Mixed Feed for Paired Dwarfs

Hekomi · 03-03-2014, 08:16 AM

I've been feeding my boys oxbow, but I want to supplement with a higher protein diet. I can't get harland tekland/native earth in Canada, or a lot of other foods.

What I can get are:
hazel hamster
Kaylor Of Colorado Sweet Harvest Rodent Blocks (asking for nutritional info from supplier on these, if they have sugar I'm not going to bother, for diabetes reasons)

My dwarfs get along really well, but so squabble when new things are introduced. Treats are also highly sought after and only given to them when they're out of the cage.

Anyone have success feeding their pairs mixes? Does one of them hoard all the good bits and leave the other with the less desirable parts? Did it make them fight?

Kitty · 03-04-2014, 08:35 PM

Hello, I live in canada too and a lot of food brands are inaccessible to me as well. But if you're willing to order online, you can take a look at Flower Town Chinchilla (based from Ontario). They sell Harlan Teklad including 2018, which I just ordered this week actually.

I've never had any pairs live together, but it would make sense for selective feeding & squabbling to reduced when you feed a block where all the pieces are the same.

Hekomi · 03-05-2014, 07:18 AM

Yeah I was hoping to get the Harlan Tekland but I couldn't seem to find it; I'll go take a look at the site you mentioned. Thanks!!!

ETA: Ordered the harlan tekland and a few other things from the site you recommended! I wonder why I couldn't find that site when I was searching for places to buy it before...

Scampi16 · 03-05-2014, 08:02 AM

My pair of robo's never fought over food, most people scatter feed with pairs but I didn't. To start I had two bowls then I went to one large shallow dish that both could sit in at the same time. I noticed with them that as soon as I put fresh food in they both would normally go and investigate. I believe that both got a full range of the mix (selecting as they preferred) both would sit in bowl and have a munch together and they would both fill up their pouches and I assume then would go and put it in their large house they shared. only time mine used to 'fight' over food was when I was dishing out mealworms through the cage and Bolt would nick it from lightning.

Hekomi · 03-05-2014, 08:25 AM

That's good to hear! I scatterfeed and have two bowls already, but we definitely have a dominant ham in our pair who snatches meal worms, which is why I was worried. I may not have to worry about it though if I can get the Harlan Tekland.

**kyrilliondaemon** · 03-05-2014, 09:36 AM

We usually feed our pairs and groups mixes, the Bumbleham girls have an all in one pellet diet but thats to prevent selective feeding for health reasons - they shared their previous mixes perfectly happily and the Bumbleham boys have a mix and share that really well too. Our past pairs and groups also always had mixes and they shared without any issues - even Dusty and Scruff always shared their food without trouble and they were some of the more difficult hams we've had in a pair/group. Scruff would squeak if she'd collected food, unpouched it and then someone else tried to collect it as she picked it up again but even that was never anything to be at all concerned about.

That said - all of ours have always been fine sharing treats too, as long as they all get some they've never really had any problems.

Hekomi · 03-05-2014, 11:42 AM

Hmm, okay. Yeah ours don't share treats too well (which could have just been because of how we gave treats when we first got them, so our fault) so it'd really have to test how they act with the mix. I was able to find a higher protein supplement though, so I'm hoping that will work!

Kitty · 03-05-2014, 09:16 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Hekomi

Yeah I was hoping to get the Harlan Tekland but I couldn't seem to find it; I'll go take a look at the site you mentioned. Thanks!!!

ETA: Ordered the harlan tekland and a few other things from the site you recommended! I wonder why I couldn't find that site when I was searching for places to buy it before...

Yay! I actually heard about them through a friend who feeds her rats Harlan Teklad. I was over at her place and I was like, "where did you get that!?!?" Lol

Their location is based just outside the city I live in so that's probably how my friend found out about it. Otherwise I would not have known either! They sell the Harlan shredded aspen in bulk too so I'll probably get that next time as well. Np! I'm glad I could've helped