Homemade hamster diet - need input.

@Daisy I’m wondering if replacing safflower seed with milk thistle seed would work? Safflower seed is really hard to find.
 
The closest replacement would be sunflower seeds as these are practically identical to safflower seeds.

But milk thistle seeds are a good option too.
 
I do already have sunflower seeds. So probably balanced it out? Thank you! I will be using milk thistle seed instead.
 
@Daisy I’m pretty close to getting all the ingredients, but canary seed (the grass seed) is really hard to find in my area. What substitute would you recommend that’s in that category?
 
@Daisy I’m pretty close to getting all the ingredients, but canary seed (the grass seed) is really hard to find in my area. What substitute would you recommend that’s in that category?
You've got a good variety of grains already so I think you could just increase the quantity of any of the grains you already have. Alternatively, you could add some kind of flaked and puffed grain (e.g cornflakes, puffed millet). Hamsters love flaked and puffed grains as they're easy to eat so they're nice to add in small quantities for enrichment value.
 
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You've got a good variety of grains already so I think you could just increase the quantity of any of the grains you already have. Alternatively, you could add some kind of flaked and puffed grain (e.g cornflakes, puffed millet). Hamsters love flaked and puffed grains as they're easy to eat so they're nice to add in small quantities for enrichment value.
Are the flaked grains a grass seed?
 
Hi guys, back again with most of everything, except 8 ingredients that I really need. Is there anywhere that you think has this in stock? Or usually does? For sorghum, (I’m not in the south) it’s almost impossible to find in store. If you don’t know a place, any possible substitute..? So I need:

GRAINS:
  • Rye
  • Spelt
PROTEIN:
  • Black fly larvae
HERBS/FLOWERS:
  • Marigold/Calendula flower
  • Blackberry leaves
  • Chamomile flower/ buds
  • Nettles leaves (that aren’t super small)
OTHER:
  • Sorghum
This is a picture of what I have already gotten/what I need again. (For reference) It equals to 2000 grams, and the numbers are the amount of grams needed.
IMG_2403.pngIMG_2402.png
 
Baldwins Herbalists sells most of the dried flowers and leaves :-)





Doves Farm Organic sells Rye grain - it might be cheaper elsewhere.


You can get organic spelt grain on Amazon


This place sells sorghum grain


Quite a few places sell black soldier fly larvae - swell reptiles (below) and also on Amazon

 
This is one reason I didn't get round to making my own mix :-) The cost of all the ingredients and the time to find them all.
 
Have you looked online? Black soldier fly larvae can often be found in the garden/outdoor bird section of stores (at least in the UK).

In terms of the herbs and flowers, long term you could consider growing some yourself if they're hard to find. Marigolds and chamomile grow very easily in a pot. Blackberries will take up a little more space but still very easy to grow. You can freeze them to feed throughout winter.
 
I haven’t had much luck with the bsfl, but I’ve been looking in the pet stores near me. It’s pretty difficult to find the ingredients considering I’m in the US! I keep on finding that vacuum packed.. but I’ve been trying to find some freeze dried.
 
Baldwins Herbalists sells most of the dried flowers and leaves :-)





Doves Farm Organic sells Rye grain - it might be cheaper elsewhere.


You can get organic spelt grain on Amazon


This place sells sorghum grain


Quite a few places sell black soldier fly larvae - swell reptiles (below) and also on Amazon

These have been very helpful, thank you!
 
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Oh sorry - those were all Uk links :rolleyes: Maybe there's a herbalist store in the US that sells them all?
 
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