# Help With My Hamster



## CrystalDreamer59 (Mar 11, 2013)

I have a Robo dwarf hamster and I recently got a little pamphlet at the pet store on dwarf hamsters and I have some worries about my hamster. On the pamphlet it said that hamsters should have something to chew on to keep their teeth from over growing, I put some chew toys in my hamster's cage but she (I think my hamster's a female) won't chew on them. Also it said that a hamster's diet should consist mainly of pallets and not too much on seeds and that she can occasionally have some fruits and veggies as treats, but when I give my hamster her hamster food she'll eat everything except the pallets as if she doesn't like them for some reason. What should I do.


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## Wobbles (Jun 2, 2011)

Hi

Yes, hammies do need something to wear their teeth down. Their teeth grow constantly, and chewing things helps keep them the right length. In such a tiny fast hamster as a robo, it's really important, as their too small and fiddly for a vet to clip properly. Lots of wooden chews, willow sticks, cleaned small apple or pear branches are good, as are dog biscuits like Bonio, Shapes, Markies and Pedigree Milky Bones. Mine also get a Pedigree Dentastix too and one of those " Greenies" toothbrush shaped dog chews. Even if they don't chew the wood chews much, they eat the dog treats. You could also buy hides and houses of natural wood (not plywood), and not held together with staples), and she may well chew these too.

Robos are rather tricky to sex, but a good idea is to put her in a glass jar, so when she leans up you can see underneath her easier. Then see which of the ones on this page she matches:

Roborovski Hamsters - Sexing

If you mean she won't eat those things that look like guinea pig pellets, don't worry, nearly no hamster does! Their actually alfalfa pellets and there purely to add filler to the food. I have never yet met a hamster who eats them. As she is so tiny, a good food would be Burgess Superhamster Dwarf Harvest. This has lots of tiny grains and seeds in it and dried mealworms which dwarves love usually, which is far easier and more enjoyable for dwarf hamsters. Harry Hamster is another excellent food if she likes bigger pieces. Out of the Pets At Home foods the Premium one is the best, none of my hammies would eat the standard one, which isn't a very good mix anyway. Mine also enjoy Naturals herb mix, Trill budgie seed, Cockatiel mix, a mix of different seeds and grains off Rat Rations, bird millet sprays, fresh fruit and veg (go easy on lettuce), porridge oats, shredded wheat and a bit of wheetabix added as a treat.

That pamphlet is wrong, and I'd chuck it to be honest. Its the wrong way around - a hamster should eat mainly seeds not pellets. Especially as most won't touch them!

Good luck with your hammy


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## Louiseandfriends (Aug 21, 2011)

As long as her teeth don't get too long, I don't think it matters too much about chewing blocks.  Hard food, nuts and pellets should hopefully do. Branches could be good too, but make sure that they're safe. Yes, Hattie eats Burgess too.  xx


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## CrystalDreamer59 (Mar 11, 2013)

I'll check on her teeth to make sure they don't get too big and find some hard treats at the pet store that she can occasionally chew on to keep her teeth from over growing. She currently has a wooden chew stick in her cage but I see no chew marks on it. She might like a hard treat more. I was wondering if that pamphlet was wrong about hamsters needing to eat mostly pallets because that I knew of hamsters prefer to eat seeds so I thought that was what they should eat mostly.


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