When you hear organic, most people realize it’s probably the best choice. But do you know why your pet’s food should be organic? Here’s just a few of many reasons.

Helps Keep Your Pet Healthy

Organic pet food generally contains higher-quality proteins that your pet needs to thrive. Instead of additives and growth hormones, they are more likely to have only the healthy nutrients your pet should be eating regularly. Keeping your pet healthy means he or she will probably live a much longer, happier life.

It Tastes Better

In order to be effective, your pet’s food has to taste good or they won’t eat it. Many pets enjoy the taste of organic foods much better than the alternative, as it’s closer to what they would eat in the wild.

It’s More Cost-Effective

Buying organic food now can save you money later. Healthier pets are more likely to have less vet visits and not as many health issues.

You Should Know What Your Pet is Eating

Organic pet food labels are often simpler to read with only all-natural ingredients. This means you can tell what your pet is getting by reading the label and avoiding hard-to-pronounce (and digest) unhealthy additives.

Hamsters are already considered one of the most green pets to have. But that doesn't mean you can't take it a step further and be even more green with your hamster's care. Our family is always looking for more ways to be green and save money. As such, we've figured out many ways to be green in the care of our fur babies (aka family pets). Our hamsters are spoiled, but in the greenest ways we know.

Use recycled or recyclable bedding.

This can be bought in the store or made at home. If you use a paper shredder at home, don't throw the paper in the trash. Put it in your hamster's cage as bedding instead. They'll enjoy playing in it and it will reduce waste, as well as save you money on store-bought bedding. If you do go store-bought, most hamster bedding will be green to a certain extent, but if it can be recycled or has been made from recycled materials, it's even better.

Edible hideaways offer shelter and reduce waste.

Hamsters love to sleep and hide in various shelters. Dual purpose shelters made for eating or chewing are greener than those made from plastic. Once the plastic ones wear out or are no longer used, into the landfill they go. But if you purchase chewable or edible hideaways, your hamster will most likely devour much or all of the material before it goes to the waste bin. Because it's edible, what's left is most likely biodegradable, unlike plastic.

Use chew toys that double as treats.

Your hamster needs something to chew on in order to keep his teeth healthy. Chew toys like alfalfa sticks and small twigs are great for this because they double as a treat. That way, there is little to none left to throw away when they finish with it. You may have to experiment with a few different edible chew toys to see what your hamster likes best.

Keep a small catch dish under your hamster's water bottle.

Even properly installed water bottles will drip from time to time, especially during or right after use. Keeping a small dish underneath prevents the bedding from getting wet. This reduces the frequency of cage cleanings, thereby reducing the amount of bedding being used. Also be sure the bottle is properly secured and working correctly. A leaky water bottle not only wastes water, but causes too much dampness in your hamster's cage. This can lead to mold if not changed often enough and a high waste of bedding if changed accordingly.

Make homemade treats.

Not only will your hamster enjoy fresh treats, but you'll reduce plastic and transportation waste that comes from store-bought treats. Just be sure to get approval from your hamster's vet to make sure the homemade treats are safe. Here's a recipe on homemade vegetable bread snacks for hamsters.

*I originally published a version of this via Yahoo Contributor Network

by Lyn Lomasi, Write W.A.V.E. Media Staff

Is your hamster extra special? Of course! Do you want to show your hamster some extra love by providing treats? Which should you use? Store bought or homemade? Depending on the type of treat, we like to give our hamsters mainly homemade treats. But there are a few store bought treats we prefer as well. So, which ones are best for your hamster?

Vanity treats may contain little nutrition. Just like store-bought treats for humans can be bad, the same can be true with hamster treats. Those colorful small animal treats packaged to mock assorted human treats could be very bad for your little critter. Remember that the more colorful the treat, the more dyes were likely used to create it. Also consider the texture. Is the substance natural? Sure these treats may smell and look good. But are they really the best choice for your hamster?

Watch the ingredients. The only ingredients that should be in your hamster's treats are those that come from nature. There is no reason to give hamsters chemical or sugar-induced treats. Not all hamsters have the same dietary needs. Ask your vet for a list of foods that are appropriate for your hamster. Read the labels of store-bought treats. Also watch what you put into homemade treats. Any treat containing anything other than what's on that list should be avoided.

Fruity treats may sound good, but could be bad. Especially avoid sugar, even in some fruits, if you have dwarf hamsters. Fruit should be limited to an occasional treat in many hamsters. But dwarf hamsters are most susceptible to diabetes. There are only certain fruits that dwarf hamsters should have access to and those should only be given on a limited basis. Many store-bought hamster treats contain fruit ingredients that could be dangerous to your pet.

Can my hamster have hay? Timothy and alfalfa are common hays given as treats to small animals. Should hamsters have hay? Yes. Hay is safe for most hamsters. Though again, you should consult with your hamster's vet for proper nutrition geared toward that animal. Each animal has its own needs. Obviously in this instance, store-bought hay as a treat makes more sense than growing and drying it yourself. Small animals do not consume enough for harvesting your own to make sense.

Stick to natural-looking treats. One rule of thumb that we always follow with both homemade and store-bought treats is sticking to authentic snacks. If we go store-bought, our hamsters will get things like natural trail mix formulated for hamster diets, dried vegetables, and other things that are not altered. Store-bought does not necessarily mean a treat is bad. But when you are not hand-picking each ingredient yourself, you just need to be more cautious for the health and safety of your pet.

*Information herein is based on the author's personal experiences as a hamster owner and is not meant to replace the advice of a professional. Always consult an appropriately-licensed animal care specialist for the health of your animals.

*I originally published this via Yahoo Contributor Network

by Lyn Lomasi, Write W.A.V.E. Media Staff

If your family is like ours, the hamsters may be close by no matter what you are doing. This could lead you to wondering if the hamsters can share a snack or a meal with you. Can hamsters eat people food? If so, what kind, how much, and how often can they do this? Is it safe for your hamster to eat people food? Yes and no. There are only certain kinds of people food they can eat and some are even poisonous.

What is a proper diet for my hamster? Hamsters need to eat a diet that consists mainly of dry rodent pellets. These are generally found anywhere pet foods are sold. In addition, a healthy dose of various seeds and grains is recommended. Seeds should not be the only diet and should be limited as compared to the pellets. This is because many nuts and seeds, such as sunflower seeds, are high in fat and can be detrimental to your hamster in unhealthy doses. Hamsters can also be given diced apples, carrots, dark greenery, and other vegetables as an occasional supplement. Hamsters also need to have fresh supply of water at all times.

Can I feed my hamster some of my table scraps? Most of the time, the answer to this will be no. Hamsters certainly cannot eat your spaghetti (even though the cheese topping may smell good). Althoughthey can eat whole grain wheat pasta by itself. They also cannot consume many items from your fruit plate. Many dwarf hamsters are susceptible to diabetes. Therefore, most fruits cannot be given to them. Those they can eat, like apples, must be given only in moderation. Never give hamsters grapesor citrus fruits. If your dinner roll is made from fresh whole grains, your hamster can have a nibble or two.

Which people foods are appropriate for hamsters? The only people foods hamsters should be eating include apples, nuts, seeds, grains, fresh dark greens,fresh bell peppers, fresh green beans, fresh carrots, and a few other vegetables. Keep in mind though, that this should not be their only diet. As was mentioned above, hamsters should diet mainly on rodent pellets, which have the proper balance of high protein that meets their needs. Some cheeses are fine now and then in moderation and in small amounts. A hamster will certainly take the people food at any time. But that doesn't mean they need it. Talk to your veterinarian for the exact diet that is appropriate for your hamster. Each hamster will be different, based on breed and individual nutritional needs.

Can I make homemade treats for my hamster? Of course. But take care in the ingredients used and how often you are feeding the treats to the hamster. Treats should be just that. A hamster who eats more treats than food can quickly develop malnutrition. If you have a food dehydrator, hamsters can enjoy dried fruits and vegetables in moderation. You can also make them ahomemade vegetable pretzel treat that my kids and I invented for our hamsters. It's actually so tasty, you may want to eat some too!

*Always contact a licensed veterinarian for the health of your animals. The information above is not meant to replace the advice of a qualified professional and is derived solely from the author's own personal experiences.

*I originally published this via Yahoo Contributor Network

by Lyn Lomasi, Write W.A.V.E. Media Staff

Looking for the perfect gift for a hamster lover in your life? There are plenty of gifts out there for cat and dog owners. But there doesn't seem to be much creativity in the way of gifts for hamster owners. Because the kids and I spoil our hamsters, I am often thinking of new things they will enjoy. Perhaps my creativity will help you give a special gift to your favorite hamster owner. These homemade hamster treats in pouches will be adorable to the pet owner. What's inside will please the hamster.

Preparation - Before assembling the gift, you will need to gather materials and ingredients. You will need a small drawstring pouch bag and ingredients to prepare homemade hamster treats. You will also need a small piece of cardstock to print (or write) the recipe onto. That way, the hamster's owner can prepare the treats again if the hamster enjoys them.

Ingredients needed for homemade hamster treats - Get all the ingredients for your favorite homemade bread recipe. This will generally be flour, yeast, and water. Make sure you have enough to prepare half the normal recipe for making a loaf of bread. You will also need ¼ cup pureed carrots and ¼ cup pureed green beans. You can also add crushed sesame seeds or sunflower kernels.

Making homemade hamster treats - Prepare the bread dough as normal. Remember to cut the recipe in half. Now take half of that dough and knead in the pureed carrots. Add extra flour as needed to keep proper consistency. Set that to the side. Knead the pureed green beans into the other half. Again, add flour as needed. Now take a rolling pin and flatten the dough to about ¼ inch thickness. Take a knife and cut thin strips. Then, cut those into sections until you end up with many thin strips that are about ¼ inch wide and a few inches long. Bake these pieces in the oven on 350F until lightly crisp. Let them cool.

Packaging the homemade hamster treats as a gift - Once the hamsters treats have cooled, put a blend of both the orange-colored (carrot) and green colored (green bean) treats inside the drawstring pouch bag. Punch a hole in the corner of the cardstock recipe card. Pull one of the drawstring cords through that hole to attach the card to the bag. Tie the drawstring around the bag once you tighten it.

*IMPORTANT: While many hamsters can safely eat breads and vegetables, not all of them will be tolerant of every bread or vegetable. Be sure you know the hamster's dietary needs before feeding. The author is not a veterinarian. Seek approval from the hamster's vet before trying any unfamiliar foods.

*I originally published this via Yahoo Contributor Network