Harry Hamster or Science Selective?

[GhostsInSnow]

Just wondered which was the better mix of the two? I have a Syrian and a Robo so I know both could have either of these but is one better than the other or are they pretty much as good as each other?

[Silver]

Hello GIS,

They both have the same % as far as I am aware. The Science Selective is all the same biscuit bits & the Harry Hamster is a mix with different varied ingredients.

So both are as good as each other.

Some people feed the Science Selective as a healthy biscuit

xxx

[souffle]

Personally I like the harry mix as it does offer the choice of different textures and tastes and seeds to shell etc which is stimulating to the hamsters natural behaviours. That is a personal choice though and we do have some supreme in stock and offer these as little treats a few at a time. Some hammies may not be so keen on the same complete food blocks all the time. Robos do like small seeds as well so you may want to add some budgie seed and millet to his mix.

[Kissa]

Silver: Science Selective has the same protein % as HH, but it's fat and fibre are both 5% compared to HH's 6% and 8% (Science Selective Hamster | Supreme Pet Foods (http://www.supremepetfoods.com/product/science-selective-hamster/))

Ghost: I found that Darla struggled with the large pieces in HH, so if you are thinking of feeding it to Sheldon I'd break the pieces up. I don't know how large the pieces in SS are ;)

[GhostsInSnow]

Thanks everyone. The Selective pellets are quite big, I imagine they are bigger than the biscuits in the HH mix. Think it might be a case of HH and then extra little seeds added for Sheldon. I do have plenty of millet in, I bought a load of millet sprays months ago and forgot about them haha

[CharlieB]

The science selective I give broken up so they aren't as big and mix in other bits. I debated over hh or ss but I couldn't risk the diarrhoea some of mine had on the hh. I do like that the ss has everything in a biscuit so they can't not eat certain bits meaning they get all the things that they need :-)

[Lougarry]

Mine aren't very keen on Science Selective so I would say go for Harry Hamster.

[bonkers4hamsters]

I have both, I mix them together. My hams will also get, once they have finished their current mix, hh, ss, burgess dwarf, added porridge oats, added burgess country garden herbs

[GhostsInSnow]

I was thinking of breaking the SS up and mixing it with the HH maybe so it's best of both. What kind of Budgie seed should I be looking to add/ I already have millet and would it be good to add the budgie seed in for my Syrian too (She adores millet spray)

[Silver]

This really is personal opinion.

My opinion is to stay with the HH & SS, because the % are good. Other people put variety over %.

It's really what works well for your ham all are slightly different.

Don't forget to introduce the new food slowly, add a little of the new mix to the old mix for a couple of weeks, this will help the hams tummy adjust to the new food

xxx

[Queen Of The High Teas]

I bought SS for my hamsters. I have no idea if they liked it or not as I kind of ate it myself...:oops: 8-[

[Silver]

I bought SS for my hamsters. I have no idea if they liked it or not as I kind of ate it myself...:oops: 8-[

:mad:

Your so funny!

bet your hair is shiny now :p

xxx

[Queen Of The High Teas]

:mad:

I hadn't meant to, I decided to try one and they were like mini biscuits! So I ate them all like a packet of crisps!:oops:

[LawaRawr]

mine get both, they love harry hamster and they are not so keen on the selective so i just place a few in their bowl rather than them be on it full time. they prefer harry hamster as there is a selection for them to choose from rather than just being stuck eating one thing.

the SS actually tastes really nice every time i make the hamsters food i tend to find myself eating one or two or maybe even more :)

[souffle]

I tried it too as it smelt nice - it is! It's a bit like those little nibbles you sometimes get in bars! Would be nice for a romantic dinner wouldn't it with it being little hearts :)

[Silver]

I tried it too as it smelt nice - it is! It's a bit like those little nibbles you sometimes get in bars! Would be nice for a romantic dinner wouldn't it with it being little hearts :)

:mad:

You have made my night!

xxx

[septemberpeach]

I give them a bit of both and they seem to like both. I notice my hams smell like cheese-thins, when they're eating science selective and sort of nutty, when they're on harry alone. Or possibly Im just nutty? :(

[Queen Of The High Teas]

Oh thank god for that, I'm not the only person who eats hamster food!!:p

Souffle yes they are like those bars, in fact they remind me of health food nibblets!

When I was little I used to pick out the green and orange crunchy bits out the hamster food and eat them like sweets:mad: And shapes and bonios! No wonder I'm bl00dy barking!!:p

[GhostsInSnow]

You do realise if I get some I'll end up trying it now xD I love those nibble biscuits you mentioned Souffle xD
I'm terrible with those P@H wild berry drops. Whenever I give the fuzzies one I have a couple of myself haha

[HollyHamster]

For some reason, I've never had the desire to try anything sold specifically for use as pet food/treats. Although, the animal cracker cookies/biscuits I've bought for the hams sure smell and look yummy. That and the little donuts and cakes they sell for hamsters/small animals are tasty looking too. I almost feel compelled to pop a few into my mouth.

Now what was the OP asking about again? Oh yeah, that's right. I wouldn't feed a diet solely on Science Selective (or anything that is made from one type of biscuit/pellet and nothing else, for that matter) as they are just so bland and dull looking and I feel its almost too cruel to force a hamster on such a bland and boring diet. If it were me that had to consume such a diet, I would go STARK RAVING NUTS!!!!

So, I offer the muesli type foods to give them more of a variety in tastes and textures, and to better simulate what they might find/eat in the wild. Of course, most of these kinds of foods DO have those extruded red/green/yellow biscuit bits that are not natural by any stretch of the imagination, but I don't feel its anything to be concerned about. Just something for them to nibble on and wear down their teeth a little, as far as I am concerned.

[kyrilliondaemon]

We use harry hamster for the syrians, and we've ordered some science selective for other hams. I think both are good really

[GhostsInSnow]

For some reason, I've never had the desire to try anything sold specifically for use as pet food/treats. Although, the animal cracker cookies/biscuits I've bought for the hams sure smell and look yummy. That and the little donuts and cakes they sell for hamsters/small animals are tasty looking too. I almost feel compelled to pop a few into my mouth.

Now what was the OP asking about again? Oh yeah, that's right. I wouldn't feed a diet solely on Science Selective (or anything that is made from one type of biscuit/pellet and nothing else, for that matter) as they are just so bland and dull looking and I feel its almost too cruel to force a hamster on such a bland and boring diet. If it were me that had to consume such a diet, I would go STARK RAVING NUTS!!!!

So, I offer the muesli type foods to give them more of a variety in tastes and textures, and to better simulate what they might find/eat in the wild. Of course, most of these kinds of foods DO have those extruded red/green/yellow biscuit bits that are not natural by any stretch of the imagination, but I don't feel its anything to be concerned about. Just something for them to nibble on and wear down their teeth a little, as far as I am concerned.

I'll be mixing the HH with the SS but I'll be breaking up the SS pellets so they're like those little biscuits that way they will both get variety. I also suppliment with other things anyway such as millet and seeds :) As well as the usual fruit/veg stuff.
I thought those donuts (the vitakraft ones) smelled really nice...then I looked on the ingredients and saw they have carrot in. Not I love carrot but a carrot flavour donut just sounds horrible >.<

We use harry hamster for the syrians, and we've ordered some science selective for other hams. I think both are good really

Thanks Kyril :D I've used the SS before and Fudge loved it but I know she also likes the variety a muesli mix gives her so I figured I'd give both hams the best of both :) I just need to get my butt into gear and order it now

[Silver]

Pet supermarket has free postage

xxx

[shiny]

It never occurred to me to eat the hamsters' food! Not tried our guinea food or cat food either... ;)

[Keith]

Pets at Home nuggets are really good as a basic diet and then add in a few treats, fruit/ veg and seeds for variety? I usually miss a few days of treats to ensure they are definitely getting all their goodness. The nuggets ensure a complete diet and I have used for a long time now with good effects :-)

[GhostsInSnow]

I, personally, am not a fan of the P@H food and neither of my hams really like it so it doesn't work for me. I have 2 bags of SS and 2 bags of HH coming tomorrow. Glad I ordered when I did as they're now out of stock of the HH and are saying it could take up to 3 weeks for people to get it

[kyrilliondaemon]

Our hams all hated the P@H nuggets when we tried them, every single ham refused to touch them - and we had seven hams at the time.

Our science selective is in the post now :)

[Pompompoms]

I'm a big HH fan, all the poms have been on it for over a couple of years now, and it seems to be great for them. For anyone concerned about the size of the pieces, having watched six liters of mini poms munching away at it from when they came out the nest, I wouldn't be too concerned ;)

[GhostsInSnow]

Thanks Pompoms :D I really should have asked you actually as I know you have baby Robos at the moment hehe
My stuff was dispatched this morning and I paid for express delivery so the HH and Selective Science will be arriving tomorrow. I'll break up the SS and then mix it in and hopefully the hams will either show me which they prefer or they'll eat both :)

[lucy1666]

i use harry hamster she eats most of it but some does get wasted in bed stash lol!