Post by Katt on Sept 13, 2011 22:01:47 GMT -9
After a lot of careful research, this is the diet I have come up with. For a complete food list see below.
All Organic Ingredients (Believe it or not, Organic bulk was cheaper than Inorganic - no bulk, the only exceptions being split peas and pearled barley)
Wild Bird Seed Mix (Milo, Milet, Sunflower Seeds)
Barley
Split Green Peas These were removed after finding data indicating that ANY raw legumes can be potentially toxic to rodents.
Brown Whole Grain Rice
Pumpkin Seeds
Cracked Wheat
Rolled Oats (oatmeal: Non-Instant)
Lentils These were removed after finding data indicating that ANY raw legumes can be potentially toxic to rodents.
Wheat Bran
Soy Flour (for additional protein)
Supplement with fresh vegetables, cooked meats and egg (hardboiled or scrambled), plain yogurt, and for Syrians fresh and dried fruit. (Avoid fruit for dwarf hamsters as they are prone to diabetes and the sugar can exacerbate this).
The above recipe cost me just under $16 to make enough to almost fill a 16Q (15 L) rubbermaid tub. Compared to $6-8 (depending on the store) for one bag of Carefresh Complete. It is well balanced, free of unnatural chemicals, free of preservatives, provides a stimulating variety of seeds and grains. My hamsters love it!
The Food:
Comparison
Mom and babies loving their new food!
OTHER FOODS THAT CAN BE FED:
Foods Safe for Syrians and Dwarfs:
Veggies:
Asparagus
Basil
Bean Sprouts
Bok Choy
Broccoli
Brussel Sprouts
Cabbage (in small amounts)
Cauliflower
Celery
Chard
Chickweed
Chicory
Clover
Cucumbers
Dandelion flowers and leaves
Endive
Green Beans
Green, Orange, Yellow, Red Bell Peppers
Kale
Parsnips
Potatoes (cooked only)
Raddichio
Romain Lettuce
Spinach
Swiss Chard
Turnip
Water Chestnuts
Water Cress
Zucchini
Meat/Protein Foods:
Cooked, unseasoned ground beef (lean preferred)
Baked/Steamed, unseasoned turkey or chicken
Low fat cottage cheese
Grasshoppers (pet shop only!)
Mealworms (Pet shop only!)
Crickets (pet shop only!)
Worms/Nightcrawlers (Pet Shop Only!)
Eggs (boiled/scrambled, plain!)
Plain Tofu
Plain Yogurt (no sugar added)
Dog Biscuits (make sure there’s no garlic or onion in the ingredients!)
Other foods:
Acorns
Alfalfa
Baby food (no onions, no garlic, low sugar, and containing NO preservatives)
Buckwheat
Bran or Wheat germ
Brown rice (cooked, plain)
Cereals (low/no sugar)
Cheese (mild, lower fat, small quantities)
Dry toast (whole wheat)
Flax seeds
Lentils
Nuts (except almonds)
Oatmeal (plain, dry, or soaked in skim/soy/lowfat milk)
Pasta (cooked, plain, wheat, or spinach)
Popcorn (plain, unsalted)
Pumpkin seeds
Sesame seeds
Soybeans (roasted, salt-free)
Squash seeds
Sunflower seeds
Additional Foods which should only be fed to Syrans (“Teddy Bear”):
Fruits:
Apple (seedless)
Banana
Blackberries
Blueberries
Cantaloupe
Cherry
Grape (seedless)
Honey Dew Melon
Lychee
Mango
Papaya
Peaches (remove pit)
Pear
Plums (remove pit)
Raspberries
Star Fruit
Strawberries
Veggies:
Carrots
Corn
Peas
Squash
Sweet Potatoes
Foods that should NEVER be fed:
Buttercups (flower)
Chocolate (toxic)
Onion (possibly toxic in some animals)
Garlic (possibly toxic in some animals)
Sandwich meats (contain too much salt, high nitrates)
Apple Seeds
Canned foods and other processed foods
Candy/Junk foods
Pork
Potatoes (raw)
Kidney Beans
Eggplant
Fool’s Parsley
Grape Seeds
Avocado
Raw Rhubarb
Tomato leaves
Citrus fruits (including orange, tangerine, lemon, lime, grapefruit, etc)
Fruit pits/most fruit seeds
Jams/Jellies
Salt
Spices/Seasonings
Leeks
Scallions
Chives
Pickles
Almonds (esp bitter almonds as they contain cyanide)
All Organic Ingredients (Believe it or not, Organic bulk was cheaper than Inorganic - no bulk, the only exceptions being split peas and pearled barley)
Wild Bird Seed Mix (Milo, Milet, Sunflower Seeds)
Barley
Split Green Peas These were removed after finding data indicating that ANY raw legumes can be potentially toxic to rodents.
Brown Whole Grain Rice
Pumpkin Seeds
Cracked Wheat
Rolled Oats (oatmeal: Non-Instant)
Lentils These were removed after finding data indicating that ANY raw legumes can be potentially toxic to rodents.
Wheat Bran
Soy Flour (for additional protein)
Supplement with fresh vegetables, cooked meats and egg (hardboiled or scrambled), plain yogurt, and for Syrians fresh and dried fruit. (Avoid fruit for dwarf hamsters as they are prone to diabetes and the sugar can exacerbate this).
The above recipe cost me just under $16 to make enough to almost fill a 16Q (15 L) rubbermaid tub. Compared to $6-8 (depending on the store) for one bag of Carefresh Complete. It is well balanced, free of unnatural chemicals, free of preservatives, provides a stimulating variety of seeds and grains. My hamsters love it!
The Food:
Comparison
Mom and babies loving their new food!
OTHER FOODS THAT CAN BE FED:
Foods Safe for Syrians and Dwarfs:
Veggies:
Asparagus
Basil
Bean Sprouts
Bok Choy
Broccoli
Brussel Sprouts
Cabbage (in small amounts)
Cauliflower
Celery
Chard
Chickweed
Chicory
Clover
Cucumbers
Dandelion flowers and leaves
Endive
Green Beans
Green, Orange, Yellow, Red Bell Peppers
Kale
Parsnips
Potatoes (cooked only)
Raddichio
Romain Lettuce
Spinach
Swiss Chard
Turnip
Water Chestnuts
Water Cress
Zucchini
Meat/Protein Foods:
Cooked, unseasoned ground beef (lean preferred)
Baked/Steamed, unseasoned turkey or chicken
Low fat cottage cheese
Grasshoppers (pet shop only!)
Mealworms (Pet shop only!)
Crickets (pet shop only!)
Worms/Nightcrawlers (Pet Shop Only!)
Eggs (boiled/scrambled, plain!)
Plain Tofu
Plain Yogurt (no sugar added)
Dog Biscuits (make sure there’s no garlic or onion in the ingredients!)
Other foods:
Acorns
Alfalfa
Baby food (no onions, no garlic, low sugar, and containing NO preservatives)
Buckwheat
Bran or Wheat germ
Brown rice (cooked, plain)
Cereals (low/no sugar)
Cheese (mild, lower fat, small quantities)
Dry toast (whole wheat)
Flax seeds
Lentils
Nuts (except almonds)
Oatmeal (plain, dry, or soaked in skim/soy/lowfat milk)
Pasta (cooked, plain, wheat, or spinach)
Popcorn (plain, unsalted)
Pumpkin seeds
Sesame seeds
Soybeans (roasted, salt-free)
Squash seeds
Sunflower seeds
Additional Foods which should only be fed to Syrans (“Teddy Bear”):
Fruits:
Apple (seedless)
Banana
Blackberries
Blueberries
Cantaloupe
Cherry
Grape (seedless)
Honey Dew Melon
Lychee
Mango
Papaya
Peaches (remove pit)
Pear
Plums (remove pit)
Raspberries
Star Fruit
Strawberries
Veggies:
Carrots
Corn
Peas
Squash
Sweet Potatoes
Foods that should NEVER be fed:
Buttercups (flower)
Chocolate (toxic)
Onion (possibly toxic in some animals)
Garlic (possibly toxic in some animals)
Sandwich meats (contain too much salt, high nitrates)
Apple Seeds
Canned foods and other processed foods
Candy/Junk foods
Pork
Potatoes (raw)
Kidney Beans
Eggplant
Fool’s Parsley
Grape Seeds
Avocado
Raw Rhubarb
Tomato leaves
Citrus fruits (including orange, tangerine, lemon, lime, grapefruit, etc)
Fruit pits/most fruit seeds
Jams/Jellies
Salt
Spices/Seasonings
Leeks
Scallions
Chives
Pickles
Almonds (esp bitter almonds as they contain cyanide)