Campbells Russian Dwarf Hamster Diet

Question
QUESTION: Hi,

I'm a first time dwarf hamster owner, I got her 6 months ago as a gift from my nephews. She is about a year old now and is a Campbell Russian Dwarf Hamster. She is happy and healthy. She has a large cage, lots of tunnels and plenty of room to dig. She gets out every day for an hour, she spends 30 minutes in her little run around ball and then she gets 30 minutes of handling.

Since getting her I've done a lot of research about her, but I am having trouble on finding a complete non conflicting list of fresh foods that she can eat.

I know that she is omnivorous and likes to have meats along with veggies, fruits and greens. Right now she gets chicken when ever I cook it for dinner I save a little for her, apples without the skin, carrots, green beens, an almond every other week, cilantro, parsley and spinach. Not all at once but changed up and only a little at a time.

Can you please help me, what kind of fresh foods can I give to Mini (my dwarf hamster)? I want her to have a compelete balance diet, like I give my Guinea Pigs but I am just not sure of what to feed her. Can you please provide me with a list of fresh foods that Mini can eat and that she will enjoy?

Thank you so much for your time.
         Jules
ANSWER: Dear Jules,
thank you for your question.
For animal protein, you can offer insects. This is what dwarf hamsters eat in their natural habitat and they enjoy them very much. Crickets are best because they are not as fatty as mealworms or waxworms. Locusts, if you can get them, are also a favourite. All insects should be gutloaded for a week before feeding them. Locusts can be fed grass, germinated wheat and hay and need a water dish. Crickets get the water they need from the fresh food (but you can offer a water dish): apple, carrot, dandelion, cucumber ect. Mealworms enjoy leafy greens and can be kept in oatmeal.
You can let Mini hunt for live insects if you have a tank or a big plastic container, although some hamsters don't like live insects. It may be that she doesn't know what to do with dead insects, neither, but once you offer a squashed insects, she should get the idea.
I usually gutload the insects, then throw them in boiling water (kills them instantly) and freeze them, that way I always have a supply. I wouldn't give her chicken or other meat.

Dwarf hamsters are suspectible to diabetes and other illnesses caused by too much sugar in their diet. Fruit can be given as a treat, but only very little and not very often. Better offer vegetables and leafy greens such as mangold (chard) dandelion, chickweed, daisies, pansies, ribwort, clover, fennel, cucumber, carrot, zucchini, celery, pumpkin, beetroot, marigold, parsley, basil, sun flowers, rose flowers, nasturtium flowers, strawberry leaves and flowers and leaves and twigs from hazel, beech, birch, apple and pear tree, oak and willow.
Millet spray makes a great treat, as well as grass seeds, if you have an untreated and unmowed lawn.
I hope I was of some help to you
Jennifer

---------- FOLLOW-UP ----------

QUESTION: Jennifer,

Thank you so much for your help, it was every helpful but I have another question for you.  

I was just wondering where I could get the insects for Mini and how much will it cost to buy them? I am a second year college student so I don't have a lot of money to spend. Most of the foods that Mini and my Guinea Pigs get are home grown as that cuts the cost down more then in half.

I am sorry to keep bothering you like this, but owning a dwarf hamster is completely new to me and I just want to make sure Mini is getting the best.

Thank you again for your help and your time.
         Jules

Answer
Crickets and mealworms are sold at many pet shops and you can also buy them online. Here's a shop that sells feeder insects:
http://www.wormman.com/
and here are links to more:
www.anapsid.org/resources/preysources.html
You can breed them, a 10 gallon is more than enough for a cricket breeding colony. Here are caresheets and breeding tips for insects:
http://www.anapsid.org/mainprey.html
I hope this helps and if you have any more questions, don't hesitate to ask :)
Jennifer