OK

[Izzy_the_Cookie]

OK. so I don't know how to post pics. my hammy is coming most likely next week. can anyone help me with sending pics?
Also Talking food. what is the best mix for a hammy. i know that I am not going to find just 1 mix, but if someone can give me mixes that work well together. that would help a TON!!!
Thank you for taking the time to read this.
-Izzy_The_cookie

[AmityvilleHams]

Food really depends on where you are in the world. In the US & Canada, the proper diet is Higgins Vita Garden(NOT Sunburst which has lots of dried fruit added which isn't very species appropriate for any hamster species and is especially concerning for diabetes prone species like Chinese hamsters or hybrids)- do add Pure Bites though in this case along with flax seed. In the UK, Rodipet have the best foods and that also covers certain other countries.

[Izzy_the_Cookie]

i am in the us

[cypher]

There's a thread here that shows how to add photos.
How To Embed Photos

[brieshamsters]

Originally Posted by AmityvilleHams

Food really depends on where you are in the world. In the US & Canada, the proper diet is Higgins Vita Garden(NOT Sunburst which has lots of dried fruit added which isn't very species appropriate for any hamster species and is especially concerning for diabetes prone species like Chinese hamsters or hybrids)- do add Pure Bites though in this case along with flax seed. In the UK, Rodipet have the best foods and that also covers certain other countries.

i have heard conflicting information that higgins sunburst has a much better GA and that vita garden is the less quality food, what do i believe?

[AmityvilleHams]

Originally Posted by brieshamsters

i have heard conflicting information that higgins sunburst has a much better GA and that vita garden is the less quality food, what do i believe?

The current Vita Garden GA is fine once you add Pure Bites. Sunburst is the lower quality food in general, though I know it's still frequently recommended - it definitely shouldn't be especially for diabetes prone species.

ETA just to clarify they both have the exact same protein in the GA. The major difference is fiber content(1.5% difference if my math skills are working), but the fiber content in Vita Garden is fine.

[brieshamsters]

Originally Posted by AmityvilleHams

The current Vita Garden GA is fine once you add Pure Bites. Sunburst is the lower quality food in general, though I know it's still frequently recommended - it definitely shouldn't be especially for diabetes prone species.

ETA just to clarify they both have the exact same protein in the GA. The major difference is fiber content(1.5% difference if my math skills are working), but the fiber content in Vita Garden is fine.

and i just bought two bags of it and mazuri for my three diabetes prone hams.. i’m angry..

[Izzy_the_Cookie]

ok. Thank you for your response. I am sorry for all these questions.
also. what should I look for when I am looking for the Pure Bites?

[Pebbles82]

Feel free to ask anything It's good to get things right before he or she comes to you. It can help to ask about cage set up, houses, cleaning criteria etc as well. I just read your other thread - do you know which species of hamster you're getting yet? Things like the right wheel size for whichever hamster species it is, setting up so they feel secure etc. And not cleaning for the first two weeks while they settle in. After that spot cleaning mostly is best. Full cage cleans in one go aren't recommended as they cause too much stress to the hamster. So partial ones "as and when" are better. They are very clean little things really - the only unhygienic bit is their pee - and a Syrian will use a litter tray if you provide one, so the rest of the cage stays clean and dry.

[AmityvilleHams]

With Pure Bites, just stick to the freeze dried meats/shrimp. I wouldn't do the liver or cheese ones - some good options would be shrimp, turkey, chicken, or occasionally duck(not too often with duck as it is a bit fatty).