Hay? Needed in hamster diet?

[BrainGirl]

I figure mine gets all the "hay" he needs in the pellet portion of his mix. There are different varieties of hay out there though, some are "stemmier" than others. And like Icklemunch says you can use other kinds of dried leaves. Dandelion isn't spiky at all when it's dried!

[Silver]

Originally Posted by Amethyst_ice

I would be careful giving hamster hay as the sharp points can damage the pouches, not worth the risk imo x

Me too it's a really serious problem when a ham punctures a pouch, they can panic & tear it worse, it can get infected & need to be washed out & a course of AB's.

It must be something that is so painful for the ham to go through it's just not worth the risk

xxx

[Anthorn]

Originally Posted by Amethyst_ice

I would be careful giving hamster hay as the sharp points can damage the pouches, not worth the risk imo x

That's the advice over internet web sites and even repeated by the RSPCA but I can't find any documented evidence of hay damaging cheek pouches. The message is that it "could" or "might" but not "will". If that's the case perhaps we should remove the puffed corn flakes and pea flakes from feed because those are even sharper not to mention whole oats.

As I write this I'm holding Oxbow hay and it's not hard and sharp, it's soft, certainly a lot softer than for example Aubiose bedding. In my experience if hay is hard and sharp then it's gone brown and too dry and therefore destined for the bin. And fyi I was brought up on a Cumbrian farm which incidentally I greatly miss here in the foul urban air

[Amethyst_ice]

The problem with saying "yes hay is ok" is many people will not go through each bit testing.

Having been on this forum 3 years now I have seen pouch injuries and also eye scratches from using hay as bedding also.

I don't see the point putting a hammy at risk for little benefit when complete feeds offer hay in pellets for nutrition x

[HollyHamster]

I gave my Holly some hay once, and it went untouched. She honestly didn't care for it.

[BrainGirl]

It will be soft to you, but your skin is "outside" and exposed to the elements so it's hardened. A ham's pouch will be soft and tender and more likely to suffer injury!

[Amethyst_ice]

Should also add it can contain mites and fungus if it has not been stored properly. This can be true for even commercial hay, my sisters guinea pi contracted buggies from hay.

[BrainGirl]

Eww. I only buy one kind of hay now and that's American Pet Diner. Have to import it but it's way better than anything else we can get and that includes Oxbow! My chins like it better too. They don't have cheek pouches though and they need more fibre so I mostly choose the older, stemmier stuff. The leafier hay is fed as a treat

Interestingly my old girl, who is 11-years-old and came to me with major dental problems, has a much easier time eating the tiny bits of ground up hay that fall to the bottom of the bag. I save that for her because I know it's the only way she can eat!

[mouseandstrawberry]

I watched a documentery clip that said robos and Chinese in the wild use sheeps wool for their nests if they can find it and also to keep their litters warm. I think if that is the kind of thing they are using in the wild its for a reason.

I have heard it can cause damage to cheek pouches but never come across it. Is it worth the risk? When their are great alternatives like dried flowers, weeds, barkey rings and things like that?

I don't think the flaked peas and corn is a worry as their cheek pouches are designed to carry seeds but they don't collect grasses in the wild. Grasses/hay are fine and can pierce a pouch much easier. imo

[Anthorn]

Originally Posted by Amethyst_ice

Should also add it can contain mites and fungus if it has not been stored properly. This can be true for even commercial hay, my sisters guinea pi contracted buggies from hay.

Already covered - microwave it for a few secs which doesn't actually dry it. Hay should smell sweet and if it doesn't bin it. But I suppose the burning question is, "Do hamsters pouch hay?" Personally I've never seen them do it but that's not to say that they don't do it. But I'm aged 63 in December and in over 40 years of keeping hamsters none of them have suffered pouch injuries and I'm guessing that my hamsters are not at all unique in that. So perhaps hamsters' cheek pouches are tougher than we think. And perhaps the danger of hay is just another piece of misinformation that is propagated without any evidence whatsoever. But if anyone can post a link to such evidence I'll be interested to read it.