Up To Date Diet Tips!

[Cinnamon Bear]

Originally Posted by cypher

CB I think the Vita Kraft Vita Smart has less sugar/fruit ingredients & is probably better overall for dwarfs.

Ok great, heard it contains probiotics? I started Cinnamon Bear on Higgins Sunburst and he lost 5 gm so I put him back on Vita Smart. Actually its a combination of the two but mostly Vita Smart. Then again I put Koala on Higgins and he gained a gm or 2? Still I'm going with a combination for a long time to come. Izzy likes the combination of the 2 as well. I'm just doing this to save money, as I have so much food with similar expiration dates.

[AmityvilleHams]

Originally Posted by Cinnamon Bear

I don't think that Pet-Co would use Kaytee Forti-Diet across the country if it contained chemicals that cause cancer? I could be wrong but I don't think so? Then again my Chloe Rose Petal has a tumor and she's been on Kaytee her whole life?

How do you feel about Vita Kraft Vita Smart? I use a combination of Vita Kraft Vita Smart along with Higgins Sunburst.

I also have enough food, seed mix & lab blocks mostly Higgins & Mazuri to last a year, in freezer bags in my freezer.

Amity, how much do you break down the Mazuri? Into almost power or crumbs or mini-chunks?

You could leave it as blocks or just break them in half or do as much crushing as necessary for smaller hamsters.Vita Kraft and Higgins combined isn't really doing the same in terms of nutrition as Mazuri and Higgins combined,which is why I would say seed mix and lab block combined only.

For Kaytee though and what pet stores use knowing it contains a chemical that causes cancer,I'd hate to point it out but take a good look at some of the pet store things and how dangerous they are!Of course,with our little fluffballs having the risk of cancer as it is I don't think increasing that risk is right.Petco uses mesh wheels as well,so just consider that for a moment.

In terms of if it is our best mix in the US,it really is.It contains no chemicals,no artificial flavors or colors,no dangerous ingredients,and is all natural.Compared to Vita Kraft for example that contain all sorts of not so great ingredients,and Kaytee that often include chemicals and such,and Oxbow which isn't exactly suitable it is honestly our best option out there.

[Cinnamon Bear]

Pet-Co's around me don't use mesh wheels thankfully, they are drastically improving in screening people for new ownership of hamsters too. They put cabbage on their food for veggies with something on the cabbage (benebac?) to help with stress (which is an added expense for them). Then on Easter they actually fed Izzy lettuce and carrots as a treat. I was impressed as they usually only feed cabbage. They are definitely trying as a company I believe.

[Pebbles82]

Originally Posted by oddlyoblivious

I'm sorry, the 'Fancy' made me giggle.


I would say that Sirius doesn't get fruits or anything with added sugar because that was the Exotic Vet's recommendation, Given that he's a campbell's if not a hybrid.

I was looking at a Burgess mix actually, but at 80 bucks for 9 2lb bags I'm not sure it's the best value. (I'd have to do math and my brain is tired atm) Vita craft mix looks decent, Nancy does use Higgins, but I don't know if it's the vita formula or the Tropical blend. I would guess vita.

Glad it made you giggle. I wouldn't bother ordering Burgess for a Syrian. I think it might have gone downhill a bit. The dwarf hamster version is popular though. I tried a bag for Charlie but it had too many little itty bitty bits in and not enough large pieces - I wasn't too impressed. I've tried Charlie with all kinds of things but the only thing he seems to really like is Harry Hamster! I was trying to find a mix without GM Soya, but have given up, and maybe it's not that bad anyway. I tried a JR Farms one that had animal protein and no soya (the protein was a bit low and it needed supplementing) but it smelt foul lol! Charlie turned his nose up at it. I guess even some animal proteins can be low quality.

The Rodipet hamster mixes are good and include dried grasshoppers and things, and they have different mixes for young hamsters and hamsters over a year old. They also come in sealable plastic tubs. They are supposed to be good quality, but the only thing is you never get a full list of ingredients, just a description of some of the contents. I kept meaning to switch over to it, but ended up just using it as a supplementary feed as during the switchover, Charlie would eat the HH and leave the Rodipet food.

I think this thread is useful for US owners. I actually don't think there is an ideal mix and everything is a bit of a compromise, but mixes with added sugar and molasses aren't good.

Can you get Versele Laga in the US - some of those are supposed to be quite good.

[zak]

Originally Posted by AmityvilleHams

You could leave it as blocks or just break them in half or do as much crushing as necessary for smaller hamsters.Vita Kraft and Higgins combined isn't really doing the same in terms of nutrition as Mazuri and Higgins combined,which is why I would say seed mix and lab block combined only.

For Kaytee though and what pet stores use knowing it contains a chemical that causes cancer,I'd hate to point it out but take a good look at some of the pet store things and how dangerous they are!Of course,with our little fluffballs having the risk of cancer as it is I don't think increasing that risk is right.Petco uses mesh wheels as well,so just consider that for a moment.

In terms of if it is our best mix in the US,it really is.It contains no chemicals,no artificial flavors or colors,no dangerous ingredients,and is all natural.Compared to Vita Kraft for example that contain all sorts of not so great ingredients,and Kaytee that often include chemicals and such,and Oxbow which isn't exactly suitable it is honestly our best option out there.

The staff in pet stores do not have a choice on what to give animals in terms of toys, wheels and such. Most of the workers who know better would give them suitable things if it wasn't up to head office who are sometimes very tight on budgets.

[Cinnamon Bear]

I bought four out of my six hammies from Pet-Co so I'm a Pet-Co supporter
They've been good to me!

Pet-Co btw is the only store in the US that I know of that sells Higgins and Mazuri

Pet Smart sells the Vita Smart yet Pet-Co is in full support of Vita Smart, management that is

[AmityvilleHams]

Originally Posted by Serendipity7000

Glad it made you giggle. I wouldn't bother ordering Burgess for a Syrian. I think it might have gone downhill a bit. The dwarf hamster version is popular though. I tried a bag for Charlie but it had too many little itty bitty bits in and not enough large pieces - I wasn't too impressed. I've tried Charlie with all kinds of things but the only thing he seems to really like is Harry Hamster! I was trying to find a mix without GM Soya, but have given up, and maybe it's not that bad anyway. I tried a JR Farms one that had animal protein and no soya (the protein was a bit low and it needed supplementing) but it smelt foul lol! Charlie turned his nose up at it. I guess even some animal proteins can be low quality.

The Rodipet hamster mixes are good and include dried grasshoppers and things, and they have different mixes for young hamsters and hamsters over a year old. They also come in sealable plastic tubs. They are supposed to be good quality, but the only thing is you never get a full list of ingredients, just a description of some of the contents. I kept meaning to switch over to it, but ended up just using it as a supplementary feed as during the switchover, Charlie would eat the HH and leave the Rodipet food.

I think this thread is useful for US owners. I actually don't think there is an ideal mix and everything is a bit of a compromise, but mixes with added sugar and molasses aren't good.

Can you get Versele Laga in the US - some of those are supposed to be quite good.

It's popular in Canada,but Higgins is the best mix available in the US.It is a compromise with the cane molasses,but personally I don't see it being a major problem for a Syrian at least as long as no additional added sugars are being given in terms of unhealthy storebought treats and such.

Also,I do not believe in feeding extruded pellets or lab blocks on their own as a main diet as they are not providing enough variety on their own.Plus,the fact that the ingredients for the food aren't even listed just makes me run away quickly and say no right away.I would never purchase anything without knowing every single ingredient.

[cypher]

Originally Posted by Serendipity7000

Can you get Versele Laga in the US - some of those are supposed to be quite good.

I'm only familiar with the Verele laga products zooplus sell & they really aren't good at all.

I like the Rodipet mixes too but feel the same about not having a list of ingredients, I'm sure it's a trustworthy company but it would be nice to know.

Totally agree there isn't an absolutely ideal mix out there, not to say there aren't good ones depending where you are but it can be frustrating & quite a bit of trial & error trying to find the best, that's really why I ended up making my own!

[AmityvilleHams]

Originally Posted by cypher

I'm only familiar with the Verele laga products zooplus sell & they really aren't good at all.

Just edited a post but yes,they're an all-in-one type of diet and they don't even say the ingredients on their website which in my opinion is very sketchy and just not fair to the consumer.

[Pebbles82]

It might be that there isn't a legal requirement in Germany to list every ingredient, like there is in the Uk. Rodipet are a very trustworthy company who only specialise in hamsters, so I'd trust their ingredients (they do provide a breakdown of nutrition) but it would still be nice to know what it is.

I think most people on here only use the block food as a supplement (why I linked the other thread as it is where I first heard about Harlan Teklad block food) and wouldn't feed it as a sole food. Likewise people are usually advised not to use Oxbow exclusively, but as a supplement. I do wish there was an organic hamster mix available