Suitable diet for elderly hamster

[hamsterman]

Please can someone advise what diet I can give my 18 month old syrian, he is drinking and peeing quite a bit, but still looks and acts quite normally in every other way. The vet said it could be Diabetes, Kidneys or a disease called cushings. The vet could not really advise me on diet as they don't usually see/treat hamsters. I feed Harry Hamster mix and for a while now have removed the peas and sweetcorn from the mix - just in case it' s Diabetes. I give broccoli twice a week and I also give a few monkey nuts a week, I do not give any sweet treats. He does not appear in any pain and as I say he looks and behaves quite normally, ie- he still loves his wheel and he loves to come out of his cage and go in his playbox every night. I just wondered if there is a more suited diet I could give him. - Thanks.

[souffle]

With a hamster of this age we find it quite usual for them to start drinking and weeing a lot more hamsterman. The kidneys become less efficient and they process more water through them to get rid of the waste. If he had cushings he would likely be showing a lot of fur loss by now. There is an article on Cushings in the Wiki. I personally would not remove any of the bits from the Harry unless you have tested his urine and found it positive for sugar. They enjoy the bits you are taking out. An oldie in our hamstery gets the normal food plus hamster porridge made with readybek, wheatgerm, lactol and debittered brewers yeast twice or thrice a week. Also some babyfood occasionally, cooked pasta, veg and rice, egg and chicken when we have it and fresh fruit or veg in small amounts 3 times a week. When they get to this age we like to spoil them and let them enjoy their food. I hope he is well and still active and enjoying his dinner for a long while to come :D

[hamsterman]

:D Thank you Souffle, your advice is much appreciated. I will try some of the food you recommended and I will not, now remove any of the bits from his hamster mix. He appears normal overall, and he still loves to go on his wheel - he has a playbox as well and he really loves to go in there - I suppose it's a change of scenery for him! Thanks once again.