Why I Don't Recommend Oxbow Hamster and Gerbil Food | Munchie's Place

[@EmmaLynneSampson]

it's a shame that some people can be so close minded that they feel the need to attack you over the fact that you have a different opinion on this particular food. It seems so unprofessional to do so. it's so important to do your own research, form your own opinions while also respecting those who may disagree with you. as for the oxbow food itself - i agree with you. based on the research i've done, i personally don't think it's a great food for hamsters. this is nothing against oxbow, as i use their timothy hay, their rabbit pellets and their mouse food! but i just don't believe that their hamster food is adequate for hamsters.

[@juliadean6316]

i use the hay too

[@kittenmimi5326]

Ha, I doubt that lady actually knows shit about hamster nutritional needs

[@jacqueortiz3828]

Wow...that lady was not very professional. Instead of posting that ugly comment she should have talked with you to learn more about the diet you feed your pets.

[@MunchiesPlace]

I think she thought it was a personal attack because the article described vet offices. But personally she came after our rescue and during the video, I saw some updated messages from her further attacking us that were not discussed. I felt so upset. There is no need to shame and slam a rescue like that for our choice in the food we do or do not recommend.

[@jacqueortiz3828]

@@MunchiesPlace oh my..dont worry we know you are doing good and care deeply about the health of everyone in your care. You would think that Veterinarian offices would appreciate the amount research you do in order to provide the best care possible.

[@kittenmimi5326]

Uh, if that's the way she talks then that lady most likely didn't really know shit about proper hamster diet. Someone much more knowledgeable are less likely to act like that

[@fearsomefawkes6724]

If that was a message from just a tech I would email their actual vet or office manager. They probably wouldn't be pleased with their name be attached to that kind of attack.

[@kittenmimi5326]

Oooh yes

[@breedlejuice8691]

That's like so unprofessional to diss on a rescue and recommend you not adopt because you disagree on food issues. That's so rude

[@MunchiesPlace]

Strongly agree. Just voicing our opinion on food should not have someone threatening rescue efforts. So we will no longer be recommending their practice when we adopt out the animals in our care.

[@HackiePuffs]

Breanna Hempel I’ll admit that I used to be like that but with tv shows but I at least learned how to express my opinions in a more calm way. And I always try to sound as not angry as possible now.

[@Assimilator1]

@@MunchiesPlace I think you should complain to her manager, setting out her rude , unprofessional and unscientific message, and the attack on your rescue ctr. Her manager might well not have the same views as her, or at least not appreciate her attitude. Not to mention it gives you a chance to vent (politely of course :) ) at them! [edit] Just seen it's a 2yr old video! lol :o , anything change later on?

[@PepperTheHamster488]

@@MunchiesPlaceyeah it is rude but it’s fine mixed with a seed right?

[@zingiestbug4251]

Really appreciate these kinds of videos being pushed out! Also the package I sent you off of the amazon wishlist should have been delivered by now so I hope you got it! -Kyle

[@JessicasAnimalFriends]

Makes no sense why Oxbow would offer other good formulas for animals but not hamsters, which I feel are a very common pet. Hope they change their formula

[@Coyoteari]

They really need to stick to catering to herbivorous pets

[@Riateph]

Y'know, I really like Munchie's style of video. I admire that she addresses the comment, she backs herself up, and outright states that she won't be using this vet anymore - but she never gets mean or dramatic about it. The person is spreading misinformation and actively trying to damage the reputation of Munchie's Place; the reputation of a rescue is often all it has to get the animals adopted. Worse reputation means fewer inquiries means fewer good homes means fewer space for neglected animals to get a better life. So Munchie is upset and emphatic and she has a right to be. But she still doesn't get personal about it. She handles it very well.

[@MunchiesPlace]

Thank you. I am actually trying my best not to lose my stuff while still try to say how I feel. I'm still learning how to be and act professional online since I realize sometimes I can come off a little unprofessional. But ty that means a lot that you think I handled it well. I appreciate it. ♥️

[@Riateph]

@@MunchiesPlace You're welcome! I can see the work you put in to do that, and I wanted to call it out for precisely that reason.

[@MycIRL]

This helps me a lot! I have a rat currently (my last of three) and feed her Oxbow. I plan on getting a hamster after my last rat passes. Honestly, I would have just continued purchasing Oxbow (except, the hamster version) if I hadn’t watched this and followed your channel. Oxbow is so highly recommended in the rat community that I’d honestly assume that the other mixes they make are also equally recommended. Thank you so much for this video, Munchie!

[@MunchiesPlace]

Rat formula is still recommended but just not the hamster formula. So I can see why you wouldn't know. All of my hamster KZbin friends have said they refuse to use oxbow for their hamster, my breeding friends and my rescue I'm partnered with along with one vet tech who's a friend. The more we share our stories and experience, the more people can look into it further and make their own decisions.

[@annataymond9529]

Being upset about the food you use and telling you is one thing, but being aggressive about it and saying she's telling people not ever to adopt from you just seems immature. And using such a confrontational tone rarely does any good no matter what you're trying to do.

[@Mimi-kx1sz]

It’s also worth noting that veterinarians/vet techs shortest class is on nutrition and are usually only taught about whatever food is sponsoring the vet. For example, with dog and cats, vets often recommend science diet/royal canin both of which are awful brands that only rely on chicken protein, corn, soy, and wheat. Dogs and cats cannot process corn, soy, or wheat properly. Also dogs shouldn’t be eating a lot of chicken because it’s a drying agent which can lead to skin problems. They should be eating big game protein or fish protein. But vets will only recommend the food they’re familiar with/are sponsored by.

[@Sarah-gh2wc]

That's terrible that the Vet Assistant did that to you. I have worked as a Vet Assistant and have been trained as a Vet Tech and the way that woman spoke to you is out of line. Oxbow has been recommened through every vet I have gone to along with the vet I used to work for. Though the first thing they always say it isn't a stand alone food! I currently feed it to my hamster, along with fresh veggies every morning and mealworms 3 - 4 times a week, it should be fed with other foods simply for the health of the hamster. Fun fact no pellet food should be the stand alone as none of them give the balance of nutrition they need. Another fact which many people dont know is that the Hamster and Gerbil food has no hay it in, yes I know the websites say they do. But during my University days we did a study on Oxbow and other pet foods. This included breaking down the food and the hamster/gerbil formula had no hay. The websites copy and past the same descirption for every same brand of food. Meaning when you read "Contains" you're reading the same thing as you would see for example Rabbit Food. Just a heads up for those who read the description online. Anyhow, I am not defending the food, do whats best for your pets always! I was just stating some facts and correcting misinformation.

[@cheeksandsqueakshamsters3431]

Thanks you for speaking up and out! Opinions on food aside, we were shocked and appalled at how you were treated on that post. Glad to see you standing up for yourself and for the hammies! Please reach out if we can be of any help to you in the future ❤️

[@lunabelle1984]

YOU ARE FIERCE!! Thank you for making your voice LOUD & CLEAR & making our hamster pets & our families safe!! ❤❤❤

[@gab3963]

It’s like raw diets for dogs and cats- vets are going to recommend Royal Canin because it’s what gets them paid. Sorry, don’t want to feed my dog fillers. However, I do use Oxbow Regal Rat for my mice as well as a seed mix and they love it!

[@meepbeep3828]

I give my hamsters a seed mix, but I also give them plenty of vegetables and proteins. I also give my hamsters hay but I don't make them eat it. I give them hay because they can play around with it and eat it if they want.

[@vmorris7639]

You go girl!! Thank you so much for taking the time for this teaching opportunity. I learn so much from you and I also can't wait to check out that website you mentioned

[@susanaponte1579]

Can't believe someone would post that just because you don't feed Oxbow! First of all, you can't tell me that even if Oxbow is a good food, is it the only food that's good, I mean I have guinea pigs, and Oxbow isn't a great food at all! It's full of fillers and grains that swell in water, Sherwood pellets and other grain free feed is the best! Oxbow isn't the end all be all, so for her to act like there aren't other good feeds or even homemade mixes by people who study hamster nutrition are good as well. Such a childish thing to do! I can't believe a vet tech, who's not even a vet,would think they know all there is to know about this subject, and post such a terrible comment, without even seeing your rescue or speaking to you about how you care for your animals, that was just plain ridiculous! Sorry that happened to you!

[@autumnwillow4987]

Thank you for talking about how oxbow is NOT the best for any animal

[@MunchiesPlace]

We said we didn't recommend it. I think the person got offended at the vet comment in the article, but took their frustrations out on us and continued to drive the nail into our heads so to speak. I will not recommend someone who puts pride in front of being professional and suggestive. Personal attack on a rescue is extremely childish. I will not tolerate it. Even after making the video, I saw she posted more comments attacking us and I just couldn't bother to include more hate driven comments. It would turn into a war zone.

[@chrystal8641]

I've always heard it was really good for rabbit do you know anything about that? I pay so much money for oxbow to get the best food for them.. I always thought it was the best

[@autumnwillow4987]

Chrystal look at skinnypigs1’s video for more information on Sherwood and why oxbow is not the best. Oxbow has a lot of fillers and grains that aren’t good for a rabbits digestive system

[@MusicLvr4ever15]

Susan Aponte I always heard oxbow was great pellets for guinea pigs. That being said I don’t feed pellets at all, my girls get 24/7 hr hay and different veggies each day.

[@aidehns]

Other vets may recommend it, but I know that my vets don’t. (Not saying my vet is superior to others, just saying not every vet recommends it). Ok, so Oxbow isn’t the worst compared to others, but it’s definitely not the best and literally just go with Sunburst and Mazuri. It works! Of course not everyone can get those, and that’s completely fine, but if you can, do your hamster a favor and use those.

[@cassielfsw3815]

The detail about the pellets being Timothy based is really telling, IMO because guinea pig and rabbit diets *are* supposed to be based on Timothy/other grass hays. It kinda sounds like Oxbow invested more of their research/effort into developing the guinea pig/rabbit formulas (not saying Oxbow is the absolute super best for piggies and rabbits, just that at least Timothy hay *is* the correct ingredient to be the basis of their diet, so they at least got that right) and then when it came time to do the hamster formula, maybe they kinda went "ehhh... Let's just make the guinea pig pellets smaller...?" I think I said in the poll that when I had hamsters I gave them Oxbow but thinking about it some more, I remember that they were on a seed mix, so, not Oxbow. I have definitely used Oxbow with guinea pigs before, but I currently use small pet select. I've heard really good things about Sherwood lately that are making me want to do some more research, though.

[@n0t_al3xx]

Love you so much Munchie. I have a pet, black and white hamster called Oreo and your videos have helped me in caring for him as he is my first ever hamster xx

[@swanspancakes]

I have a black hamster with a white stripe down her belly, called Oreo!

[@hammycats6919]

We don't get Oxbow in the UK, so thanks for this info as I know now not to bother importing a bag. 👍 UK manufacturuers over here are trying to discontinuing seed mixes in favour of nuggets/pellets and it is worrying. 🙁

[@Larniebabycakes]

Yes, I'm really struggling to find a food for my dwarf hamster (from p@h). I used burgess but that was discontinued & brought back as pellets. He won't touch the pets at home museli (I removed all the corn)

[@chloehoekstra6964]

@@Larniebabycakes I'm struggling too without Burgess! I got my new dwarf 2 weeks ago from p@h and they had been feeding him the museli but he really doesn't seem to enjoy it that much. I had planned to switch him only to discover it was discontinued. Can't find anything else similar.

[@hammycats6919]

@@Larniebabycakes I know it is such a worry. If yiu want to check out my hamster food reviews with some alternatives for your Dwarfies then you are more than welcome, I am in UK too. 👍

[@hammycats6919]

@@chloehoekstra6964 Hiya you are welcome to check out my hamster food reviws with alternative dwarf foods if it will help you. 👍

[@Larniebabycakes]

@@chloehoekstra6964 I've done lots of research but there doesn't seem to be much available that isn't high in corn etc like Harry Hamster. I'm thinking I'm going to have to feed a pellet diet with additional treats like mealworms, fruit etc or buy the online zooplus bunny food which is £6 plus delivery. I really wish burgess hadn't discontinued it as my little guy eats the whole bowl within 1-2 days with the exception of some brown sticks

[@emilyjones9787]

I've been so out of it recently and I remembered that one sad video you made a bit ago and I'm sTILL NOT OKAY BC YOU CRIED- so seeing the pure hamster mother Munchie being her usual happier self makes me happy 💛💛

[@sydneytaylor8128]

I understand wanting to educate people that don't know about proper hamster care. But if I say that I've done my research, provide reasonable explanations as to why I choose to use the food that I do, and why I don't use a certain food, you have no right to discredit that. There is no 1 diet that will be perfect for all hamsters. If I say that I don't give a lot of fruits because my hamster is diabetic, that's what I've decided and is working for me. (I don't have a diabetic hamster, I was just using it as an example.) When many hamster owners have given their reasons, that they did research on, as to why they don't use Oxbow, that's their decision. If you want to give your hamster Oxbow (in addition to Higgins Sunburst and Mazuri Lab Blocks) go ahead, but I, as an owner, have decided not to. It's a matter of opinion here, and no one has the right opinion. Whatever works for this person, that's on them. You do what works for you and your pets. You know them best. (As long as they're getting proper enrichment and husbandry.)

[@rabbitquartet9273]

I can't believe someone would be so rude and say don't adopt from you

[@vyrusvoydcat]

They are sponsered to advertise and force people to use oxpo. This is why I hate commercial pet foods

[@Nailsbylissaa]

i didnt know oxbows pellets were bad. i use them and my hamster enjoys it. he is perfectly fine.

[@MunchiesPlace]

Please mix into your food some protein then like mazuri lab blocks or start mixing a seed mix. Only supporting a hay base diet for hamsters will cause damage down the road as they cannot absorb it well because it passes through the track too quickly and that the protein percentage in this food is too low for them.

[@Bekahtree]

Shit im so glad you made this video ive been trying to research good hanster/gerbil foods to reccomend to customers at the pet store that i work at. Ive been reccomending oxbow because thats what i feed my rabbits and guinea pigs and theyve done very well on it. I just got a hamster tonight and bought oxbow but in def going to return the food and get something else. Im always researching small animal care for updates and new discoveries so i can pass on the good husbandry to customers and help diminish the out date care that people have been following for YEARS. This is a great video, i love you and your channel 🧡🧡

[@sp26000]

I know I’m a year late but I want to share a story that I never really thought about until recently, that involves a personal conversation I had with an oxbow product representative. I used to work at a pet store for like 4 years, I used to recommend oxbow to everyone for small pets because it was supposed to be the best for them. Which I still believe so true for guinea pigs, rabbits, mice and chinchillas, however I didn’t realize how terrible the hamster food was until about 6 months ago. When I was working at this store we used to have bi yearly product trainings which were super fun and I learned so much from them. shortly after I got my first hamster we had a product training and our oxbow reps were there. I had recently purchased the papaya support vitamins for my hamster because I thought it would be a healthy vitamin/treat for him, but he did NOT want anything to do with them. I tried many times but he was just not interested. At the end of the product training we had some time to chat with the reps and I mentioned this to her. Do you know what this woman said to me? “Oh hamsters don’t really eat hay and those are Timothy based so that’s probably why he doesn’t like them.” Yeah. At the time I just accepted it as okay makes sense . I didn’t even make the connection that she really told me that and the fact that their hamster food was Timothy based until probably a year later. I just think it’s funny that Oxbow employees are fully aware of what hamsters don’t want and don’t need but still make their food this way.

[@Darkshade_01]

Let's show munchie lots and lots of our love and support as her subscribers and fans and let's show her how much we love her and her videos :3

[@ThunderTaker1215]

I had no idea Oxbow was so shitty. My hamster, Grandpa died unexpectedly last month. He seemed completely fine one day and the next, he was gone. I kept wracking my brain for what I did wrong and I think this was it, despite providing fresh produce everyday. I feel horrible and I want to cry.

[@azraelmichelle69]

Thank you for making this video! I had no idea about this, my vet recommended this food. Also, i love what your doing, i plan to start a small animal resue soon! Thank you for being so amazing!

[@hamtron5074]

I'm so sorry you had to deal with this personal attack on your animal rescue. I think you are doing a great job! Munchie's Place is awesome and they care about hamsters!

[@Crystalthewolf1000]

I literally know a vet that does push vet sponsored brands specifically. Even though he’ll tell you afterwards it might not be the best. His ex (my roommate), still hasn’t realized this.

[@KoolioPicklez2000]

i was feeding my hamster oxbow since i got him about 4 months ago and i recently looked more into hamster diet and found this information so i switched to higgins sunburst and mazuri lab blocks. but now i have like a full bag of oxbow. should i throw it away? donate it?

[@emilyann4611]

Sprinkle it around the cage so it csn forage that should work😊

[@MrSddhungan]

keep it in there just don’t use it as a main meal

[@zombiehuntress1412]

Sarah Ilbek I would mix both the sunburst and oxbow so it’s not a random switch once the oxbow runs out then just use the sunburst and blocks

[@delilahgreen2437]

Hi munchie I can’t use seed mixes because I have a nut allergy and almost all seed mixes have crushed nuts and or made in a Facility is there a safer alternative I only want the best for my hamster because I love her so much is there a way I can make my own? Please respond!!

[@carrots_the_bun]

How bad is your allergy. Can someone else in your home maybe feed your hamster for you

[@delilahgreen2437]

Helping Paws I could die from my allergy but I want the best for my hamster any ideas?

[@finley6161]

Could you try wearing gloves when touching the food?

[@StrongBrewHamstery]

Try mazuri rat and mouse maybe as a staple and create a small supplemental mix on the side that’s nut free perhaps? :)

[@emithraves7731]

Make sure to do plenty of research and try to make your own seed mix use additives eg some pellets try and use meal worms oats and flax seeds to give good nutrition just read lots of forums and make sure you know what to do x

[@HuntressWorgon]

As someone who raw feeds their cats and dogs I can attest to how little knowledge vets actually have about animal nutrition.

[@doc5245]

Worgon right! I am another raw feeder so I deeply understand what you are saying.

[@lawlermon]

Raw is awesome. Higher end dry food is awesome too though! Its all about budget for the most part.

[@gracecossey1585]

I don’t think ALL vets have little knowledge of diet tho I do see what you are saying

[@ecologist_to_be]

They promote what they sell. I know with birds they promote 80% pellets which I don't agree with as snore. Birds highly intelligent, they need variety.

[@gab3963]

I’m also a raw feeder, albeit a new one. Hopefully more vets that recommend raw will come around

[@RoseAngelWitch]

Tbh, I always find it irritating when they use "I'm a vet assistant" to make it seem they have a moral high ground. Firstly it isn't hard, two it is still a business. ALWAYS DO YOUR OWN RESEARCH ASWELL

[@jiminsjams8944]

I have a bag of oxbow that I got well rescuing my hamster but I know not to feed it to my Syrian. If anything, I will occasionally feed it as a treat but I rarely ever do that. Good educational video munchie! ☺️

[@pattielarson573]

So small animal Omnivores like hamsters actually due eat a lot of grasses in the wild. The whole debate about them not being able to digest fiber like hay is false. I know Oxbow utilizes a whole board of exotic mammal specialists (including veterinarians and nutritionists) to created their specialized diets. These folks have the education and studies back them up. And a company like Oxbow has proven integrity. So sorry, I'm going to keep feeding my rats their food. They love it and have been nothing but healthy!

[@MunchiesPlace]

The rat/mouse food is completely fine to be feeding. We are discussing their hamster/gerbil formula. We feed our nice oxbow without any problems with their diet.

[@tatorkator9901]

Makes me glad that the vet I went to to have my first rabbit fixed told me she fed science selective. She recommended oxbow in the care sheet, and I had bought it as well. My rbabit wouldn't eat it sadly. He loved the science select and didn't look back.

[@ItsLily-wq4pf]

I have guinea pigs now, but when I had a hamster I had no problems with oxbow. My hamster actually loved the food. I mixed the essentials with care fresh. I would have loved to get another mix, but I had to buy oxbow because I have a bad nut allergy and it was one of the only safe foods.

[@zehkuh6569]

Hi Munchie, love your channel, especially the vids about proper hamster care. I just wanted to note that as a dwarf hamster owner from Germany, I would love to see you differentiating a bit more between Syrian hamster care and dwarf hamster care. Dwarf hamsters for instance are very prone to diabetes and should never ever be fed any fruit at all, even carrots are not recommended by specialized vets over here. Thenks for your channel!

[@iris-vh5lf]

Thank you! I use oxbow, I’m on my way to petco to pick up some new brand. Do you recommend anything special for a picky dwarf hammie?

[@kendall4060]

Adelina Rukas Idk about picky eaters, but for a good brand would be Higgins Sunburst mixed with Mazuri lab blocks💕

[@maleriek9397]

Sorry if this is a dumb question but about the lab blocks, when I google them it only comes up as rat and mouse food, is that the one you feed your hamsters? I’m trying to figure out what I should be feeding them

[@kendall4060]

Malerie K Haha Yes this is the one! it’s formulated for rats and mice but it also works for hamsters! For a bit of variety, I would also feed a little bit of Higgins Sunburst seed mix so your hamster can have a variety in their diet! You can also give them salads every few days! Make sure to research safe hamster fruits and vegetables first though! 💕

[@nerdybitch1526]

I don’t get why the rspca / peta or what ever Americans have. let companies make stuff not good for hamsters to eat.

[@rabbitquartet9273]

Also I know i don't why they let them

[@nerdybitch1526]

rabbit care I’m not English but okay 😂

[@ante0meridiem]

Because they don't have any actual say in what companies make. The PFI (pet food Institute) and FDA (food and drug administration) oversee pet food contents, but they focus more on the safety of the ingredients, not the ratios of ingredients. The RSPCA is focused on the safety of animals, but they can't regulate ingredients of pet food. They're more like animal police. PETA is not an animal-friendly organization, despite what they claim, as they will rather euthanize pets than leave them with good, caring owners.

[@emithraves7731]

They don’t in England either🤦‍♀️😂 and look at the the horrible cages they produce too🤦‍♀️🤦‍♀️x

[@Larniebabycakes]

I'm really struggling on what to feed my picky eater. I'm from the UK & have no idea what to feed my dwarf hammy. I'm currently going through the last of the burgess dwarf hamster food I have, they discontinued it & brought it back as nuggets. He won't eat the P@H, with the corn removed. Does anybody have any advice? I love everything you do Munchie 💕💞🐾

[@MyPetsChannel]

Omg thank you so much. I was thinking about getting this hamter food a while ago because i knew that oxbow was a good brand for other kinds of small animals. I didn't hear anything about it at the time so i decided to go with something that other people liked/recommended

[@deboracaldeira1842]

When I got my hamster, the vet made my mom buy 2 bags of Oxbow. My hamster never liked it, she never ate so I had to throw it away due to the expiration date. She loves seeds, fruits, veggies, treats. And that's what I feed her ever since.

[@kendall4060]

Debora Caldeira Make sure you are also giving her a high-protein food too! I would recommend Mazuri Rat and Mouse Diet!!

[@audreyjensen9653]

I used to feed my guinea pigs Oxbow as I believed the solid pellets were better than more diverse foods (think of Vitasmart Vitakraft, etc) One of my guinea pigs is very sensitive due to poor genetics. One day, I noticed her breathing extremely heavily (you could see her sides heaving). Of course, I’d been through this a few times so luckily, she was alright. Suspecting she had an allergic reaction, I immediately bought a different brand of food. Once she had transitioned completely to the new pellets, her issues halted completely and began gaining weight! Keep in mind, she is very picky and was under malnourished (from her previous home). Now, my herd is extremely healthy and thriving!! So yeah, disappointed in Oxbow

[@amelianemlowill6381]

I have been mixing it with the Higgins gourmet food mix is it so bad I need to completely throw the whole mix out and remove it from my hamsters cage? I have a 20 gallon long currently but soon will connect it to a bin cage. My last hamster died after only living three months. Would this food be the problem or would the hamster just get sick? I gave it proper care. I now have a new hamster is this an emedit concern for my hamster ? Or can I wait until I use it all then never buy it again? It was the second formula.

[@MunchiesPlace]

It's possible the hamster could have starved or other underlying causes could have happened. You never will know unless have a necropsy preformed.

[@angrychipmunkonfire3]

I just adopted a hamster and I'm learning so many things right now. I was told that a pellet diet was ideal and that's what I gave her when I adopted her. However, she wasn't eating it and saw that she was much more receptive to the bird seed that I tried coaxing her out of her little house with. Now, I feed a seed mix similar to the one I gave my gerbils when I was younger. However, I also give her Timothy hay on the side.

[@amcgeckos]

Awesome video!! So glad you made this video Munchie and shared it!!! Thank you for sharing. Keep up the great work!! Very informative!! Love you and your channel Munchie!!!

[@justlissa8192]

Just sent you 2 packages, you should receive them by Tuesday! Continue to keep informing pet owners, I’ve learned a lot from you.

[@MunchiesPlace]

Awe thank you. We just closed our Amazon wishlist on IG due to switching to a PO box. But I appreciate you informing me so I can look for it. I'll post a photo of your donation on IG so please look out for it.

[@justlissa8192]

@@MunchiesPlace I will look out for it, you are welcome.

[@animalsandstuff7213]

My hamster ate oxbow. He did really well. He also got higgens sunburst seed mix along with a bowl with of fresh veggies. Since I had a bird when I had a hamster so I made chop every day so he always had top quality veg. Dark greens and loads of different ones too!! He did really well!!

[@grimmb3686]

Thank you! I’m going into Exotic Animal Nutrition, and I’ve been offered a sponsorship to learn about it. I talked to them about the hamster food, and they said that they’re trying to figure out a palateable pellet that will have all the necessary nutrients. Oxbow is mostly good, they just still haven’t figured out hamster food.

[@KingRaccoon-ze5rn]

gotta give em credit, at least they trying to improve on their recipe

[@stormthebabe49]

I personally really like Oxbow's pellets and hay for rabbits. I think it's all pretty high quality and isn't full of as many fillers as a lot of other rabbit pellets I've seen. I don't buy their hay because it's very expensive (and declines in quality the bigger you buy), but I buy their little treat hay bags, and I love them, my rabbits love them, their treats are pretty good (for processed treats of course), but in the end, it's up to personal decision. If I had the money, I'd probably prefer to buy their organic pellets, or garden essentials pellets, since those are higher quality, but I do enjoy the adult rabbit essentials food I currently buy. Personally, I don't buy their hay (like I said, it's expensive and declines in quality the bigger bulk you get) or many of their treats. My rabbits love all of their products (at least the ones I've tried), but I like to feed fresher treats when I can. Of course, pellets should be around ten to five percent of your rabbit's overall diet, so really the pellets aren't a huge role in the grand scheme of things. However, I have heard of some rabbits being prone to UTIs while eating them, but I've only heard of this happening to two rabbits, so I'm assuming it's a pretty isolated incident, but still a good thing to know and look out for. Overall, I really like their products for rabbits, just wouldn't recommend buying their bulk hay.

[@chrystal8641]

How big is considered bulk lol I always but there larger bags.. I have a small bun and a big bun who need a lot of hay What brand do you recommend?

[@stormthebabe49]

Chrystal I believe the largest “bale” they sell is around twenty pounds? But I’m not one hundred percent sure. I think they stop hand picking the hay at five to ten pounds, which is why the quality decreases as you get bigger. I buy the Standlee timothy hay at Tractor Supply for $17.99. It’s a fifty pound compressed bale, and my bunnies seem to really enjoy the long stiff strands. However, I’ve seen it get pretty soft and crumbling later in the growing season. If you can, I’d buy from a local farmer. They usually have really cheap bales (maybe five to eight dollars a bale depending on the farmer). If you don’t have a Tractor Supply, try checking your local feed store(s) for good deals on hay. And if all else fails, go for Small Pet Select. They’re the least expensive (from what I’ve seen) if all the other options are unavailable. I’ve also heard that they get glowing reviews from all of their customers.

[@shayrose7705]

When I first rescued all my baby hams ( now months later fully grown and separated ) they were on Kaytee so I switched to oxbow because I heard it was great. After joining a hamster community on amino I was informed it’s made partially out of Timothy hay and other ingredients so really I agree- it’s not great. My hamsters seemed to not even like it! I now switched them to the hazel hamster and they’re loving it. It has few seeds and often times they will have one or no seeds in their dish so it’s great, but I still every other day or every few days give them a few pumpkin seeds out of a foraging mix and sprinkle some of the herb mix around every so often for variety and foraging, as well as the occasional millet and veggies every other day/ every two three days.

[@chloeszoo]

I have a Syrian hamster named China. And i would never give her oxbow. It can hurt her, her color will get dull, and its not nutritious. Me personally i reconmend higgens sunburst. But not 1000% of the time. Always make sure to give veggies, fruits, and meal worms like i do it around 3 times a week (IF NEEDED my hamster needs it since she needs the extra protine and stuff to grow) but either way you do what every you think is best i guess. Just please do research on food brands. Ty~ Chloes zoo

[@emithraves7731]

Yes I’m trying to switch my hamsters diet because I researched and she is a robo on Harry hamster but I’m switching her (live in the uk) to the jr farm dwarf seed mix and using different pellets and I was going to use Oxpo and I’m so glad I found this video JUST IN TIME ASWELL😅 So I will be using science selective pellets😅😂

[@mssharky11]

Where are these messages? Im Honastly curious to read them

[@jeanpierrepolnareff4510]

I used to use oxbow on my last hamster and i did all my research on pellet diets bc my hammy (mocha) was a picky eater and was picking out her favorites from Higgins sunburst so I slowly switched her and added more mealworms into her diet. She was doing all well and eating all her food but sadly and abruptly passed away. I have not had a hamster since but I have been doing my research on good and bad foods and have seen some bad articles about oxbow. Now that I have seen this video I’m not going to ever use it as a main food ever gain I will keep a bag if I ever get a hammy that has to be transitioned off of it.

[@KoolioPicklez2000]

also, as soon as i added seed mix and lab blocks to my hamsters bowl he won’t even touch the oxbow

[@jennifermorin9477]

Love you munchie!!! 100% behind you!!

[@shadokat]

I support your statements in this video. I also do a form of hamster rescue although everyone I take in stays with me permanently. Oxbow hamster pellets don't provide the nutrition hamsters need, although I do use the rat and guinea pig pellets. Thank you for standing up to this vet tech who blew things out of proportion. I am on your side.

[@bethieelle422]

This video made me subscribe. I have had so many run ins with know it all vets, so I relate to this on a very personal level. I have some SERIOUS horror stories about vets that have made me so untrustworthy of them. The way you address this issue is way more mature & professional than that vet tech. They should be ashamed of themselves.

[@kathryndiaz679]

oml i rlly needed this thx Munchie!

[@MusicLvr4ever15]

After I heard about what happened with the California Hamster Association by being sponsored by them. A lot of people lost a lot of hams to a food that they just can’t properly digest.

[@brandoncelis6695]

I got my Chinese hamster on May 2018 and I’ve been giving her oxbow garden select since then! The people at petco told me to buy those.... I haven’t notice anything bad on lilo (my Chinese hamster) but I’m definitively switching to Higgins sunburst and mazuri Lab blocks after seen this video... I really don’t wanna risk it! Also after watching your channel I bought a bigger cage for Lilo. She is currently on a Ferplast hamster cage the one with two floors *you should do a review of this cage* but now she’ll be moving soon to the “Pervue” cage I bet she will be very happy!!! Thanks for your channel

[@lawlermon]

I kind of have this same mentality with hills science diet for dogs. I work at a pet store so i dont rescue and im not a vet or vet tech. But i like being informed on whats good and bad regardless of if it is vet recommended. From what ive gathered from my own research and my boss who used to breed great danes. Its a similar thing to oxbow. Some vets are given scholarships from hills science diet and are partners as well. Which is fine but it leads to misinformation or some pet owners who jist abide by the vet when science diet might not be right for them. Pet owners needs to research on their own. See customer review online see other options because these really large brands are putting some of these vets through college.

[@chloe-wr4dt]

Here is my 2 cents: Most hamster owners are kids who don’t know how to care for them properly. If they were to feed them seed mixes, they would probably over feed them, not provide any extra protein, let them picky eat, and not give them the necessary fruits and veggies. Like the post said, this would lead to obesity and obesity-related health issues. While oxbow isn’t the greatest, it is less sugary and doesn’t allow picky eating. Of course, it would be better to feed a seed mix with all the other necessary foods, but oxbow is better than a seed mix alone.

[@KorriPre]

Do you feed meal worms? To hamsters?

[@MunchiesPlace]

Yes I do. Not all hamsters will eat them. We feed live. Dried mealworms is more of a treat.

[@00iloveanimals]

Everything I researched when establishing my hamsters diet said Oxbow was great! I had no idea about any of the negative research surrounding it. I have been feeding it in addition to his seed mix and lab blocks because I thought it was an added benefit for him. Although my vet says he seems incredibly healthy for being a senior hamster, I will now be doing some more research and replacing it with a better quality pellet. Thank you for this very informative video!

[@hatz5125]

I was pressured by my local vet into oxbow they told me I'd kill my hamster without it even though he hated it I feed him Higgins sunburst after he became underweight from it he's healthier now

[@mozelac]

My first hamster was fed with Oxbow. the vet office I adopted him from said he ate it fine. After about a week I noticed he was dramatically losing weight. So i looked in his cage. he was taking the pellets and hiding them but never eating them. under one hide I found a weeks worth of food, untouched. I switched him to mazuri lab blocks and slowly added higgins, he was able to put the weight back on and started looking better. I have NEVER used Oxbow since...

[@eva478]

The sad thing is most pet stores use oxbow . When I first got my hamster from a big brand pet store , I asked what food they were eating . She gave me oxbow . Luckily I only went through a bag of oxbow before I realized that wasn’t the best for him .

[@AshLey-ln5bj]

I feed my robovski hamster a seed mix and tried to mix in some oxbow donut pellets with it - I don't think he touches it at all and eats around them tbh. When I first got him from Petsmart they were feeding them oxbow as far as I was aware (it was in their habitat and an employee put some in the take home carrier for my hammy). I also got a bag because I seen others using it for supplement. He was 5 months old then and since ive had him he's gotten bigger in size and looks like a happy ham. I also feed him veggies and scrambled eggs to supplement, most recently have tried whimzies chews and he enjoys those. Based on my experience with Oxbow with my hamster Rasputin not touching it in the few months I've had him, I wouldn't reccomend it for roborovski diet personally. It's not worth buying it if they don't eat it 😂

[@kendall4060]

Ash Ley I would also feed them a high quality protein lab block like Mazuri Lab Blocks!

[@3DSPotter96]

Perdón, soy español, y entiendo inglés pero me cuesta expresarme 😅 ¿que les das a tus hámsters a parte del mix de semillas? No lo he entendido bien 😅

[@savannahclaborn8578]

look at this vidio its called (my hamster died today how to deal with your hamster dying) look at the cage i cried seeing the cage

[@MyHamsterAndMe]

When I started to watch this I dropped my phone in water and I saved my phone I would of commented earlier but yeah lol also love your videos !! Thanks for informing us all I have been looking for new food for my hammy

[@MissRei13]

I’ve heard mixed reviews for Oxbow hamster and gerbil. I was advised by PetSmart they only use Oxbow and that’s why I bought it for my little boys. I did some research and I noticed a lot of complaints that it causes (at least gerbils) their fur babies to use the washroom in excess. My first boy I noticed right away that he was going to the washroom a lot and I thought that was odd. I looked and felt the fibre was too high and not enough protein. I am switching all 3 over slowly to “The Power of 5” because it was the best my local store had. I’m considering just making my own food supply for them now that I cannot trust what the “professionals” say.

[@cheyspidle]

my local petstore uses oxbow, they recommended me the oxbow bc it was what they used, i bought it along with the higgins sunburst, once i added the higgins sunburst after they never ate the oxbow essentials again, i went over to another organic pellet and they ate it in moderation.

[@Cranklol2]

It's a damn shame some people in the animal care career field undermine and bully those who's care differs from the outdated information and care they provide. It is literally a vet assistant/nurse/doctor's job to inform, but to RESPECTFULLY LISTEN. Personally attacking the rescue for diet is a low blow.

[@oliviayeomans4568]

I bought a bag of Oxbow because of the profesional-looking diagram on the back on diet. I got a whole bag and don’t want to waste it. What kind of food should I supplement it with besides fruits and veggies?

[@MunchiesPlace]

Higgins and mazuri are good choices. And you can return the bag if you still have the receipt. Or else add it into a seed mix. The bags design is so professional. I actually love whoever designed it.

[@oliviayeomans4568]

Munchie's Place Thank you! I’ll see if I can find the receipt hanging around ☺️

[@kellygee5331]

i hope more people do their own research , my hammy whose name is Butter was a small girl even for a syrian , she wasnt eating as much as i thought she should, her coat was lackluster, but this was before i was aware that Oxbow wasnt the way to go, once i introduced her and started feeding her Sunburst ( plus added veggies , limited fruit and added protien ) her coat got so fluffy and long and shes continued to be an active fluffy girl even now at the age of 1.5 ❤️💕 i really truly believe that switching her has helped her so much. this video is great

[@chinchillagirl8125]

I own a chinchilla and I do use Oxbow for my chinchilla and he loves it but just because it works for chinchilla doesn’t mean it works for hamsters. I made this comment just to say I think it does work for chinchillas. You make very great hamsters videos

[@coralmiller7751]

Thank you for this information!! I did not know this wasn’t the best food. I feed this food to my Syrian. But never as a full diet. I only sprinkled a few on top of her seed mix. But I’m very glad to have this info!!

[@kendall4060]

Coral Miller Hi! I just wanted to say make sure you are not just feeding a seed mix because it is low in protein and high in fat and sugar and can lead to obesity! If you would like some more information, feel free to ask! ❤️

[@coralmiller7751]

Animal Haven it wasn’t the only thing I fed her but it was the biggest part in her diet. She actually just unfortunately just passed away a few days ago from old age. As far as I know she was extremely healthy. I plan to get another Syrian in the future but this time I am going to do even more research than I did before. I’d love some tips and information though! Thank you!

[@kendall4060]

Coral Miller Hi! so a hamsters diet should consist of a mixture of half Higgins Sunburst and half Mazuri Rat and Mouse diet. There are other ways to feed your hamster do course, but this is the most recommended diet! I mix these two together and then give them fresh vegetables. Here are some links to some good videos: m.kzbin.info/www/bejne/g3KvnaiXbpmoepo m.kzbin.info/www/bejne/bIDWmoWHZ51omMU

[@RoadRagePrincess]

I had to stop using oxbow for my guinea pigs. 2 of my guinea pigs have special dietary needs and the fillers were irritating them. I had mushy poop for weeks while we figured out what was wrong. Now we use Sherwood for them and haven’t had any issues. The guinea pigs look much healthier, maintaining good weight and much more active. This is good to know about oxbow and hamsters. I want to get hamsters again someday. That vet clinic has killed one of my guinea pigs and they were unsympathetic towards my loss. They were very pushy about putting down one of my girls and i got a second opinion. She’s btw is doing amazing due to me finding another vet. Thank you for sharing!

[@PepperTheHamster488]

Pease get the Guinea pig a friend they are highly social animals

[@RoadRagePrincess]

@@PepperTheHamster488I have 16 guinea pigs in my house. Everyone has a friend.

[@l0n3wolf89]

Question: What types/brands of food do you recommend? I see alot of people using Tiny Friend Farm-hamster food, but it lacks in protein, fat and fibre? I'm looking at either Versele-Laga Nature Hamster , or the Bunny Dwarfhamster Dream Expter (or the Basic-formula) The V-L one seems to be pretty good, but I feel so unsure! :-/ I do add mealworms, fresh fruit and vegetables a few times a week as a snack. Can I keep feeding the V-L or the Bunny-formula? or should I change?

[@danielmanqueros]

I've had hampsters for 3 years and I didnt know that THANK YOU!

[@pm6829]

Hi, I noticed that Oxbow has introduced a new food called Wise. Could you please provide a review of it? Thank you!

[@elyssaxxx8417]

My hammies get a seed mix supplemented with various other items. All 7 of my hammies have avoided pellets in their food like the plague. I have owned 5 chinese dwarf hamsters and currently have two robos.

[@fendermortensen]

I use some of the oxbow pellets so thanks for this info I'll definitely cut that out. A while ago before I knew much about hamsters people told me that it was a great food so I wish I double checked that sooner. However I have been mixing it with higgins sunburst and veggies so at least that wasn't my hamsters only food but I feel bad now for using it for so long. I'll look into those lab block things instead to add to his diet along with other foods in general :) And also that vet tech is horrible wow

[@swanspancakes]

I use that same food mix! Higgins Sunburst and Mazuri Lab Blocks!

[@ellacall1138]

Is it bad if I use oxbow with Higgins sunburst? It’s the only pellet I can get where I live so would it be better if just use sunburst and no pellets? Please help I want what’s best for my ham💕

[@MunchiesPlace]

Higgins Sunburst has a pellet mixed in with the seed mix for fiber. So adding more pellets to it wouldn't really be adding anything to it. However make sure you're adding more protein and veggies in to their diet as mentioned.

[@ellacall1138]

Munchie's Place ok thank you! And yeah that is just the main mix that I feed not her whole diet :)

[@susanadiaz2810]

que podes subir mas videos de casa de hamsters de tiny tales por favor

[@madimelton4336]

My hamster refuses to eat anything But the kaytee blocks. . . Hes been on it for a year and 2 months so far. I would mix seeds, but he is missing his front legs so he cant eat them.

[@cait9135]

What happened to his legs?

[@madimelton4336]

@@cait9135 He was housed with too many other male hamsters and they chewed them off.

[@MrSddhungan]

that potato awwwwwwwewa

[@heyimsosorry902]

This is very interesting I have used oxbow along with the Higgins sunburst seed mix for my hamsters. However I only have it because my grandmother actually sent it to me and I didn’t wanna let it go to waste after watching this video I will not use it anymore and I will try to wean the hamsters off of it. Thank you for the information. I will see if anything about their overall health changes after a while or see if I would recommend oxbow myself

[@unsealey]

i used to feed oxbow for a while for my rescue beans- and i just kept getting sudden youngster death that i just could not figure out. switched to another pellet- and the issue was gone. super shrugs!

[@Zexonyte]

I'm not sure about pellets, but I know that Oxbow is one of the preferred brands for hay for rabbits, which is the more important food for them anyway. Technically, pellets are optional for most rabbits, and are really only used as a supplement. But I do know that the hay tends to be one of the better brands.

[@nerdybitch1526]

This may sound like a stupid question but can a dwarf use a large Syrian size hamster wheel or do they need a dwarf size wheel?

[@MunchiesPlace]

Dwarfs can run on larger wheels so long as they don't have any trouble pushing it.

[@isabelladgriff]

I used oxbow guinea pig food when I had a Guinea Pig. (I gave my 2 piggies away to a loving home and they have a good cage size with fleece, tons of chew toys, lots of hay and water, but they eat oxbow pellets.)

[@eyeisspn727]

Hi do you know how the rat food is I havent watch yet but I have that food for adult rats