Here's Spud's recipe- I wasn't particularly bothered about any nutritional imbalances, as she was a very old lady when I started giving it to her. All the ingredients were organic (apart from the forage and mealworms, they were from Pets at Home).
Disclaimer: obviously do your research before using/adapting this recipe. Every hamster has different needs. I created this recipe with an elderly Syrian hamster in mind. As the hamster community learns more about hamster diets, this recipe will become outdated or potentially even harmful, so please check this against current recommended guidelines.
550g of seedmix:
Forage: 25g
Protein: 25g
- Mealworms (40%) 10g
- Nuts (16%) 4g (randomly given as treats, not in seedmix)
- Chicken (32%) 8g (unseasoned organic roast chicken, given separately from the seedmix)
- Cheese (12%) 3g (Given as a treat separately from the seedmix. I know cheese is discouraged, but Spud loved it to bits, and who am I to deny an old lady her favourite treat?)
- Wheat (20%) 70g
- Barley (20%) 70g
- Oats (20%) 70g
- Rice (20%) 70g
- Amaranth (6.67%) 23g
- Lentils (6.67%) 23g
- Pasta (6.67%) 23g
- Pumpkin seeds (13.5%) 20g
- Sunflower seeds (13.5%) 20g
- Linseeds (8%) 12g
- Sesame seeds (5.5%) 8g
- Walnuts (6%) 8g
- Cashew nuts (7.5%) 11g
- Pistachio nuts (2.5%) 3.5g
- Brazil nuts (5%) 7g
- Macadamia nuts (2.5%) 3.5g
- Hemp seeds (9%) 14g
- Hazelnuts (9%) 14g
- Peanuts (9%) 14g
- Raisins (9%) 14g
And lots of fresh veggies and fruit alongside treats/sprays/forage etc. Ideally include live protein sources too, but I appreciate this isn't doable for everyone.
I'm not looking for feedback or even constructive criticism on this recipe, as I'd construct a different one/buy a commercial seedmix for future hamsters. This was a short-term thing (3 months) as Spud was nearing the end of her life and I didn't want to place another order with Rodipet if she was only going to be around a little bit longer.
