Sunflower Seeds

Gemma_xo · 07-22-2015, 09:57 AM

I got a 1kg bag of sunflower seeds today for Zak, but it only dawned on me today that he has sunflower seeds in his food and they're normally the first thing that I notice goes out of his food bowl, is it still worth trying to use them as treats or will he just expect them as normal food?

I don't really want to sift through two bags of food (that's mixed into a tub) to take out all the sunflower seeds because he clearly does enjoy them, but I also want to tame him using something healthy and un fruit related like the sunflower seeds (plus it sounds like a perfect excuse to get through a 1kg bag!)

I've got some of the sugar free sticks but he doesn't take them from me and I was considering getting the sugar free loops too (to replace some of the fruity treats he has that I'm not comfortable giving to him), once every blue moon when he gets a Nibblot treat, he takes that from me (which really aren't that small, so I'm hoping if I get the loops he'll take those from me)

racinghamster · 07-22-2015, 10:34 AM

Hi Gemma, sunflower seeds are an excellent snack for a hamster, which is why they are found in most mixes. I bought a bag of black sunflower seeds for my Russian dwarf and am still getting through them because I only have the one hamster! They are also high in vitamin E which is great for the skin/coat.

Otaku108 · 07-22-2015, 11:09 AM

I was actually going to make a post about this, because my hamster is doing the exact same thing!

and i also bought a bag of seeds for treat use, without remembering they were mixed into little Poppy's feed. *sighs* although, not 1kg!

Gemma_xo · 07-22-2015, 11:23 AM

Awesome, thanks for the info, but does it make sense to use them as a reward even though they're in his food?
I don't want to try use them as rewards and fail to reward him during taming because he gets them in his food.

I uploaded pictures below, I didn't realise just how many seeds would be in a 1kg bag of seeds! I'm sure I'll have plenty for Zak and my next hamster after him. (Not that I ever want him to leave me, but we don't always get what we want!)

**DrKMcK** · 07-22-2015, 12:05 PM

I also have a bag of sunflower seeds. Since I bake a lot I have pumpkin seeds, walnuts, almonds and raisins on hand most of the time. So the hams get them as treats too. They are already shelled, so I just grab a few and hand them out!

Gemma_xo · 07-22-2015, 01:50 PM

I wish I could bake!
But knowing me and how much I spoil animals, I'd probably never bake and just use them all as treats

x

Fluffagrams · 07-22-2015, 02:04 PM

My little Chinese girl is obsessed with sunflower seeds!

Although they're in her food mix and they're the first thing she goes for, seeds are the only rewards that she'll consistently accept. Quite often if I dare to offer her anything else after playtime she'll look around as if to say 'this is not seeds'

cypher · 07-22-2015, 11:09 PM

All mine love sunflower seeds too, I think most hams do & won't mind being given a few extra as treats even though they have some in their mix already.
Go easy though, they're very nutritious & good for them in moderation but too many can mean they get too much fat in their diet, a couple a day if you're using them for taming would be ok.
If you have them for baking it's handy but I always prefer to give them in the shells, make them work for that treat & keep their teeth in shape!