Branches?

[UltimateRincewind]

CAn you put branches from outside into your hamsters cage?

[Yinx]

Hi,

I'm not sure if branches are a good idea - u never know if it's been sprayed with insecticide.

Perhaps u can substitute branches with toilet rolls, tissue paper or clean ice-cream sticks for ur hamsters to chew on.

[Moa]

Hi,
U can use branches from outside for ur hamster to chew on.
As already mentioned u should be sure the branches were not sprayed with pestizides or any other chemicals and the tree isn't beside a road because of the exhaust fumes.

U can use branches from all fruit trees, hazelnut bushes, chestnut trees, willow trees, elder bushes and oak trees.
Conifers are poisonous to hamsters so don't use those!

Wash the branch with hot water and dry it before u give it to ur hamster.
Ciao
Moa

[miachan]

... but please, no oak leaves!!

[This message has been edited by miachan (edited 02-19-2001).]

[Moa]

Hi Miachan,

Why not oak tree leaves?
I live in Austria and here oak trees, leaves and acorns are said to be safe for hamsters.
Perhaps oak trees are different in ur country?

Ciao
Moa

[miachan]

Hi Moa,

I do not know the exact reason y oak leaves should be avoided, but it is a common knowledge that leaves such as those of tomatoes, laurel and oak should not b given to hamsters. All these information can b easily obtained from the net, and also from books on hamsters for eg.

A Step-By-Step Book About Hamsters by Anmarie Barrie

The Really Useful Hamster Guide by Lorraine Hill

and many more

erm... mayb someone else knows the reason? I'm afraid I don't... Sorry Moa.

Mia

[Moa]

Hi again,

Well this is really strange as in my German Hamster books and German information on the web it is always said that oak trees with leaves and acorns are safe for hamsters.
E.g. " GU Hamster richtig pflegen und verstehen" by Otto von Frisch. This is probably the most popular book about hamsters in German.

I especially asked in a very good German forum with lots of knowledgeable ppl in it about it and there I have been told again that oak tree branches with leaves and acorns are fine.

For me it seems like the oaks u are talking about are different to the oaks I am talking about.
Like pine, the american pine can be quite different to the european pine. We even have more words for the different kinds of pines.

Ciao
Moa

[miachan]

mmm... British oaks different from German oaks?

[Moa]

Could be

[miachan]

... ey?.. mmm.. yeah could b... but the acorns and the branches are OK for the hamsters... it's the oak leaves that are said to b avoided...

..Oh well, beats me!!!??? **shrug**