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View Full Version : Question about feeding my hamster, and eating portions...


hammiesarelovex3
07-17-2006, 03:14 PM
I feed my Hamster of course, everyday, and I was wondering if it is a healthy and proper diet, I hope you all can determine this for me. This is his daily feeding:

water

http://i85.photobucket.com/albums/k78/x ... 0_2155.jpg (http://i85.photobucket.com/albums/k78/x3Rissax3/Carmelo/100_2155.jpg)

http://i85.photobucket.com/albums/k78/x ... 0_2154.jpg (http://i85.photobucket.com/albums/k78/x3Rissax3/Carmelo/100_2154.jpg)

Hartz Gerbil and Hamster Food all the way to the top of his dish which is about 1.50 inches tall and across the middle 2.50 of the dish of food. I sometimes refill half way because his dish gets empty overnight..I also put about 4-5 small sunflower seeds in his food dish, once a day

Then I have this dish:

http://i85.photobucket.com/albums/k78/x ... 0_2156.jpg (http://i85.photobucket.com/albums/k78/x3Rissax3/Carmelo/100_2156.jpg)

http://i85.photobucket.com/albums/k78/x ... 0_2157.jpg (http://i85.photobucket.com/albums/k78/x3Rissax3/Carmelo/100_2157.jpg)

It is slightly smaller, and I put some good foods in there like:

3 Cheerios, sometimes wet pasta - about 4 of these little pasta thingies: http://i85.photobucket.com/albums/k78/x ... 0_2159.jpg (http://i85.photobucket.com/albums/k78/x3Rissax3/Carmelo/100_2159.jpg)

An array of fruits/vegetables: (an average of two pieces) like: peaches, bananas, green apple, carrots, cheese, corn off the cob, cucumber, and that's about it.

I don't give him all those fruits and vegetables at one time, it's only when I have it, most of the time I give him carrots..lately, I have been giving him 2 small pieces of carrot and peaches. The vegetables and fruit above I give to him whenever I have it, which may be once in awhile or once/twice a week, it ranges.

So, do you think my hamster's diet is healthy? Any tips?

Also, I was think of giving Carmelo a new food called: Harry Hamster food by Supreme...I heard you have to change a hamster's food in moderation because it's a drastic change...any tips?

Thanks and have a hammilicious day! :)

SnuggleHam
07-17-2006, 04:43 PM
Hartz in my opinion is no good! In fact many of the Hartz products are no good! I once bought two bags of hamster feed by this company and found both new bags (unopened) were infested with weevils, absolutely crawling with them!

Their support was absolutely horrible. I was yelled at over the phone by customer service when I called to question about it and was hung up on. I called back and was told to send in the bar codes to get my money back. It's been months since this happened and I never got my money back. So I would suggest avoiding that brand name. Many rodent enthusiast express a dislike for this companies products aswell.

Harry Hamster food by Supreme is a really great feed to buy. It's made so nothing is wasted by the hamsters. Most foods are made with "fillers" that most rodents wont touch. I sure other will agree with me that Harry Hamster is a great food and that Hartz is no good!

As for feeding, hamster wont usual overeat. They hoard and store their food all over the place, so chances are your not really monitoring how much they eat anyway.

hammiesarelovex3
07-17-2006, 04:55 PM
Ok, Thanks! :) for Hartz, I should just get rid of that and go for Harry hamster food and no moderation in between? so he doesn't get sick or whatever? I heard that if you change the food, it's a drastic change and causes something...

SnuggleHam
07-17-2006, 05:16 PM
When it comes to feeding I just keep an eye on the food bowl, when its getting low I fill it some more. Ive never had problems with my hams over eating. Ill offer dog biscuits here and there as a treat and veggies.

And you could mix the food in with what you have now when you buy it. But Ive never had problems switching them. See what other people recommend. :)

hammiesarelovex3
07-18-2006, 04:03 PM
I use Hartz hamster and gerbil food. What do you use and where do you get it? I was thinking of changing his food.

Should I do this if I decide to change his food?: 1/4 of the new to 3/4 of the old, then 1/2 new and 1/2 old and then 3/4 new to 1/4 old and then completely use the new food. Do this in weekly incriments.

Is that a good idea?

SnuggleHam
07-18-2006, 04:34 PM
Like I said.. Hartz in my opinion is a bad name and I would avoid it.
If your concerned about switching just do half and half of the food. But I've never had trouble switching them. In my experience hamsters are little piggies and will eat almost anything you give them. I'm sure a change in food wont bother your hamster in the least.

red_hot_chili_peppers
07-18-2006, 06:32 PM
no, most of us change food regularly... :D

hammiesarelovex3
07-18-2006, 07:31 PM
Ok, thanks! I wanna change his food soon...

racinghamster
07-19-2006, 03:31 AM
I agree. I will be using Harry Hamster food from day one of getting my two dwarf hamsters. I've read about other feeds, but this one seems to be the best and also has an added prebiotic to aid digestion and help the gut bacteria. Definately go for Harry Hamster! :)

hammiesarelovex3
07-19-2006, 08:34 AM
Will do! Can you get it at Walmart or Petco?

SnuggleHam
07-19-2006, 09:24 AM
I've never seen Harry Hamster food at Wal-mart but you should be able to find it at Petco, at least its on the Petco website. Give Petco a call and see if they carry it.

hammiesarelovex3
07-19-2006, 01:13 PM
Yeah I saw it on the Petco website! So, it should be there...thanks!

babyboos
07-20-2006, 09:37 AM
Harry (or Hazel as it is known in USA) Hamster really is a good quality premium brand and the only hamster food recommended by The National Hamster Council in the UK
ALWAYS change food gradually - just because you may have got away with it in the past doesn't mean this time your hamster would not have a bad reaction - please everyone - the hamster exists on its gut flora which exists on the food, and if you disturb the gut flora it can be difficult to get the balance back correctly and quickly, causing your hamster great distress and possible death. It really is that serious.
All food changes MUST be done gradually. A quarter of a bowl of the new mix maximum to start with on the first week, gradually building up to half by the end of the week, and then three quarters by mid-second week, to all new food with just a sprinkling of the old food, until the bag is finished. IF at any time you find that your hamster has looser stools then reduce the amount of new food back a little and keep a close eye on the situation for a few days.
The main reason to avoid Hartz products is their ingredients - Check out this article for more details http://www.hamstercentral.com/forum/viewtopic.php?t=154

hammiesarelovex3
07-20-2006, 11:06 AM
That's what I'll do...I got the Harry Hamster food today! :) It was $7 at Petco but it was worth it! :)

1 week: 1/4, 3/4
2 week: 1/2,1/2
3 week: 3/4, 1/4
week 4: 4/4,0/4 :) is that good?

I also got Critter Care bedding at Walmart today! (It's that soft bedding like Carefresh) is that bedding any good?

babyboos
07-20-2006, 05:18 PM
Yes that is fine if you have plenty of the old food left to spread the introduction over that timescale - remember a well fed hamster only needs one tablespoon of dried food per day. It isn't actually that much if you actually weigh it out, so though it may be initially expensive a bag should last nearly three months, especially if you supplement daily with fruit, vegetables, and other food scraps like you have been doing. All your current options are great options ans certainly keep them up. My guys always have dog biscuits squeezed between the bars of their cages, a nut or two whole in the shell (usually walnuts), and a piece of uncooked wholemeal pasta. The very young and old, and nursing hamsters get porridge and baby food daily, and all hamsters have a piece of fruit or vegetable each day. Toast crusts, apple cores, broccoli stems, and suitable dinner scraps are fed to them as treats, as well as a daily teaspoon of a good quality bird seed sprinkled over their litter layer. Anything they wont, or can't eat, our dog (Milly) gets, or it goes on the composter...

hammiesarelovex3
07-26-2006, 05:23 PM
is it alright if I give him 2 tablespoons? because that's not a lot and I feel like I don't want to starve him. :cry:

souffle
07-27-2006, 03:40 AM
Two tablespoons a day is really quite a lot for a hammie. The thing is that if you give him that every day he will tend to pick out all his favourite bits and eat them, then the next day there will be more so he will do the same thing. This means he will leave all the nutritious other bits in favour of the goodies and will not be eating a balanced diet which should include bits of everything. It would be a bit like you eating only your puddings every day. That would not be a balanced diet. We feed every second day. More for mums obviously and you can get a good idea of your hammies needs by watching the food store when you clean out the cage. A small bundle is an adequate store and means they are eating the right amount. No store means feed more and a massive heap means way too much. Try two tablespoons every second day and watch the store for a bit and see how it goes.

hammiesarelovex3
07-27-2006, 11:50 AM
Ok, I will try 1 tablespoon, but currently I am taking him off a certain food and putting him on another...so will try in another two weeks...thanks!

babyboos
07-28-2006, 04:28 PM
Excellent suggestion 2 tablespoons every second day is ideal. Don't feel you are being mean, remember the food is dried and swells in their tummies to double the size or more.

hammiesarelovex3
07-29-2006, 12:09 PM
Ok, thanks I will try 1 tablespoon today and see how he responds! Thanks!