Best Mix for Diabetic Dwarf Ham??

[zany_toon]

I'm sorry, I know this has probably been asked before but I couldn't find it on the search function What mix am I best to feed a dwarf hybrid with diabetes?

I have been feeding Remi and Bluebell on JR Farm Feast for Dwarf Hamsters which is sugar free and has a fat content of 8% (this is the mix : JR Farm Feast for Dwarf Hamsters. Free P&P on orders £25+ at zooplus! ) and mixed it in with a little bit of Burgess for variety. I stopped that a while ago and they are now on just the JR Farm food and Remi has slowly been drinking and weeing more and more, being really energetic one miniute then conked out sleeping I had him/her (still to get help on sexing but this is more important) up to the vet and the symptoms seem to fit with diabetes. I'll get some test stiprs tomorrow, but what can I do about food? Is what I'm feeding ok or should I switch to something else? And if the food I'm feeding isn't ok what should I change to and should I give it to Bluebell (Remi's sibling) incase she/he is prone to it as well?? Is science selective the better option and just give variety through fresh veg?

Sorry, I know it's a bit muddled but I'm in a bit of a panic I've got several mice that aren't well just now as well and I wasn't expecting anything with Remi I really thought that I had done the right thing going with a sugar free diet

[racinghamster]

zany, if the JR Farm food is sugar free I`m not sure switching it would make any difference, but diabetes is normally controlled well by diet. Getting a urine sample should tell your vet what`s going on or even test for elevated protein, which can indicate kidney issues which hamsters are more prone to. Similar symptoms. Do you know what age Remi is?

Supreme Science Selective is supposed to be sugar free but the biscuits are large. Harry Hamster is also supposed to be sugar free but e-mailing these companies to be absolutely sure might be the best thing as they know the components best.

Really hope wee Remi is fine and settles a bit once you get a better idea of what`s going on. x

[Bekki2308]

I'd suggest getting in touch with Vectis about diets for confirmed diabetic hamsters, I think she uses a straights based mix that works well for them.

[Truffle]

If it is totally sugar free I am not sure that switching his diet will make much of a differance....

[Munchalot]

I think as long as the mix they are on is completely sugar free, there isn't much else you can do in the way of the base mix. Maybe concentrating more on the extras/treats you give them would help. Some veg is a lot higher in natural sugars than others, maybe it's better to stick to the less sweet green leafy kind for a while, like spinach and kale. Or other low-sugar treats that aren't fresh veg.

My Todd is pretty easy to keep sugar free, as he doesn't actually like any fruit or sweet things. The only veg he will eat is spinach and dried red cabbage. Try some sugar free biscuit type items as a treat.
I've just bought some of these for the dwarfs, as for Saffy especially I need to keep a strict low-sugar diet. They're going down a treat, and are completely sugar free. They are simply wheat, eggs, oils and yeast. Simples.

Critters Choice Tasty Sticks 75g

Anything like this is fine. There are a lot of biscuit type items you can give that will be fine for them. I would consider giving a little less fresh foods if it were me.

[racinghamster]

Here is the link to the Vectis website which you may already know about:

Diabetes in Hamsters - Vectis Hamstery

[kyrilliondaemon]

From everything I've read it isn't just sugar free that is beneficial in the diet of a dwarf hamster with diabetes. Ghost was on a sugar free mix when he got diabetes. My research said that increasing the fibre and protein would help, so we actually gave him a lot of extra porridge oats, mealworms, linseed and bran sticks while I contacted Vectis and we got the ingredients needed to use the mix she uses for her own diabetic hams.
Our temporary measures worked well and really helped Ghost, so maybe try giving a lot of linseed, porridge oats, mealworms and bran sticks for a while? (Or other things aimed at increasing the protein and fibre - that was our aim, those were just what we had in to use at the time)

Personally I also feel that science selective hamster food is a better mix than jr farm dwarf for hams I'm really worried about getting diabetes, but thats all personal preference really. Its science selective that we feed to Ghosts sisters

Oh and from what I've read, increasing the amount of fresh veg to about 50% of the hamsters diet could also help. Its not something I've personally tried and I'd stick to low sugar veg if you could, but it may be worth a go if you want to try it.

[zany_toon]

Thanks everyone for the replies, I really panicked last night at the thought of another poorly furbaby (have mice with tumours, one that's trying to chew the skin from his feet off, two with RI's and a mouse with Cushings so the thought of Remi being ill was just a bit much )
I'll try to answer the questions everyone asked:

Originally Posted by racinghamster

Do you know what age Remi is?

Really hope wee Remi is fine and settles a bit once you get a better idea of what`s going on. x

Remi was about 3 months old and I've had Remi for almost 2 months so around 5 monthish? I'm going to try to get a urine sample but Remi has decided to attack if I even breath near him just now after being woken two days in the trot to go to the vet so I'm going to have to persevere in getting him to the stage I can handle him again before trying. And thank you.

Originally Posted by Bekki2308

I'd suggest getting in touch with Vectis about diets for confirmed diabetic hamsters, I think she uses a straights based mix that works well for them.

Thank you - I found her link on another thread last night so will contact her to see what she recommends

Originally Posted by Truffle

If it is totally sugar free I am not sure that switching his diet will make much of a differance....

That's what I'm worried about

Originally Posted by Munchalot

Try some sugar free biscuit type items as a treat.
I've just bought some of these for the dwarfs, as for Saffy especially I need to keep a strict low-sugar diet. They're going down a treat, and are completely sugar free. They are simply wheat, eggs, oils and yeast. Simples.

Critters Choice Tasty Sticks 75g

Anything like this is fine. There are a lot of biscuit type items you can give that will be fine for them. I would consider giving a little less fresh foods if it were me.

Thanks for the idea for the treat Remi doesn't get much at the moment by way of treats, a single sunflower seed once a week or a bit of walnut and a few chunks of broccoli or mealworms which he loves. He has twice managed to steal a tiny, tiny little bit of digestive that I was preparing for my mice - that shouldn't have caused a problem though just twice should it? I will get kale and spinach and things in though and get Bluebell on to it too as Bluebell loves veg

Originally Posted by racinghamster

Here is the link to the Vectis website which you may already know about:

Diabetes in Hamsters - Vectis Hamstery

Thanks RH

Originally Posted by kyrilliondaemon

From everything I've read it isn't just sugar free that is beneficial in the diet of a dwarf hamster with diabetes. Ghost was on a sugar free mix when he got diabetes. My research said that increasing the fibre and protein would help, so we actually gave him a lot of extra porridge oats, mealworms, linseed and bran sticks while I contacted Vectis and we got the ingredients needed to use the mix she uses for her own diabetic hams.
Our temporary measures worked well and really helped Ghost, so maybe try giving a lot of linseed, porridge oats, mealworms and bran sticks for a while? (Or other things aimed at increasing the protein and fibre - that was our aim, those were just what we had in to use at the time)

Personally I also feel that science selective hamster food is a better mix than jr farm dwarf for hams I'm really worried about getting diabetes, but thats all personal preference really. Its science selective that we feed to Ghosts sisters

Oh and from what I've read, increasing the amount of fresh veg to about 50% of the hamsters diet could also help. Its not something I've personally tried and I'd stick to low sugar veg if you could, but it may be worth a go if you want to try it.

Thanks for those ideas - I will order some science selective anyway, if it's a better food all round at least it will help (hopefully) prevent other issues. My vet did mention increasing fibre content, and I have loads of porridge oats, mealworms and bran flakes (are these ok instead of sticks?) so will give Remi those just now and contact Vectis. I wonder if the 50% Veg would be worth a try then as Remi doesn't get much by way of sugar just now (or at least not any that I can identify.)

Thanks everyone, I really appreciate you helping and managing to make sense from my muddled post last night (And I'm sorry this is so long, I just wanted to make sure that I didn't miss anything that people asked or suggested.)

[kyrilliondaemon]

I assume bran flakes would be fine too and I really hope some of the ideas help him
Science selective isnt a better food - its just a different one and food is all opinion anyway, I just personally prefer the ingredients of science selective is all and that is 100% a personal thing anyway. Plus for our trio its helpful with other issues so for me its really handy

[Munchalot]

I give mine bran flakes too. Plus a mixture of a little dried hay (on the less sweet end of the scale) with some dried red cabbage in it. A diet with a nice degree of fibre seems to work well on multiple scales.
I also put some of the Science Selective biscuits in with their main mix, to make sure they are getting everything they need whilst keeping everything in the right portions - Todd in particular is a toad for being fussy. :3