Pellets with corn

[BarkingPup]

I have two dwarf hammies and was forced to buy a brand of hamster food with cracked corn and shelled sunflower seeds. I have been picking out the corn for hours lately but am assured my hammies will never get addicted or overly fat becuase of me. However, I recently saw some pellets and was absolutely overjoyed...until I saw that inside the pellets was corn. I don't know about the sunflower seeds becuase i didn't read that far but should I continue to pick out the bad stuff or would the pellets be better?

It may be a while before I am able to reply, so bear with me...

[dwankrista]

dwarf hamsters cannot have corn. it is not due to them getting fat but due to their high risk of diabetes. i would steer clear of the pellets with corn. have you tried to find a good lab block? it's a better choiec than seed mixes as they will get a complete diet and not be able to pick out the fatty, unhealthy pieces.

[BarkingPup]

Unfortunatley, I have not found any lab blocks as of yet. But I will keep trying and picking out bad stuff!

[TiaMaria]

Dwarf hams can have corn, just not sweet corn, I've fed my reg corn from the start and they have all lived long lives with no diabetes.

[BarkingPup]

I havn't heard of that...I'll check that out. All the bag says is cracked corn...

[bubblz]

Diabetes is high among dwarfs yet it appears to be most often genetic. If you got your dwarfs from a pet store I'd be leary, the chances of diabeties is much higer. If you got them from a reputable breeder I'd call them and see if there has been any genetic history in any of theri lines having diabeties. If the breeder says yes then you need to worry (also that breeder is not as reputable as thought because if you have lines with diabeties you stop breeding that line)

[BarkingPup]

Yeah, they were from a pet store. I'm being as cautious as possible.

I would have got them from a breeder if all of them weren't in Vancouver and Victoria and, therefore too far away.

[Moosley]

You can buy a urine test strips from any pharmacy/chemist etc called KetoDiastix or two seperate types called Ketostix and Diastix. These test for the ketones and glucose that are present in a hamster with diabetes...

I would advise feeding a mix such as Hazel hamster (harry hamster in the UK) and then testing for diabetes every 2 weeks or so.

That way, it's easier to feed your hamsters and you know immediately if they *do* have diabetes or start to develop it.

[bubblz]

dwarf diabeties is similar to type I diabeties in humans. Unlike typet two wich can in some cases be aquired from through obesiety

[TiaMaria]

Barking Pup where in BC are you located. I myself have been breeding in Calgary before and everytime I'd go to BC if a person wanted a ham form me I'd drop it off. I'm just curious..

[BarkingPup]

I live in Prince George which is about in the middle of BC.

I'll check out that test. I still don't know how to treat a diabetes hammies diet....Anyone have any tips or rules?

[bubblz]

I wouldn't worry about it until you figure out if you're lil guy has it....

[BarkingPup]

That's true.

[bubblz]

So basically get your butt to the drug store to get some test strips they'd be in the diabetes testing area (near the glucose monitors).
And don't give him and suggar stuff or corn as a precaution until you know what's up.

[BarkingPup]

I havn't been giving them any of their yogurt drops and all of the corn has been picked from their food so I hope I'm fine until I can get home and buy some strips. How do you test hamster urine?

[bubblz]

it's like litmus paper you just have to get them wet with urine

[BarkingPup]

First I have to find where they pee...or I could let them run in their pen for a while until one pees then take a sample and let the other run till she pees...etc.

[TiaMaria]

my hamsters have been odd lately..they just pee on me :S yummay! lmao

[BarkingPup]

I am proud to announce they have not done that to me yet and I'm careful to let them out AFTER they poo....

*looks around* Knock on wood.

[dwankrista]

i've been lucky to not have been peed on my any of my hams (well, not counting dale, the syrian i had when i was in 3rd grade). cash is extra good with the peeing and pooping inside the cage bit (and only pees in his litter box) but the dwarves have been known to poop a little when they're out exploring. i just pin it down to excitement. peeing isn't a problem, luckily.

[TiaMaria]

lol yea, lucky for you..mine just get so excited they pee n poo :| I hate the smell of hamster pee, it's so musky!

[BarkingPup]

...I've never smelled mine to tell the truth but if it smells as bad as cat pee....

I still have to find where in the world the corner is for the toilet. So far they havn't shown much consistency with ANYTHING (building five nests in one cage) except their personalities.