Bad stool

[AngelTheHam]

Angel has had a history of bad poops. I took her to the vet where they said that everything was on the normal range. Her stool is mushy, stinky, and wet, as well as there being hair sticking out sometimes. Now it is still that way, wet to the point that it will stick to things and mold within a few days.
I just got some digestive aids recommended by the vet, so I’ll be giving it to her starting tonight. Any other suggestions?
This started when I gave her too many veggies. I have cut out most fruits and veggies since to make sure. I also don’t give her nuts too often. I do give her my home made food mix. Here is the recipe in case anyone wants to look into that: (numbers are grams. They equal to 2000 grams.)

- Nettle leaves 40
- Marigold flowers 25
- Mealworms 30
- Millet 34
- sorghum 76
- Oats/groats 175
- Barley 175
- Dried corn 153
- Brown rice 180
- Buckwheat 175
- Spelt 178
- Green lentils 13
- Sunflower seeds 51
- Pumpkin seeds 51
- Cumin seed 51
- Sesame seed 38
- Rye 180
- Wheat 180
- Split peas 57
- Milk thistle seed 51 g
- Flax seed 51
- Shelled hemp 51
I also added a mineral block just to make sure she gets enough calcium.

She has a water bottle and water dish. She has a large sand bath that she regularly baths in and pees in.

She is also a big pacer and jumps and climbs all the time. Recently she has been getting a bit more aggressive. Any suggestions? I’m also working on getting a large playpen now so she can get out more. I’m not sure what else to do. This dang lovely hamster gives me so much anxiety lol.

[ForgetfulBreeze]

Question: What is the GA of the mix? Protein, fat and fiber? If fiber is too low, then diarrhea is definitely a possibility because there is not enough fiber to keeps the stool together.

I love the idea of a homemade mix, however it seems to me that there is a high amount of nettle leaves and herbs? Herbs should only contribute to a maximum of 3 percent, and right now it is at 3.25%. Not hugely out of range, but there is little variety in the herbs, being ONLY nettle leaves and marigold.

In people, excess nettle leaves can:
"Occasional side effects include mild stomach upset, fluid retention, sweating, diarrhea, and hives or rash (mainly from topical use)."
- (https://www.mountsinai.org/health-libra ... en%20wound.)

There also is little variety in this mix. 22 items are okay, but 30 to 35+ unique items are reccomended for a complete mix. Corn is also not reccomended to put in a mix, as it is a huge problem in store-bought mixes as a filler. Corn has almost no nutritional value.

I would refrain from this mix for a moment to get her diarrhea under control. Diarrhea can harm or possibly kill an animal!

Question: Do you have a balanced block/pellet mix? I would reccomend Science Selective Hamster or Mazuri Rat&Mouse. Science selective has a better levels of protein, but mazuri is okay too for a short amount of time. Going on a block mix may help get her diarrhea under control, and we can rule out if the homemade mix is the issue!

I wish you the best of luck, please keep me updated and ask any further questions!

[AngelTheHam]

Thank you for the feedback!! I will definitely adjust the food mix for next time she makes it. I’m not sure what GA stands for, but I do know there is a good amount of fiber in the mix.
Her stool isn’t necessarily diarrhea, it’s just softer and not her usual.
I used to give her mazuri rat and mouse and Higgins sunburst. Her tummy was upset then. I found out Higgins had raisins, so I stopped with those. Angel didn’t like mazuri and never ate it.
I had tried to give her other types of herbs and protein and seeds, but she didn’t like them. She also hates her past pellet diet (oxbow one for hamsters) so I sadly don’t have anything else I can give her in the meantime.
I will try to pick out some marigold and nettle so it’s a bit more balanced. Angel really loves the corn, should I take most of that out?

[ForgetfulBreeze]

Thank you for the feedback!! I will definitely adjust the food mix for next time she makes it. I’m not sure what GA stands for, but I do know there is a good amount of fiber in the mix.
Her stool isn’t necessarily diarrhea, it’s just softer and not her usual.
I used to give her mazuri rat and mouse and Higgins sunburst. Her tummy was upset then. I found out Higgins had raisins, so I stopped with those. Angel didn’t like mazuri and never ate it.
I had tried to give her other types of herbs and protein and seeds, but she didn’t like them. She also hates her past pellet diet (oxbow one for hamsters) so I sadly don’t have anything else I can give her in the meantime.
I will try to pick out some marigold and nettle so it’s a bit more balanced. Angel really loves the corn, should I take most of that out?

Hmm. She might just have softer poop due to the mix. But molding is not normal, and soft poops are not a sign of a healthy hamster.

GA is the Guaranteed Analysis, which is the fiber, Fat and protein percentage of the mix. It is very important to know if you make your own mix. A good GA is about 16-18% for adult syrian hamsters (over 6 months) and 20-24% under 6 months, 8-12% fat for Syrian adults, and about 12% for fiber. Another good thing to know is the ratio between flour:oil. 75:25 ish is a good ratio. If you don't know the GA or the nutrients of each item in a homemade mix, it can lead to deficiencies and nutritional gaps, which can shorten their lifespan and cause a lot of digestive and long-term issues such as stunting growth, muscle & tissue issues and hair loss (from not enough protein).

Your mix only has mealworms as a source of protein, correct? Hamsters need a lot of protein compared to other rodents like mice and rats. They MUST have 16% or more, or else many problems arise. 30 grams of mealworms at 20% protein in a 2000 gram mix is very very little protein. A low protein diet can lead to to diet & gut problems:
" Our results suggest that a low-protein diet could alter gut microbiota in animals...Gut microbes are known to be essential for hosts to digest food and absorb nutrients"
-STUDY CREDIT: https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC9784777/

I love robins gourmet food. Formulated with over 51 ingredients, it's awesome. My hamsters absolutely go crazy for it, and it is the healthiest mix in the US market! Robin does an amazing job! Maybe look at the GA, type and categories of ingredients, & flour:oil ratio in the description:

https://www.etsy.com/listing/866168779/ ... A866168779

Spoiler

"Gourmet Adult Syrian Mix

Ingredients: Barley, oats, wheat, millet blend (japanese, yellow, red proso, white proso, golden), sorghum, pumpkin seed, buckwheat, sweet corn, spelt, lentils, safflower seed, sunflower seed, canary grass seed, chickpeas, milk thistle seed, hemp seed, nyjer seed, chicken, quinoa, hibiscus petals, brown rice, farro, mung beans, flax seed, green beans, carrot, zucchini, tomato, mealworms, peanuts, split peas, sesame seed, fennel seed, fescue grass seed, broccoli, shrimp, spinach, dandelion leaves, rose petals, calendula petals, alfalfa seed, clover seed, caraway seed, parsley, cherries, grapes, apples, raspberries.

51 ingredients
13% flour seeds, 20% oil seeds, 35% grains, 4% grass seed, 11% legumes, 10% vegetables/fruits, 3% herbs/flowers, 4% animal protein

Flour:Oil Ratio: 76:24

GA:
Protein: 18.06%
Fat: 10.06%
Fiber: 12.93%"
- CREDIT: Robin's Gourmet Mix

Here's a good german website on formulating a good seedmix, you will need to translate it:
https://www.das-hamsterforum.de/t/einfu ... te.178747/

Corn has no nutritional value. It would be good as a treat, however not the best for a full time mix. I am not a huge fan that corn is in Robins Gourmet Mix, but thats the only part that I would change.

I love the idea of a homemade mix, I plan to make one at some point, but it must have all the nutritional value, appropriate GA and the right amount of micronutrients to sustain life.

I would refrain from this mix until you further can supply 30-40+ ingredients and have a general knowledge of hamster nutrition.

-Also, Oxbow pellets have been known to harm hamsters. Hamsters do not like it and it is formulated with mostly hay. Hamsters do not eat hay.
-Rasins are not bad for hamsters. Although known to harm cats, hamsters are completely fine with rasins and grapes. They are higher in sugar, but it is completely fine for Higgins because it is a low quanity. Also, Syrian hammies and not prone to diabetes.

[AngelTheHam]

Ok, thanks! I did do a lot of research on hamster food mixes before this, and got a few details from people:
Some said to not worry about the GA and just make sure to have good ingredients in it.
Some said that I need up to 5% Flowers and herbs.
I also googled it, and raisins were very controversial. I didn’t want to take the risk (with her tummy already acting up at that time).

I did do the ratio of grains:oil, and it is 70:30.
I was planning on doing more protein. I let her try bsfl and shrimp. She only liked mealworms, and it isn’t easy to get other stuff from my local pet stores. I give her supplements of ground turkey (no seasoning besides rosemary extract) from time to time. I also give her freeze dried chicken more often than the ground turkey.

I used the Hamster Forum as my past forum. It shut down recently, but if you want to look at my notes from others you can! My user was Angel (I think). I also used plain google (forgot what sources, it was in 2024). I also watched Victoria Raechels video on it.

I will look into the food mix that you sent the link to! I did make 2000 grams, and I have a decent amount left. I will have to make a new one with revised ingredients and more research. Thank you so much for this.

Are there any other protein ideas for the next food mix I will make? (There aren’t any good food mixes in my area, CA, so I am doing the best I can.) I am thinking of freeze dried chicken.

I would love any suggestions for the next food mix! It would mean so so much to me to have your support on my hamster journey!

Again, thank you so much. I sadly won’t be able to get another food mix for a little, but I am taking out most marigold and nettle and corn that I find. I’m also giving her protein supplements. I will be doing more research and will make a post soon about my questions and help that will be needed!

[AngelTheHam]

I found the website I based some information off of! Here is the link: https://fivelittlehams.wixsite.com/corr ... mster-food
It does have some good information, I would love if you would read through it and tell me if there is any other incorrect info.

[AngelTheHam]

Oh, I also just found that I cant access mixerama’s mixer. Is it gone now? If so, is there another site that I can use?

[ForgetfulBreeze]

Oh, I also just found that I cant access mixerama’s mixer. Is it gone now? If so, is there another site that I can use?

Ill look at it when I get home in a hour!

[ForgetfulBreeze]

Oh, I also just found that I cant access mixerama’s mixer. Is it gone now? If so, is there another site that I can use?

I like this site for some articles, but not all. I am looking at it now.

"No, not even species appropriate (balanced!) homemade diets require pellets" (Five Little Hams)
Yes, this is true. If the seed mix is BALANCED and has all the GA, protein/fat/fiber, variety, and the micronutrients (not all can be calculated but it is good to have a guideline and know the general amount in each item) hamsters need. It must be balanced or nutritional gaps will arise. People are the same. If someone only ate eggs, which are considered "healthy", then, they will eventually become very unhealthy because not all the nurtitional requirements will be met, like vitimans and minerals.

"Similarly, you can't just toss together a couple seeds & grains and call it a day, and then act shocked should your pet get sick - you need to feed them an appropriately balanced mix, or they will simply fail to thrive. Animals who fail to thrive on pellet-free diets are animals fed inappropriately balanced diets: it has nothing to do with the absence of pellets, and these animals can't be used to "prove" the dangers of pellet free mixes at all.... "
True. I like this statement.

"People obsess far too much over ensuring exact protein, fat, and fibre percentages "
I do NOT agree with this. While it is important to have high quality ingredients, GA is very important. You simply cannot just pick high-quality ingredients and not know about the protein/fat/fiber content. Then just throw them together and call it a day. With too low protein, then severe issues can occur, such as decreased immune response, muscle loss, stunted growth, hair loss, all which are similar to people. Too high can cause kidney (renal) failure.

The rest of it has some good ideas, but it doenst seem to go into huge depth about how important the number of ingredients are. You cannot calculate each individual micrountrient so it is very important to have many many ingredients (30-40+) to ensure you get them all and provide a BALANCED mix.

[AngelTheHam]

Thank you!! I posted about my homemade mix, so any help there would be appreciated