Oxbow Essentials Healthy Handfuls Hamster & Gerbil Food

I see a lot of people claim this product is completely nutritionally void for hamsters. This is untrue, the issue is just that hay is not as easy for a hamster to absorb nutrients from. I like to feed this in combination with other products to create a balanced diet. My hamster eats a mix of about 50% oxbow 50% Higgins seed mix, and a couple Mazuri lab blocks. This cuts down on him being able to pick through the seed mix and only eat what he likes (most hamsters wont eat the hay pellets in seed mix, which do contain essential nutrients, but these oxbow hay pellets seems more palatable to them) and the addition of the Mazuri blocks boosts the protein. I find this to be the best mix for I see a lot of people claim this product is completely nutritionally void for hamsters. This is untrue, the issue is just that hay is not as easy for a hamster to absorb nutrients from. I like to feed this in combination with other products to create a balanced diet. My hamster eats a mix of about 50% oxbow 50% Higgins seed mix, and a couple Mazuri lab blocks. This cuts down on him being able to pick through the seed mix and only eat what he likes (most hamsters wont eat the hay pellets in seed mix, which do contain essential nutrients, but these oxbow hay pellets seems more palatable to them) and the addition of the Mazuri blocks boosts the protein. I find this to be the best mix for making sure your hamster gets a complete diet :) … more

This is a great food for gerbils or hamsters, I've used it for both and tend to have long-lived and healthy rodent pets. Free of all the junk and cheaper additives of other commercial foods, I feel safe feeding this to my pets.

Most of this is made of timothy hay which hamsters don’t need and isn’t giving them the nutrients they need. Good hamster diets would be a mix like Higgins sunburst and mazuri rat and mouse lab block. Just join facebook groups guys

My Syrian Fancy Beat did not care for these. I even tried to mix them in with his seed food and he picked these out and tossed them aside. The pet store was feeding him these and recommended them. I guess when he got a taste of the seed mix there was no going back!

I've fed this food to my gerbil Oliver ever since I got him and he has always liked it, he gets really excited when he hears the bag. It lasts a long time and it isn't expensive which is a plus!

Ever since I saw that Chewy sold a 15lbs bag of Oxbow Hamster and Gerbil food, I started buying it in bulk! I currently have 9 hamsters, 4 gerbils and 2 mice that all LOVE this food! Chewy has saved me SO SO SO much money since I found this!

I have been involved in rescue for over a decade- hamsters are my specialty, I take in ones with medical and/or behavioral issues. Oxbow is the best food out there, hands down. My hamsters regularly live to be 3+ years old. I buy the 15 lb bag and it’s very affordable, I usually have between 3-6 hamsters at a time and it lasts over a month. I do supplement their diets with live mealworms and fruits/veggies.

For years I have been buying Oxbow for my hamsters. I recently bought the largest bag, of 15lbs and I definitely recommend everyone do the same. I was shocked to see that the bag was so large. I have three hungry hamsters, and they go through a bag of food (1lb) in about a month and a half, if not two months. This large back will last me for a year, easily. and I would recommend anyone who buys oxbow to stop getting the little bags and get the large 15lb+ bags. It is a great value and even if you do the math, 15lbs of the small bags equals out to $82.80. But the actual 15lb bag itself is $36.54. An automatic savings of $46.26! (As of this date 4/16/19) The same goes for any of the oxbow food For years I have been buying Oxbow for my hamsters. I recently bought the largest bag, of 15lbs and I definitely recommend everyone do the same. I was shocked to see that the bag was so large. I have three hungry hamsters, and they go through a bag of food (1lb) in about a month and a half, if not two months. This large back will last me for a year, easily. and I would recommend anyone who buys oxbow to stop getting the little bags and get the large 15lb+ bags. It is a great value and even if you do the math, 15lbs of the small bags equals out to $82.80. But the actual 15lb bag itself is $36.54. An automatic savings of $46.26! (As of this date 4/16/19) The same goes for any of the oxbow food for any small pet. Rabbits, Guinee pigs, Rats, Ferrets, you name it! I am buying the Large 25lb Rat food for my pet rat on my next purchase. Now if only they made the Garden select in the bulk packaging, then I'd be a happy rodent mom. … more

My gerbils love this food and it is one of the healthiest on the market for them. I only use seed as a treat

I bought this food for my hamster when I first got him, and used for my hamster after that and I’m going to use this Oxbow product for my next hamster. It is excellent pocket food for hamsters, as it is a good size to put in their pouches. Also, all of my hamsters loved this food and ALWAYS ate it when I refilled their food. The ingredients are very good and nutritious for your hamster or gerbil, its high in fiber and contains many vitamins and minerals. If you combine this food with dried herbs, seeds, occasional fruits, and fresh vegetables, you and you’re hammy or gerbil will be good to go!