biscuits to it. Hamsters do tend to eat what they need. You can also partially scatter feed. So put half the usual Harry Hamster in the bowl and scatter the other half on the substrate, then add 3 or 4 science selective biscuits to the bowl and a couple on the substrate. They love finding food and foraging for it. I supplement with a tiny piece of fresh veg every day (every 2 or 3 days at first until they get used to veg or it can upset their stomachs). About a thumbnail sized piece or 1 cm cubed (whichever is easier to imagine). Usually, broccoli, carrot, cauliflower, cucumber or green beans - and a different one each day for variety. I also give a piece of cheese about once a week (same thumbnail size) and half a brazil nut about once a week. Occasionally a small piece of plain cooked chicken if you happen to be having roast chicken or cold chicken (but nothing cooked in sauce or gravy). You can get some healthy chew sticks as well, which help keep their teeth trim - they have wood inside. The Rosewood dandelion ones and mini rodent sticks tend to go down well and have some healthy ingredients. Having said all that, if it's something you've just noticed and she's a year old, then maybe her teeth need checking. If her teeth have got overgrown or one has fallen out she could be having difficulty eating. See if you can get a look at her teeth without upsetting her. And you could maybe try softening the Harry Hamster - add a small amount of boiling water to the mix before putting the bowl out, and let it cool down before putting the bowl in the cage. Does she seem to have lost weight at all? If not and she's healthy looking and active, I wouldn't worry too much.