What Do You Think of This Feeding idea?

[Die Fledermaus]

I spotted this on another forum, and thought it might have possibilities. There was a commercial product I saw once that had a similar concept - make the ham work for its food and thus keep them self-entertained; that product also had a bell or something.


Great Idea!

How To Make The Food Dispenser?
1. Take the cardboard paper towel tube and squash about 5 cm (2 in) of one end flat (so that it can fit through the bars of the cage).

2. Then, simply fill the tube with the food; make sure that the food cannot fit through the squashed end.

3. Next, place the squashed end through the bars on the top of the cage, above a platform so that your hamster can reach it. The tube should be able to stay close to vertical without you touching it; if it doesn't, try squashing more than 5 cm (2 in) of the end.

*Your hamster now has to work for its food: it will smell the food and will start to chew at the squashed end of the tube. As the hamster chews, food will slowly trickle into the cage, where the hamster will gather it. Eventually, all the food will be gone.

**It's a good idea to seal the other end of the tube in case the hamster knocks it onto the ground. That way, the food won't spill all over the place!!!

[adara]

That sounds like a fun idea for hamsters [and I'm sure gerbs, rats and mice would like it too ]. I think if I were to use it as a regular feeding thing then I'd introduce it slowly, maybe twice a week at first to see if they grasp it It sounds like a very cute idea

Pinatas for furries are also very popular [especially with the ratties!]

[calvinator1]

Intriguing. Are you going to try it, DF? I'd be interested to know how your hammies do with it.

[Die Fledermaus]

calvinator1 said:

Intriguing. Are you going to try it, DF? I'd be interested to know how your hammies do with it.

I'll try it next time a suitable cardboard tube is ready.

I also just permanently moved Zeb out of his tank and into his son Stanley's Habitrail. The problem was Stanley (born Oct., 7th) is really a big hamster, a good inch longer than Zeb and clearly heavier. On previous instances when I put Zeb in the Habitrail I saw him use the wheel; I have never seen Stanley use the wheel which I think is too small for him; hence, the switcheroo.

Zeb the Impregnator I trust will not find a way to break out and get all the females pregnant.

You know. Staney's sister, Blanche, is also rather large. Maybe it is the great diet here that they and their mother received.