Is my forage mix too dusty?

[milkshake2]

First time hamster owner here! I heard that forage mixes marketed towards reptiles can be suitable for hamsters, so I decided to buy some of Komodo's bearded dragon mix (Komodo Bearded Dragon Mix 80g | Reptile | Happy Pet) as it's locally available and its only ingredients are supposedly dandelion, marigold and rose petals.

The only thing I'm worried about is that the bag conents are somewhat crushed, to the point that there is a lot of dust in the bag from the broken-up dried leaves. I know I'm supposed to avoid sawdust and very fine/powdery sand for hamsters, so is this type of 'leaf dust' safe? Should I be sieving it out before putting it in the hammie's cage?

And on a related note, ARE reptile products like these safe for hamsters? Does anyone else use them?

[Kat_mh99]

Hi!

I think sieving it out would be a good idea. Better safe than sorry!

With regards to safety, I would read the fine print on the packaging of the mix to ensure those three actually are the only ingredients (only because a lot of reptile foods contain supplementation which wouldn’t be suitable for hamsters) and if you’re happy, go for it!!

[milkshake2]

That's true! I'll definitely sieve it from now on.

I've gone ahead and put some in her cage. Must say, I don't think she has taken too much of an interest so far Though when I looked at the reviews, it seems bearded dragons don't like this product too much either, so maybe it just tastes bad. I might have to try again with the premium versions from Etsy in future.

[Kat_mh99]

Originally Posted by milkshake2

That's true! I'll definitely sieve it from now on.

I've gone ahead and put some in her cage. Must say, I don't think she has taken too much of an interest so far Though when I looked at the reviews, it seems bearded dragons don't like this product too much either, so maybe it just tastes bad. I might have to try again with the premium versions from Etsy in future.

Aww my hammy’s soo fussy when it comes to dry forage, so don’t be disheartened lol. At least it’s something interesting for them to sniff around in!