Treats/Food extras

[HamsterCrazy1]

Okay I have a few hamster questions..

Can they have hay?
I read somewhere once that they can have rabbit pellets as most of their diet. Is this true?
I also read somewhere that you should give your hamster milk. Is this true?
Can hamsters have a hammock/bed or will he/she eat it or chew it?
Can hamsters have popsicle sticks?
What glue is safe to use to make popsicle houses and stuff out of?

I think that is it for now. Input, tips, and advice are always welcome! Soon to be new hammy owner!

[AmityvilleHams]

Rabbit pellets are completely unsuitable for hamsters.They should not be given such things as they are largely hay based,while hamsters shouldn't have too much hay.They don't need a ton of fiber really,and a good diet such as the Higgins and Mazuri combination will have you covered for the necessary fiber!

Hamsters should not be given milk.I'm almost certain they're lactose intolerant but even if they weren't it still wouldn't be the right type of milk for them and therefore it would be bad for their sensitive digestive systems.

In terms of hammocks and beds,pretty much all small animals should not be given those with the exception of some very well behaved rats and guinea pigs.They most often will chew them,and if it can be chewed and it is in the cage it has got to be a safe material.They cannot digest the fabric,and they especially can't digest the cotton batting used to stuff most hammocks and beds which can and will kill a hamster.

Popsicle sticks are fine but use clean ones that you buy from a store!You can make really elaborate houses with them too,and there are many tutorials out there for that.

For glue I'd suggest using Elmer's glue.It is not made from animal biproducts while other glues contain uncertain ingredients which would most likely be unsafe to hamsters.Elmer's glue however is completely fine,just use the regular white one!

Here's a bonus tip Hamsters are naturally omnivores,meaning they require animal protein and plant matter in their diet.There is no way of avoiding this,nor are they the only small animal to be an omnivore.It's very easy to add animal protein in the form of freeze dried mealworms,freeze dried chicken,plain boiled chicken with no seasoning,and plain chicken baby food.There are also freshwater shrimp which are a really good high protein low fat treat,but these may be hard to find

A second bonus tip,actually! For the food itself I'd only be able to recommend two products in the US that are not suitable on their own but are just right together.They're Higgins Sunburst Hamster and Gerbil food as well as Mazuri Rat and Mouse lab blocks.Both of these are entirely safe with no bad things like BHT/BHA/ethoxyquin(known to cause cancer)or animal biproducts(extremely bad especially in the US as they can be anything including bones,feathers,blood,intestines,and more)etc.You can just make a 60/40 ratio(60% Higgins to 40% Mazuri or 6/7.2 grams of Higgins and 4/4.8 grams of Mazuri depending on if you want to feed 10 grams of food per day or 12 grams per day).

The Higgins and Mazuri mix is the best option in the US,while other brands aren't as good and should be avoided due to their sugary contents and bad ingredients otherwise.

One more tip is that in terms of bedding,never use wood.Just use Kaytee Clean and Cozy or Carefresh,but never a scented variety or one with wood in it.Kaytee Clean and Cozy is the cheaper option and the least dusty option,but both are much safer and less risky than wood as wood can cause severe allergic reactions.Even aspen can cause allergic reactions,so you're best off not risking it at all.

I did just think of another tip though,which is that if you have lots of deep bedding you end up saving a lot of money as long as you only spot clean and do partial cleans(which you should do regardless).Never clean the cage fully more than once every month,and even that is a bit much.With square meter cages for example you can go several months without a full clean,and that can save you a ton of money on bedding even if it seems like it costs a lot at first.

[Fluffagrams]

Some hamsters enjoy the odd bit of hay but you'd have to be careful to remove any sharp bits before you give it to them. I personally wouldn't buy it specifically to give to a hamster as they're not going to be eating that sort of amount but if you have rabbits or guinea pigs and have some for them then the odd bit should be fine. I did read that some rabbit foods have a particular substance in it to treat a gut bacteria or something that is only present in rabbits (I will check exactly what it is after work). This substance that they put in is actually harmful to other animals.

I know of people who have given milk to sickly, elderly or very young hamsters before but a lactose free or kitten milk seemed to be the preferred option. The average hamster will do fine without being given milk though.

In answer to your hammock question, they can have fabric hammocks if they're not the kind of hamster that will chew everything in sight. My three chinese have hammocks that they adore and they've never chewed them. Some people have said that syrian hamsters are more likely to chew things they shouldn't so if you wanted to give one I'd introduce it in a playpen so you can keep an eye on them to start with. Alternatively you can get wooden or hemp based shelves that can be suspended like a hammock.

[cypher]

I think there's some confusion & controversy over hamsters having hay, it's fine to give it to them & some will enjoy it while others will totally ignore it (but that's hamsters for you lol!) they rarely eat much but eating a little is quite good for them, some will take it to make nests with.
If you do use it definitely check for any sharp bits that could damage pouches & freeze it for at least 48hrs, I do it for a week, just in case it carries mites.

Rabbit food & pellets definitely shouldn't be given for the reason Fluffagrams stated.
This is what it says in the Wiki section "The one important thing to remember is to not buy treats specifically designed for rabbits. Rabbits can often carry a parasite called Coccidia and so most products manufactured for rabbits contain a drug to combat this parasite. Hamsters dont seem to be able to get coccidia or are very unlikely to come into contact with it and so dont need this drug. This drug will actually make them very sick."

Hamsters really don't need milk at all & may have trouble digesting lactose.

I agree that with any ham you should try hammocks or any fabric items out of the cage to see how they react even then watch carefully if you put them in the cage, many hams are fine with hams but chewing can be a problem.

Popsicle sticks can be used for making ham toys, ladders, levels etc & you can just use PVA glue.

[AmityvilleHams]

Elmer's is pretty much our equivalent of PVA glue here,just a child-friendly white non-toxic glue!

[HamsterCrazy1]

Thanks everyone! I have rabbits, so I always have lots of hay on hand. I am so excited to start building stuff for my new lil guy/gal. As far as bedding goes, I am planning on using CareFresh with some paper and paper towels to reduce as much CareFresh that I use because it's expensive. Thanks again!

[AmityvilleHams]

You could try Kaytee Clean and Cozy instead as it is cheaper!Or,you could mix the two.Either work fine,and also Kaytee Clean and Cozy is is a lot less dusty.I actually have a pack here and it's very minimal in dust,just a tiny bit at the bottom of the package but really there aren't any bedding options out there which won't have at least some dust.

In terms of cost,I did get a 8.2L bag(expands to 27.9L)for $10 at Petco.You can get a larger amount for around $20 though,while Carefresh is nearly $30 in most places unless you go to Tractor Supply and then it is only $20.

[HamsterCrazy1]

Honestly I meant any of that sort of stuff.. I just call it all 'carefresh' lol. I will check out Kaytee Clean and Cozy for sure!

[AmityvilleHams]

There are so many things out there at the moment that it can be extremely intimidating to choose one!Of course,as long as you stay away from the wood bedding and the scented bedding and things like that it should be fine.

[HamsterCrazy1]

Thank you all for the information!!