Treats?

[Scargirl]

Can she have Greenies? They are kind of like whimzies.

[cypher]

Greenies are fine too.

[WinnieTheHam]

The treats I feed my hamsters include:

Coconut flakes
Pumpkin seeds
Sesame seeds
Flax seeds
Sunflower seeds (all colours)
Live mealworms (Winston loves live insects, none of my syrians are a fan of dried though)
Brown rice (cooked)
Lentils (cooked)
Chicken (cooked)
Boiled egg
Porridge oats (made with water)
Cat Kibble (very rarely offer them, Won't really be good for old hams as they don't need so much protein as young hams)
Cheese (Rare treat)

You can also feed live or dried crickets or grasshoppers, With crickets if you feed them live you need to be careful because they can give a nasty bite so it'd be best to pick them up by the head with tweezers so you can pinch the head so they're stunned and won't be able to bite the hamster. Live insects are also a healthier option than dried as the dried ones contain more fat.

You can get dried insects online, here are some dried crickets on amazon - http://www.amazon.co.uk/Dried-Cricke.../dp/B004BUIIQ8

There's a mix of dried insects on amazon here - http://www.amazon.co.uk/Rosewood-Bor...=dried+insects

I feed veggies alongside their normal food about every other day.

[EmmaAndChester]

DONT feed cat/dog kibble! Certain dog biscuits are fine, but absolutely no kibble - it's fortified for dogs/cats, not hamsters. Just as too much of certain vitaminss/minerals can be bad, too much can too. Also NO greenies - they are not the same as Whimzees and they're fortified for dogs and contain super low quality ingredients. They're pure garbage and I wouldn't feed them to my dog, nevermind hamster. Whimzees are fine, but greenies are not and should be avoided at all costs.

Certain brands I like are Tribal dog treats, terra Canis dog treats (ONLY the apple, chicken & yoghurt ones are suitable - the other versions are not), Whimzees, Lily's kitchen (again, check the ingredients before hand - certain versions containing liver are much too rich for hamsters), Nyla bones edibles puppy in lamb and apple, and the nutro crunchy peanut butter ones. You can also look Into brands like Thrive & Cosma Snackies as these are just 100% pure free dried meat or fish and are a ham-favourite. Other favourite snacks of my three include mealworms, crickets, grasshoppers, silkworm larvae, and of course various seeds, nuts and veggies too. Remember, treats don't have to be unhealthy and store bought! There are tons of healthy options with seeds and nuts that can make just as yummy as a treat to our hams.

Avoid brands like milkbones, purina, pedigree, greenies, Whiskas, yoghurt drops, etc as all of these are pure garbage are aren't worth a penny. Things you need to look out for in dog treats and avoid are; Onions/chives/leeks/garlic, most spices (though depending on what spice they are and how far down the ingredients list they are, you can get away with some), meat/bone meal, unspecified meals in general (so things like poultry meal, etc - BUT specified meals like "chicken meal" are absolutely fine), preservatives like BHT/BHA, and ANY treat, regardless of the quality of the ingredients, that is fortified with vitamins and minerals for animals such as dogs or cats - this includes ALL dog/cat kibbles, none of it is suitable and none of them should be fed. There's absolutey no reason to feed them either.

[Scargirl]

You said certain dog biscuits. Is milkbone okay?

[EmmaAndChester]

Originally Posted by Scargirl

You said certain dog biscuits. Is milkbone okay?

No, absolutely NO milkbones - they contain several unhealthy and extremely low quality ingredients. There are SO many healthier and higher quality brands available, that milkbones simply aren't worth it.

I listed a list of things you need to avoid in dog treats, so be sure to check the ingredients before purchasing - if they contain even one of the things I listed, don't buy them.

If you're in the states, I can give you a list of high quality dog treats that are suitable. Likewise, I can do the same if you're in the UK, or even Ireland.

[Scargirl]

What brand dog biscuits would you recommend?

[EmmaAndChester]

I mentioned to avoid milkbones and listed a few of my personal favourites in my previous posts haha Was it not clear? I don't mind re-listing them regardless:

for high quality cat/dog treats, that are popular with my three dwarves, I like:

- Terra Canis dog treats in Yoghurt, Apple & Chicken. ONLY this recipe of these treats is suitable - other recipes of this brand contain garlic, which you want to avoid.
- Lily's kitchen cheese & Apple dog treats
- Likys kitchen organic bedtime biscuits
- Thrive cat treats; the 100% freeze dried chicken, 100% beef! and 100% white fish are my hams favourites.
- Cosma Snackies, which are essentially the exact same as the thrive cat treats.
- Nutro Crunchy peanut butter dog treats
- Tribal Dog Treats in Coconut, Banana & Peanut Butter
- Tribal Dog Treats in chicken & flaxseed.

[Whiskee]

Thank you for the treat rec's! Taking notes~

[cypher]

There are some good things on your list, but I do think the Tribal dog treats are way too high in fat to be given as a regular treat, maybe ok as a very special treat on the odd occasion.