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Sharing Poodle

April 25th, 2005

Poodle, that wild and zany crepuscular hamster of mine, is spending some quality time with his adoring (and adorable) mumsy. From the way things are going, and by the amount of sunflower seeds Poodle seems to be consuming, I’m expecting a very fat and lazy Phodopus Sungoris Sungoris when it becomes my turn to take care of Poodle again I’m really glad they’re spending all this time together, and I can barely contain my grin when Jean starts to talk about how cute and fluffy and adorable Poodle is.

I’m a sucker for the adorable, what can I say?

Lately, Jean’s taken to giving Poodle assorted little treats like ma ling and hamburger meat, which got me a bit concerned; all that fat may be too much for Poodle’s system. A quick search at Hamsterific reveals:

The best treats for hamsters are foods that are similar to what they might eat in the wild. Fresh (rinsed with water) veggies are good, for example, carrots, squash, broccoli, cauliflower, cucumber, romaine lettuce, spinach and other greens. Fresh fruits (rinsed in water) are good too, for example, apples, pears, bananas, grapes and most berries. But remember never to give any Hamsterific.com citrus fruits like oranges, limes, lemons, grapefruit, etc.

In addition to fresh fruits and veggies you can also offer many whole grain foods and cereal. They love whole grain bread, and you can give it plain or dip it in plain yogurt or skim milk. Cereals like Corn Flakes, plain Cheerios, Kashi, and other low salt and low or sugar free cereals are fine to give too, NO Fruity Pebbles! Plain oats are very nutritious, and they can be given dry or soaked in skim milk.

Protein is an important part of a hamster’s diet as well. Plain scrambled or boiled eggs are a nice treat. Hamsters also love the occasional, pet store bought, meal worm or cricket.

The thing to remember when fixing your hamsters’ dinner is that moderation and variety are very important. Always provide the standard seed and pellet mix daily, and only offer some of these treats in addition to it.

Hamsterific.com

Sorry Jean, Poodle, no more ma ling. And about giving Poodle a bath? Hamsterific.com has this to say: hamsters don’t like water sports. Nature has provided hamsters with a natural oil to maintain the condition of their fur. Poodle the Hamster That’s why they spend so much time grooming. Although they can swim, water baths are not recommended. If a wet hamster becomes cold, it can lead to flu and possibly death.

About the flea issue though, I’m not so sure because I don’t see how Poodle could have contracted them; in any case, I’ll try to check on some pet stores for some pyrethrin powder. But I think it’s just him grooming himself

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