Syrian hamster questions

[annageckos]

Romaine is ok, but really doesn't have much nutrition. You will be better off giving dark leafy greens and even some squash. I am not sure if you will find the harlan food in a pet shop, but most do carry some type of rodent block. You may have better luck at a feed store. Mazuri is usually easy to find at most feed stores, even if they have to order it for you.

 

[silkiechicken]

Yeah... you might have to have a contact to get Harlan's feeds. Mazuri is what our feed store carries.

 

[EweSheep]

Can you tell me why Mazuri is better than those grain/seed bags (Kaytee, All Living, etc)?

We are getting a couple of hamsters (same sex, no breeding).

 

[silkiechicken]

The Mazuri or Harlan are diet balanced pellets. They have to eat the pellet in bites and thus don't have the choice to only eat the peanuts and sunflower seeds, leaving behind the oats and millet etc. I don't know if it's "better" per se, but it does keep them on a consistent diet and they can't pick and choose. Having a 100% consistent feed does make a difference in experiments where diet can affect outcomes. As a pet, well, your choice in feeding pellets vs a seed based diet.

 

[riddleluvsrotties]

I've never heard of latose production being low in young mothers either, if I were in your shoes, I'd watch the babies closely. I've bred pretty much every rodent out there, and my Degus had some problems with litters. I would just keep an eye on the size of each pup, and if one or two seemed too small, I would sneak the bigger pups out for twenty minutes so the little ones had less competition for teats, as the stronger pups would just shove them out of the way. Keep us updated on them. And, like everyone else already said; give mom the best diet you can. Good luck.