Food mix: Versele-Laga Nature Hamster Food (good quality & will eat)

[hamsworth]

I can't remember where I bought Versele-Laga Nature Hamster Food. But it's at Petland and Petvalu.

Listed Prices
Petland: $19.97 for 700 grams (1.53 pounds) or $52.97 for 2.3 kg (5.07 pounds). (December 2024.)
Petvalu: $12.99 for 700 grams (1.53 pounds). (December 2024.)

My Syrian was very interested in this, although he ignored all the mealworms. Every Syrian I've had has ignored mealworms and other insects. I'd say this is one of the better food mixes I've found in stores.

Petland also sells a version for dwarf hamsters: Versele-Laga Nature Mini Hamster Food. I didn't know about it before. If I get another dwarf, I may see if they like this. This is also the first time I've seen dwarf hamsters referred to as "mini hamsters" and I think it's a cute name

Listed Prices
Petland: $16.97 for 400 grams or 0.88 pounds. (December 2024.)

Mix_Versele-Laga-Nature-Hamster_.png

Ingredients
Cereals (barley, corn, oats, wheat, maize, rice), derivatives of vegetable origin (soy fibre, pulp, spelt husks, potato flour, herbs, alfalfa), vegetables (green peas 12%, beans), seeds (striped sunflower seeds 6%, safflower seed, linseed), vegetable protein extracts (soya feed), fruit (apricot 1,5%, raisins 1%, carob, elderberry, cranberry), nuts (peanut kernels), insects (mealworms 4%), minerals, yeast, oils and fats (coconut oil), herbs, MOS-Mannan-oligosaccharides, FOS-Fructo-oligosaccharides, calendula, grape seed.

Nutritional additives
Vitamin A 11500 IU, vitamin D3 1400 IU, vitamin E 88 mg, 3b103 (iron) 109 mg, 3b202 (iodine) 2 mg, E4 (copper) 11 mg, 3b502 (manganese) 85 mg, 3b603 (zinc) 80 mg, E8 (selenium) 0.23 mg, 3b815 (selenium) 0.08 mg.

Technological Additives
Antioxidants

Guaranteed Analysis
Protein 18%
Fat content 9%
Crude fibre 8%
Crude ash 9.5%
Calcium 0.7%
Phosphorus 0.4%

Mix_Versele-Laga-Nature-Mini-Hamster_.png

Ingredients
Grains (oats 8%), seeds, derivatives of vegetable origin, vegetables (peas 10%, parsnip 2%, leek 1%), vegetable protein extracts [assuming "soya feed" as in the other food mix above], fruit (pineapple 2%, raisins 2%), insects (mealworms 4%), nuts [assuming "peanut kernels" as above], minerals, herbs, MOS-Mannan-oligosaccharides, FOS-Fructo-oligosaccharides, calendula, grape seed.

Nutritional additives
Vitamin A 12000 IU, vitamin D3 1500 IU, vitamin E 90 mg, 3b103 (iron) 110 mg, 3b202 (iodine) 2 mg, E4 (copper) 11 mg, 3b502 (manganese) 87 mg, 3b603 (zinc) 81 mg, E8 (selenium) 0.24 mg, 3b815 (selenium) 0.14 mg.

Technological Additives
Antioxidants

Guaranteed Analysis
Protein 16.5%,
Fat content 7.5%,
Crude fibre 7.0%,
Crude ash 5.0%,
Calcium 0.65%,
Phosphorus 0.35%



***
In alphabetical order, I'd say these have been the top food mixes I've found in major pet stores in Canada:
Higgins Sunburst Gourmet Blend Hamster & Gerbil Food. Petland.
Higgins Vita Garden Hamster & Gerbil Food. Petland.
Versele-Laga Nature Hamster Food. Petland and Petvalu.
Vitakraft Sunseed Vita Prima: Hamster & Gerbil Food. Petland.
Vitakraft Vita Smart Complete Nutrition Natural Forage Blend Hamster Food. Petsmart.

[ForgetfulBreeze]

Spoiler

I can't remember where I bought Versele-Laga Nature Hamster Food. But it's at Petland and Petvalu.

Listed Prices
Petland: $19.97 for 700 grams (1.53 pounds) or $52.97 for 2.3 kg (5.07 pounds). (December 2024.)
Petvalu: $12.99 for 700 grams (1.53 pounds). (December 2024.)

My Syrian was very interested in this, although he ignored all the mealworms. Every Syrian I've had has ignored mealworms and other insects. I'd say this is one of the better food mixes I've found in stores.

Petland also sells a version for dwarf hamsters: Versele-Laga Nature Mini Hamster Food. I didn't know about it before. If I get another dwarf, I may see if they like this. This is also the first time I've seen dwarf hamsters referred to as "mini hamsters" and I think it's a cute name

Listed Prices
Petland: $16.97 for 400 grams or 0.88 pounds. (December 2024.)


Mix_Versele-Laga-Nature-Hamster_.png
Ingredients
Cereals (barley, corn, oats, wheat, maize, rice), derivatives of vegetable origin (soy fibre, pulp, spelt husks, potato flour, herbs, alfalfa), vegetables (green peas 12%, beans), seeds (striped sunflower seeds 6%, safflower seed, linseed), vegetable protein extracts (soya feed), fruit (apricot 1,5%, raisins 1%, carob, elderb

erry, cranberry), nuts (peanut kernels), insects (mealworms 4%), minerals, yeast, oils and fats (coconut oil), herbs, MOS-Mannan-oligosaccharides, FOS-Fructo-oligosaccharides, calendula, grape seed.

Nutritional additives
Vitamin A 11500 IU, vitamin D3 1400 IU, vitamin E 88 mg, 3b103 (iron) 109 mg, 3b202 (iodine) 2 mg, E4 (copper) 11 mg, 3b502 (manganese) 85 mg, 3b603 (zinc) 80 mg, E8 (selenium) 0.23 mg, 3b815 (selenium) 0.08 mg.

Technological Additives
Antioxidants

Guaranteed Analysis
Protein 18%
Fat content 9%
Crude fibre 8%
Crude ash 9.5%
Calcium 0.7%
Phosphorus 0.4%


Mix_Versele-Laga-Nature-Mini-Hamster_.png
Ingredients
Grains (oats 8%), seeds, derivatives of vegetable origin, vegetables (peas 10%, parsnip 2%, leek 1%), vegetable protein extracts [assuming "soya feed" as in the other food mix above], fruit (pineapple 2%, raisins 2%), insects (mealworms 4%), nuts [assuming "peanut kernels" as above], minerals, herbs, MOS-Mannan-oligosaccharides, FOS-Fructo-oligosaccharides, calendula, grape seed.

Nutritional additives
Vitamin A 12000 IU, vitamin D3 1500 IU, vitamin E 90 mg, 3b103 (iron) 110 mg, 3b202 (iodine) 2 mg, E4 (copper) 11 mg, 3b502 (manganese) 87 mg, 3b603 (zinc) 81 mg, E8 (selenium) 0.24 mg, 3b815 (selenium) 0.14 mg.

Technological Additives
Antioxidants

Guaranteed Analysis
Protein 16.5%,
Fat content 7.5%,
Crude fibre 7.0%,
Crude ash 5.0%,
Calcium 0.65%,
Phosphorus 0.35%



***
In alphabetical order, I'd say these have been the top food mixes I've found in major pet stores:
Higgins Sunburst Gourmet Blend Hamster & Gerbil Food. Petland.
Versele-Laga Nature Hamster Food. Petland and Petvalu.
Vitakraft Sunseed Vita Prima: Hamster & Gerbil Food. (The 2 Vitakraft look very similar.) Petland.
Vitakraft Vita Smart Complete Nutrition Natural Forage Blend Hamster Food. (The 2 Vitakraft look very similar.) Petsmart.

I just want to let you know that leeks are toxic to hamsters.

I also am not a fan of this mix..."grains" and "seeds" are VERY vague and I personally hate that. And "vegetable origins" are very unnatural and i would avoid this. I would reccomend sticking to Higgins.

[hamsworth]

Really? Why would they do that? Yeah... leeks are not in the Syrian hamster mix but they are in the 'mini hamster' mix. I don't think Versela is terrible, but I was also going to buy more Higgins and Vitakraft when I got a new hamster. I like giving a variety.

For people reading this, leeks are listed on the forum in the unsafe food list. It might be worth searching for unsafe foods in all mixes. Higgins and Vitakraft, the other top mixes I've found, both have beans, which are listed as controversial or not recommended or only safe in moderation. They also list vegetable oil, which is vague. I'll try to go through every mix and compare what's in them. I don't think any store mix will not have some things that are not listed as unsafe or cautionary or are vague.