Feeding a Teddy Bear Hamster

Question
QUESTION: Hello,

Reading at your introduction above you clearly stated that feeding normal hamster food once a day is right but I would like to know how much (hamster food) should I put in her bowl. For a better understanding on the amount of food I think that teaspoons or tablespoons would be the easiest way to figure it out. Also do you recommend any specific kind (brand) of hamster food?

Thanks in advance,

Lou

ANSWER: I highly recommend anything by KayTee brand. They've got some of the best hamster food on the market. Fiesta in the bright green bag, and Forti-diet in the blue bag are my 2 top choices. Fiesta is a little pricey, 6-7 dollars for 2lbs, but it's got dried fruits and vegetables in it, which gets a big thumbs up from me, well worth the price. Any food with dry seeds, nuts, dental crunchies, pellets, and dried fruits and veggies is best. The more variety, the better.

Each bag will have different feeding instructions. I believe Fiesta has you feeding 1-2 tablespoons a day.

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QUESTION: Thanks for your prompt response-

What would be the main difference among "Fiesta" and "Forti-diet"?

Thanks again,

Lou

ANSWER: There's a few different varieites of Forti-diet, but the one I talk about is called Forti-diet crunch. That one contains larger dental crunches to help the hamster wear down teeth. If you give hard food treats this shouldn't be a problem. Fiesta contains dried fruits and veggies, and forti-diet crunch doesn't. Fiesta just has more ingredients to keep your hamster interested in the food, as well as nutritional pellets (which they both have). The fact that fiesta has dried fruits and veggies is why it gets the top spot from me.

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QUESTION: Thanks again. May you give me examples of "hard food" treats?

Answer
Sure, Vitakraft makes some good ones. Raviolos are my favorite because of their size, they last a good 2-3 days of chewing. Plus I've never had a hamster who didn't enjoy them. Yogurt drops or honey and seed bars are frequently used, but they aren't very hard, so they aren't good for wearing down the teeth.