Quigley had his first babycorn yesterday. Considering Mushu's opinion on it, I wasn't expecting it to be a great success, but Quigley really seemed to like it and ate about half.
I did video a little clip of him eating - though he had already munched quite a bit before I started filming. Sorry for the terrible angle - that's what you get when you try to hold a hamster and babycorn in one hand and a phone in the other!
I wanted to ask if anyone has ideas for animal protein that I can feed Quigley as I know it's important for young hams. I've tried egg (which he wouldn't touch) and mealworms (ditto). I haven't tried him on any dairy as I know that some hamsters can have a bad reaction to it - though I am likely being overly anxious here. So, currently, his sole source of animal protein is dried chicken, which he loves as you can see:
You could try freeze dried meats that are just not chicken(as long as they're hamster safe),for example duck,turkey,quail,or pheasant(recently found out the last two were safe,although for a while I wasn't too sure as they are a bit more on the exotic side!).Freeze dried shrimp is also a good idea if you can find that.
Thanks Amity. I was sticking to chicken because I didn't know that those other things were safe. I asked if duck was ok on here once and there wasn't a consensus either way, so I didn't risk it.
Duck is safe,just don't feed it all the time due to the high fat content.Of course,if you're going to have a rotational protein assortment(for example chicken,duck,and turkey)you wouldn't ever be in a situation where you'd have to feed the same exact protein every day thus creating a more diverse diet and avoiding the fat problem(along with potential allergy development which could come if you use just one protein source for any animal).
It isn't the most well known information in the hamster community,but the benefits of switching up animal protein sources are very important.It can be a bit confusing,but it's not too hard to figure out
Its been wonderful catching up with Quigley. He seems to be very adventurous sitting on top of the bendy bridge attached the edge of the cage and climbing up the bars. Its a shame that Quigley doesn't enjoy green beans - Pumpkin really like her home grown green beans. But its good that he enjoys receiving pieces of his food as treats - Pumpkin isn't overly pleased with me when I do this!
Love his little fluffy skirt - it makes him even more handsome.
So sweet seeing Quigley enjoying his baby corn and dried chicken.
Funnily enough Newtie has now gone off egg - won't touch it. Brazil nuts are high in protein - I give half a brazil nut once a week as an extra in the cage - I put it on his kabob thing usually, so he always goes to look for the daily extra on the kabob. Brazil nuts are also high in something that gives immune benefits.
I sometimes used to buy packs of cooked fresh meat Beef slices or chicken pieces - and we'd have the rest in sandwiches. So then he'd get a piece of fresh meat every other day or so (out of the cage, don't like them pouching fresh meat). \if we have a roast chicken he gets a bit of that. It keeps cold in the fridge for up to a week.
I also used to get Rosewood shrimp cookies and maybe give one a week as a treat.
I have always given a tiny bit cheese once or twice a week, and our last Syrian Charlie lived to 2 years and 8 months with no ill effects from cheese. Either cheddar or Wensleydale usually. I think liquid milky things aren't good for them though.
Some people give tofu (soya based) but I think they get enough soya in hamster mixes already so stick to meat proteins or nuts or cheese myself.
Thanks Amity, do you think you could link me some of the freeze dried meats that you have used? Just want to be sure that the ones I pick are safe.
SKB my past hamsters wouldn't accept mix as a treat either. But, I think if they aren't used to being given all sorts of treats then they get more excited about their mix!
Serendipity Brazil nuts, huh? Pity I don't really like them! Can't see Quigley eating an entire pack before it goes off at half a nut per week maybe I will splurge and buy him some anyway. We don't eat much meat at home, so we rarely have fresh meat. It wouldn't be worth buying a pack of chicken just for Quigley! That's why I have been feeding him dried. I tried giving Mushu those Rosewood shrimp biscuits but he wouldn't touch them. Perhaps Quigley would like them more. Oh, by the way, did you see the details I posted a page or so back on my night vision camera? I think it may have slightly gotten buried by posts since then, but wanted to make sure you knew I had answered your question.
All you have to do is make sure that it's pure freeze dried meat of whatever source you choose,and that it isn't made in China or irradiated or containing any sort of nasty additives(you should know these by now,considering how many times you've probably seen me post the lists,but if in doubt I'm sure you can go back and find one of my more recent posts containing this information!).I'm not too sure on any specific products though,at least for those available in the UK.
They sell snack packs of Brazil nuts in our supermarket Small packs of various nuts etc for people's snacking and grazing. Or the standard sized packs (which aren't that big) on the bakery section usually. I keep them in an airtight little box and they last forever They are shelled (the shells would be too hard). I cut them in half with a knife. I started giving one or two halves a week after reading about their amazing properties and high protein levels. But there are other sources of protein.
They are apparently: anti-inflammatory, cancer fighting foods with anti-oxidants that fight free radicals, lift mood and depression, high in protein, a heart health booster maintaining blood pressure levels, high in healthy fats (not bad fats), and the selenium content helps manage the thyroid by protecting from the antibodies that cause thyroid disease.
It was this last bit in particular that I thought was good, to help prevent Cushings disease which is a disease of the thyroid. Another cause of it is a pituitary tumour increasing the hormones produced by the thyroid, but the anti-cancer bit helps there too.
So I was sold on Brazil nuts as helping to keep a ham healthy, prevent diseases and add extra protein Obviously you can have too much of anything, so I tend to just give it once a week really, but hams tend to only eat as much as they want anyway.
Freeze dried is superior to cooked meat,so "fresh" isn't better in every single case.Yes it would be better for veggies and such,but freeze dried meat is nutritionally superior to cooked meat,so you do need to keep that in mind!It can be very tricky to figure that bit out though,since in many cases it wouldn't seem this way
A good combination of freeze dried meats and certain healthy hamster safe nuts would be best.For example,every third day you could give some sort of hamster safe nut along with the freeze dried meat,but on most days only give freeze dried meat.
Re: Quigley
maybe I will splurge and buy him some anyway. We don't eat much meat at home, so we rarely have fresh meat. It wouldn't be worth buying a pack of chicken just for Quigley! That's why I have been feeding him dried. I tried giving Mushu those Rosewood shrimp biscuits but he wouldn't touch them. Perhaps Quigley would like them more. Oh, by the way, did you see the details I posted a page or so back on my night vision camera? I think it may have slightly gotten buried by posts since then, but wanted to make sure you knew I had answered your question.
Linear Mode
