feeding dog biscuits to dwarfs?

[Philosopher]

Hi hamster lovers,

I read that you can feed dog biscuits to hamsters because they like chewing on something hard. One of my guys was chewing his cage bars so I'm concerned and want to give him something that won't break his teeth!

I got a dog treat with the name "Greenies" because they said they use no artificial colors, etc. I thought it would be good for them. I broke it in half and gave a piece to each hamster. They are in separate cages now due to fighting! :(

Are these ok to feed hamsters? We are worried about two things: they have glycerin as an ingredient, which is sugar, according to the dictionary, and I know you shouldn't feed too many sweet things. they also say that they guarantee "no more than 4% ash" is in them. If there is ash is that going to hurt my little guys?

I took the biscuits out for now until I get some advice! They really like them though, so I hope I can put them back in. They are both male Chinese dwarf hamsters and lived together until recently they started fighting and one of them got bitten. :( separate cages now.

Thanks,
Philosopher

[Jiffykat]

I personally use milk bone treats for my hammies. It is so cute to see them wandering around their cages with dog bone treats in their mouthes. (I have a dwarf and a syrian, they both love them.) I have never used greenies so I can't give you much advice there sorry.

[dwarf luver]

They should be OK. Or you could give them dog food because it is pretty hard too. Or try chew sticks altho my hamsters refuse to even touch them they like the dog food or the bars on the cage better. LOL

[Zouave]

I use Puppy size MB's for Syrians, and break them into three pieces for dwarfs. No problems.

[Fluff N Roll]

I use Puppy size MB's for Syrians, and break them into three pieces for dwarfs. No problems.

Al i hear is milk Bone, Milk Bone. Is that suppose to be the healthy one for them? I also heard they should be the original flavor. Is this true? ;)

[RangerRiff]

i have been giving my hamsters non original flavered ones for a whiles becase this website said to and nothing bad has ever happened because if it.

[Jiffykat]

I have the five flavor pack and they love them all.

[Philosopher]

Hey, thanks for all the input. Let me ask this - if anyone has Milkbones handy, does the package say "maximum 4% ash" like my Greenie package does? and do MB have sugar or glycerin?

I actually chose Greenies partly because you could buy them in singles. I have only 2 dwarf hamsters, and no dog, so it would take them a while to chew through an entire package of dog biscuits. :D

[Jiffykat]

I have had my box for a while. I have 15 gerbies though, so I thought they would like them too, but they don't. At first I thought they were eating them, turns out they were just burying them (surprise, surprise) and I found them whole, completely undamaged under bedding when I cleaned their tanks. But my dwarf and my syrian both love them.