Food and other items for a new Syrian?

[Nedriel]

Hello! I did post this on my introduction but I think maybe it's better post here too for other ppl or maybe on syrian hamster place... I don't know, you tell me after or... anyway! as it said someone know if I can make a mix for my syrian hamsters with 6 weeks old more or less? (I still don't have her, I'm buying everything, reading everything and getting 200% ready) I would love to make it since I do for my rats and I'm really happy with it >_< thanks you! waitting for all your opinions:3

[AmityvilleHams]

It would be far more expensive than buying an appropriate mix for your hamster,not to mention that you could cause serious deficiencies for your hamster which would lead to expensive vet bills.

Harry Hamster is a great choice which can be bought on Viovet.Viovet ship internationally,and Harry Hamster is an extremely good food which is species appropriate with proper nutrition

[cypher]

If you're used to mixing your own food for your rats then you may be experienced enough to do a hamster mix but I think rat food is a lot easier (don't keep rats so I'm not totally sure) making a nutritionally balanced hamster food is quite a challenge!
Having a read through this thread may give you an idea of what's involved.
Has anyone ever made their own hamster food?

[Nedriel]

Thanks for reply!! I just wanted to ask since I got good experience with my rats and the mix I do at home (also they eat vegetables and fruit everyday) but I think rats mixs is more easy x3 I'm reading about do a mix, when I translate it and read more I would share on the post that cypher sent me and ask for all your opinions for now they sent to Spain, so for start I'll buy Harry Hamster and get more information about the mix thanks you for share with me the website! you know other webs? I would like save them x3

[cypher]

You can't go far wrong with Harry Hamster Nedriel, you can give some extras in addition to that, things like fresh veg (small amounts only, thumbnail size, building up to one piece a day gradually, too much too soon can cause stomach upsets) as much variety as possible within the safe list.
Tiny bits of plain cooked unseasoned chicken is good to for a little extra protein, especially when young.
For treats you can give things like pumpkin seeds, sunflower seeds, hemp or flax seeds in moderation, also a monkey nut once in a while keeps them busy!

You should find some useful links in that thread I linked to before but here's another that gives good info on how to change diet if you do decide to have a go at making your own.
Diet change.

Not all veg is safe for hams so they may not be able to eat some of the same ones as your rats, this is my list of safe veg which might help.
Safe veg, those marked * are relatively high in sugar so only feed to diabetes prone species as an occasional treat if at all.
Asparagus
Basil
Broccoli
Brussels sprouts
Common or red clover
Cabbage, green or red
Carrot*
Cauliflower
Celery
Chard
Coriander
Courgette
Cress (not mustard & cress as commonly sold together)
Cucumber
Dandelion leaves & flowers
Endive/chicory
Green beans/runner beans
Kale
Pak choi/Bok choi
Parsley
Peas/mange tout/sugar snap/snow*
Peppers, any colour
Potato/sweet potato cooked only*
Radicchio
Spinach
Squash/pumpkin*
Swede
Sweet corn/baby corn*
Turnip

[Nedriel]

Thanks for all the advice! I'm for sure going to get Harry Hamster but they got two, I guess it's https://www.viovet.co.uk/Supreme_Har...amster&sct_r=1 the one you tell me or this one? https://www.viovet.co.uk/Supreme_Tin...amster&sct_r=2 also they got 700g or 12kg, I think I'm going to buy the 12kg since the ship cost is really expensive... Sub Total:£28.56Delivery:£22.44Tax (included above):£8.50 Total: £51.00 :/ what do you think?

And just for make sure so I give Harry Hamster (as I read you feed them one time per day, that right?) and then one time per day some veg (the safe ones) when you consider a hamster is no young anymore? she is near 6 weeks and the person that have her told me they get mature at 8 weeks or so but I don't know for sure

[cypher]

The second link is a treat rather than a food, I would get the 700g size, 12kg really is too much! Hamsters don't eat that much & even dried food will lose nutritional value over time so best not to get too much, I guess if you want to save on delivery costs getting two 700g bags might be a good idea.
Yes you do feed just once a day or even put enough food in for a few days then don't give more until it's gone.
It's best to begin feeding with a bowl if that's what she's used to but once she's settled in you can start to scatter feed, either scattering food around the cage or finding places to hide it which encourages their natural foraging behaviour.
They can do with a little extra protein for the first 6 months, after that the amount in Harry Hamster is perfectly adequate.

[Nedriel]

That true, I didn't think about it haha sorry too much information and not thinking properly xD so it's the firts link right? those treat are nice? ot better just give veg etc and the firts linkg? also how many of 700g you think I can get without it lose nutritional value? and how many time it can to last? like 1 month 1 700g, two months one etc... I mean I wouldn't mind get one 700g but the cost of ship is a lot... that why more or less I would like buy as much as possible for avoid the expensive ship cost >_<
Also I saw they got soo many toys! I don't know which one to choose (I took one thing for my rats and the ship price go a bit down) Delivery:£16.83Tax (included above):£9.05 that something xD so I wanna get some toys for my hamster, which ones do you recomend or do you have?

[cypher]

I'm not the best person to help with how much food to get, as I only keep dwarf hamsters I'm really not sure how long a 700g bag would last, hopefully someone else can step in & advise you on that.
The same goes for toys really, you generally need larger rat size toys for a syrian as most of the toys sold for hamsters tend to be a bit small.
There are quite a few threads on syrian toys here but you may have to have a good look around to find them.
I think a wheel is better than the saucer generally, a saucer big enough for a syrian will take up a lot of space in the cage.
A wheel needs to be solid, not barred or mesh & size will depend on your syrian, some are ok with an 8" wheel some need as big as 10".
That is a lot of money for delivery! Worth it though if you can find everything you need & get enough food for a few months or so I think.

[Nedriel]

It's okay! you're helping me a lot with my doubts, I really aprpeciate and love it!

I did try to find information for the natural value after open the bag, what I did reach is after opening it can last 50 days after open(but talking about dogs food, not sure if it works for general animals foods) more or less, if you don't open it, it can last till the time the bag says on it >_< (but I read when the food is inside the bag (without open) it can last one month (natural value), and after open less, but they don't talk about food like harry hamster they talk like those bad mix with seeds and etc so I don't know maybe can work as dog food, the time to last, etc) And I saw someone on another web moaning about they buy 2,75kg bag and after 4 months they still got like for 6 months more and was wondering the same as me x3
Some people answered if they save it properly there's no problem and can last to few months, and save it inside the fridge (that is a bit... idk, they talk about those bad mix for pets as I said) maybe just buy two at the start for see how it goes and after some experience get more or the same and see how time it can last... what do you think? since two are like 1,4kg and they said 2,75kg can last a lot time >_<

And thanks for the advice of toys, I thought they were more or less like normal hamsters (on side) x3, so their toys might be more or less like for rats, right? and also
https://www.viovet.co.uk/Small_N_Fur...imals/c21971/I saw this one on videos but I don't know if it's recomend if they have fun or if it's good for them etc