Besides Harry Hamster & Burgess what UK staple mixes do people use?

[RubyDG]

I know this question has been done to death, so apologies! Aside from Harry Hamster and Burgess I am wondering what staple mixes people use for their Syrian Hammies?

Basically Spike does not like Harry Hamster (which has apparently changed now anyway) and I have been using Burgess Supahamster Harvest. My issue is that my last bag of Burgess had a large portion of the 'chaff', all the not so great bits. It seemed to me I got a bit short changed with the main parts of the mix like the kibble, peas etc. To be fair though it could have just been that particular bag but Spike has seemed very bored with his mix for quite some time. I know it's not his appetite as he is very happily eating his Supreme Science Selective and his 'add-on's' which are some flaxseeds and occasionally some millet or extra pumpkin seeds and of course his daily veg etc. I need to order more food so I am wondering what mixes the UK based members would suggest I try. I did get a 'sample' of JR Farmfoods from my upstairs neighbor once who also has a hammy but Spike didn't like it. For those of you that don't know I have a very very fussy hamster so ideally I'd like a mix where he'll eat most of it (not asking for much am I? )

[Fluffagrams]

One of my Chineseys, Lady May is extremely fussy and like yours, happily eats Science Selective. I've been through the main mixes with her and all with little success so I've given up with the mixes with her and am just feeding her what I know she'll eat. The good thing about Science Selective is that it is a complete food so that hamsters aren't missing out on anything they need like they would if they were fed a mix.

I add variety to Lady May's diet with small pieces of kitten kibble or some chicken every so often and I encourage her to look for food by hiding a couple of seeds or some of her food in her cage. This seems to suit her fine.

[RubyDG]

Originally Posted by Fluffagrams

One of my Chineseys, Lady May is extremely fussy and like yours, happily eats Science Selective. I've been through the main mixes with her and all with little success so I've given up with the mixes with her and am just feeding her what I know she'll eat. The good thing about Science Selective is that it is a complete food so that hamsters aren't missing out on anything they need like they would if they were fed a mix.

I add variety to Lady May's diet with small pieces of kitten kibble or some chicken every so often and I encourage her to look for food by hiding a couple of seeds or some of her food in her cage. This seems to suit her fine.

I usually give him 3 pellets in his bowl a day and I did contemplate just the Science Selective with some extra's but I think Spike will probably get bored with it fairly quickly. I don't want to end up with Spike not eating the Science Selective pellets. When I changed over from Harry Hamster (that was ages ago) he loved the Burgess and would eat most of it but now it's the same situation again - he just picks out the few bits he likes. Theoretically since he has his Science Selective and his extras I know he should be fine but I do feel it would be good to give him a mix he likes for variety's sake - plus I have no confidence in providing a nutritionally balanced diet if I can't just scoop it out a bag.

[Amethyst_ice]

When I got the new guy on monday I'd already given my harry hamster to my mum for bird seed as I wasnt planning on getting a hammy! The store was out, so I ended up getting wilkos own hammy mix. It looks ok so far, not brightly coloured, he seems to be pouching and munching it so guess we'll see.

With my previous fussy hams, I found scatter feeding and just leaving it helped, soon learn bowl wont get refilled until its all gone!

[cypher]

He is being difficult isn't he!
I have no idea what the syrian mix is like but mine like the Bunny hamster dream mix for dwarfs, the protein is a bit low but if he's eating science selective & some extras that might not be such a problem.
I can't really think of any other good ones that have a reasonable CA & no added things you really don't want!

[Pebbles82]

Tricky if he doesn't like Harry Hamster. I agree about 'chaff' - I've tried introducing a few different ones to Charlie and most of them seem to have lots of chaff - including the Bunny Dreams one for Syrians, and the two JR Farm ones for Syrians. He won't eat any of them, nor the Rodipet one. Usually I mix it with Harry Hamster at first (he picks the HH out and leaves the rest) then move over to the new one - and he just leaves it (has plenty of hoards!). So I have given up and just give Harry Hamster now. I do think it is changed because now he doesn't just leave the black logs (of which there seem to be a lot more!) but he also leaves some little round brown things the size of peas. When I put HH in his food bowl, next morning the bowl is still half full with the logs and pea sized things - about 50% of it!

I'll have to see how it goes - I supplement with a tiny bit of veg daily and the odd piece of cheese, brazil nut and chicken, and meal worm, so he should be doing ok. But I am not keen that there seems to be much more 'filler' stuff in HH now, which gets left. I know the black logs aren't necessary (apparently) but have no idea what's in the little round brown pea sized things he is leaving.

I might start mixing in the Rodipet one again and just giving him that eventually, he'll have to eat it sooner or later, when his hoards run out! The good thing about the Rodipet one is - you get a good size for the money - it lasts for ages. At least it isn't full of chaff! (Little itty bitty dusty herby bits that just get left in the bottom of the bowl).

I haven't tried Science Selective - I got put off last year by an Amazon review which said it was dangerous because it had GM Soya in. But it turns out they all have GM Soya in so I've given up on that too! The only one I found that didn't have soya in (using meat protein instead) was the JR Farm Feast for hamsters - and it didn't have loads of chaff either - but it smelled awful! Charlie wouldn't touch it!

I haven't tried this one - and it seems popular with Hamsters - read about it elsewhere

http://www.zooplus.co.uk/shop/small_...restige/318637

It says it's a complete food but is also 40% cereal (protein is 15% though) so probably also has GM Soya but as I said I've given up trying to find anything organic.

I might try it as Harry Hamster now seems to have 50% of inedible stuff in!

[cypher]

Have you looked at the ingredients list in that Crispy Muesli - Hamsters & Co one, I've looked at it before & find the list so vague it puts me off, could be almost anything in there really!

[RubyDG]

It's all a bit of a headache isn't it? The better ones seem to be going down in quality a bit and having more 'chaff' and the other ones seem either vague with their ingredients (which is a red flag for me) or aren't quite nutritionally balanced enough. It's bloody frustrating actually. I would be happy to pay significantly more for a mix if I knew it was really good quality and had the right balance but apparently that's asking for the moon. If I was more confident about what I was doing I'd buy the ingredients separately and make my own mix. At least you know you have good quality ingredients and exactly what goes in there. But I really don't think that's a good idea unless you absolutely 100% know what you are doing.

I was kinda hoping there would be another good mix out there that I hadn't heard of that members here would recommend. Thanks for the suggestion of the Crispy Muesli Serendipity, the picture of the food itself seems quite good, but I think I agree with Cypher in that I'm put off just because the ingredients list is so vague. I might try the Bunny Dream one, I like that they say there are no added preservatives, flavor enhancers, sugar, colorings or flavorings but bit worried that I'm going to end up with a bag of mostly 'chaff' again. I do expect some in a bag but it's annoying when it's a third of the bag especially when you're paying a bit more.

Cypher - I know you get the dwarf version and that you're fluffs like it but what do you think of the Bunny Dream yourself? Is there a lot 'chaff' type stuff and are they being honest about not having coloring and whatnot in it? (I do like the sound of that!)

Serendipity - I know Charlie wasn't too fond but what do you think of the Rodipet mix? I am inclined to trust the German's about good mixes due to their animal welfare laws.

Thanks guys!

[Fluffagrams]

Originally Posted by RubyDG

It's all a bit of a headache isn't it?

I know what you mean. I really was quite worried about what May was and what she wasn't eating and it was quite frustrating that I'd bought new bags of food for her to try and it would end up being another one that she wouldn't eat. I almost felt like I'd failed.

In the end I left the choice up to her and she chose the Science Selective and for now that will have to do for my little fusspot. However I do hope that you'll find an alternative food that suits Spike and when you do you'll have to let me know so I can try it too.

[cypher]

Ruby the Bunny food does take a bit of getting used to as it looks quite different from most mixes, the dwarf one at least has a fair bit of dried veg, leafy stuff (I think the word is herbage!) flowers & things you might not be used to but I do like the ingredients overall & the GA isn't bad.

I've also just started giving Rodipet another go, all their mixes look quite different for the various species & they do junior & senior mixes, mine weren't all that interested in the hybrid junior mix when I gave it to them quite some time ago but now I've got the senior & I'm mixing it half & half with their other mixes, I don't think I'm imagining it but they do suddenly seem a lot more interested in their food!
I guess all that tells you is sometimes you have to experiment but I know it can get both frustrating & expensive if they don't like stuff.