Homemade hamster diet - need input.

[Angel’s Teddybear]

@Daisy I’m wondering if replacing safflower seed with milk thistle seed would work? Safflower seed is really hard to find.

 

[Daisy]

The closest replacement would be sunflower seeds as these are practically identical to safflower seeds.

But milk thistle seeds are a good option too.

 

[Angel’s Teddybear]

I do already have sunflower seeds. So probably balanced it out? Thank you! I will be using milk thistle seed instead.

 

[Angel’s Teddybear]

@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]

@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.

 

[Angel’s Teddybear]

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?

 

[Daisy]

Are the flaked grains a grass seed?

No, they count as a grain but not a grass seed.

Syrians don't need grass seeds as they're generally too small for them to eat.

 

[Angel’s Teddybear]

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.

 

[Maz]

Baldwins Herbalists sells most of the dried flowers and leaves

Baldwins Marigold Herb (flowers) ( Calendula Officinalis )

Purchase your Baldwins Marigold Herb (flowers) ( Calendula Officinalis ) from G Baldwin & Co one of the leading herbalists in London, supplying an extensive range of natural remedies.

www.baldwins.co.uk

Baldwins Nettle Herb ( Urtica dioica )

100% Pure Nettle Leaf

www.baldwins.co.uk

Baldwins Blackberry Leaves ( Rubus Villosus )

Buy your Baldwins Blackberry Leaves ( Rubus Villosus ) from G Baldwin & Co one of the leading herbalists in London, supplying an extensive range of natural remedies.

www.baldwins.co.uk

Baldwins Chamomile Herb (german) ( Matricaria Recutita )

Purchase your Baldwins Chamomile Herb (german) ( Matricaria Recutita ) from G Baldwin & Co one of the leading herbalists in London, supplying an extensive range of natural remedies.

www.baldwins.co.uk

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

Organic Rye Grain | 25kg Sack Size

Organic Rye Grain 25kg

www.dovesfarm.co.uk

You can get organic spelt grain on Amazon

Organic Spelt Grain 1kg (BWFO) : Amazon.co.uk: Grocery

Free delivery and returns on all eligible orders. Shop Organic Spelt Grain 1kg (BWFO).

www.amazon.co.uk

This place sells sorghum grain

https://uk.iherb.com/pr/bob-s-red-mill-whole-grain-sorghum-gluten-free-1-lb-8-oz-680-g/126957?srsltid=AfmBOorbyiacCSrvCEOFa-5Qtq-VwrNKWMSbCETqEXGrs6W4FU5R7mviwAs

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

Reptile food range | Swell Reptiles

Reptile food range, including food from Arcadia, Exo Terra and Komodo. Lowest prices guaranteed, free delivery and next-day delivery available. Shop and save now!

www.reptiles.swelluk.com

 

[Maz]

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.

 

[Daisy]

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.

 

[Angel’s Teddybear]

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.

 

[Angel’s Teddybear]

Baldwins Herbalists sells most of the dried flowers and leaves

Baldwins Marigold Herb (flowers) ( Calendula Officinalis )

Purchase your Baldwins Marigold Herb (flowers) ( Calendula Officinalis ) from G Baldwin & Co one of the leading herbalists in London, supplying an extensive range of natural remedies.

www.baldwins.co.uk

Baldwins Nettle Herb ( Urtica dioica )

100% Pure Nettle Leaf

www.baldwins.co.uk

Baldwins Blackberry Leaves ( Rubus Villosus )

Buy your Baldwins Blackberry Leaves ( Rubus Villosus ) from G Baldwin & Co one of the leading herbalists in London, supplying an extensive range of natural remedies.

www.baldwins.co.uk

Baldwins Chamomile Herb (german) ( Matricaria Recutita )

Purchase your Baldwins Chamomile Herb (german) ( Matricaria Recutita ) from G Baldwin & Co one of the leading herbalists in London, supplying an extensive range of natural remedies.

www.baldwins.co.uk

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

Organic Rye Grain | 25kg Sack Size

Organic Rye Grain 25kg

www.dovesfarm.co.uk

You can get organic spelt grain on Amazon

Organic Spelt Grain 1kg (BWFO) : Amazon.co.uk: Grocery

Free delivery and returns on all eligible orders. Shop Organic Spelt Grain 1kg (BWFO).

www.amazon.co.uk

This place sells sorghum grain

https://uk.iherb.com/pr/bob-s-red-mill-whole-grain-sorghum-gluten-free-1-lb-8-oz-680-g/126957?srsltid=AfmBOorbyiacCSrvCEOFa-5Qtq-VwrNKWMSbCETqEXGrs6W4FU5R7mviwAs

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

Reptile food range | Swell Reptiles

Reptile food range, including food from Arcadia, Exo Terra and Komodo. Lowest prices guaranteed, free delivery and next-day delivery available. Shop and save now!

www.reptiles.swelluk.com

These have been very helpful, thank you!

 

[Maz]

Oh sorry - those were all Uk links Maybe there's a herbalist store in the US that sells them all?

 

[Angel’s Teddybear]

No worries, I might even be using the Baldwin herbs as they are cheaper there with shipping than on Amazon.

 

[Angel’s Teddybear]

@Daisy @Maz Update:

I got all ingredients but 1, and so far she hasn’t liked a few of them. I need suggestions for a picky hamster.

She doesn’t like:
Blackberry leaves
Chamomile flowers (but liked the buds?)
Black soldier fly larva

The last one is a HUGE problem since that was her main source of calcium and animal protein in the mix. I’ll take a screenshot of the notes once more to show what I already have.

 

[Maz]

I'm not an expert on home made diets like Daisy, but couldn't you use freeze dried chicken instead of insects? Not all hamsters will eat insects. Not all of them even like mealworms! Although most do.

Also I can see you have both green lentils and "split peas" on there - I think split peas are also lentils and I'm just wondering if it's too reliant on lentils. If they're there for protein, I personally, wouldn't use them and would find alternative protein. As well as freeze dried chicken there are freeze dried shrimps.

But I'll see what @Daisy thinks.

 

[Angel’s Teddybear]

Ok! Thanks for letting me know.

 

[Angel’s Teddybear]

I just googled if split peas were lentils, and it says they are cultivated in different ways. I’m thinking instead of bsfl, I could do shrimp or chicken, and instead of chamomile, I could possibly do hibiscus flower?

 

[Angel’s Teddybear]

I could always take out the lentils and add those grams to a different grain.