Creating Frozen Peanut Butter and Oat Treats
Add 2 g (0.071 oz) of oats and 5 g (0.18 oz) of peanut butter in a bowl. Before you buy the peanut butter, read the label on the back. Get all-natural smooth peanut butter with no additives. Measure the ingredients with a measuring cup and put them in a large bowl. The oats should stick to the surface of the peanut butter. Added sodium, sugars, and artificial ingredients could be harmful to your hamster and should be avoided. Crunchy peanut butter may be a choking hazard to your hamster. All-natural peanut butter is also sometimes called organic peanut butter or peanut spread.
Measure and pour 60 g (2.1 oz) of wheat flour in the bowl. The flour will bind the ingredients and help create the right consistency in the treats. You can also use all-purpose flour to create the treats, but it isn't as healthy for the hamster.
Add ⁄4 c (59 ml) of water and stir until the mixture forms a paste. The water will loosen up the mixture and make it easier to mix the ingredients together. The mixture should thicken up into a paste with a consistency like oatmeal. If the mixture is thicker than oatmeal, add more water. If the mixture is watery, add more flour.
Pour the paste in a sealable plastic bag. Tip the bowl out into the bag and seal it so that the mixture doesn’t spill out. You’ll use this plastic bag to pipe the treats into bite-sized pieces.
Cut the corner of the bag and squeeze dime sized treats onto wax paper. Use a scissor to cut the corner of the plastic bag filled with the mixture and make a dime-sized hole. When you squeeze the bag, the mixture should come out of the hole.
Put the treats in the freezer for 2 hours. The freezer will harden the treats which will prevent the peanut butter from becoming sticky. Take the treats out of the freezer and peel them from the wax paper. You can store the leftover treats in the freezer for 3-6 months.
Making Peanut Butter and Banana Biscuits
Mash 1/2 banana, egg, and 84 g (3.0 oz) of peanut butter in a bowl. Mash up the banana so that it becomes liquid with a fork and mix it in with the peanut butter. Then, crack an egg and beat it into the mixture until all the ingredients are well incorporated. The egg will help keep the treat together.
Fold half of the flour into the mixture. Pour 60 g (2.1 oz) of the wheat flour into the banana, egg, and peanut butter mixture. Use a fork to fold the flour into the mixture. As you mix it together, it should start to thicken. You can also use all-purpose flour but it's not as good for the hamster.
Add the remaining flour and oats. Pour the rest of the wheat flour and oats in the mixture and continue mixing until all the ingredients are well incorporated. The texture of the solution should resemble clay or play dough. If the mixture is too watery add more wheat flour.
Knead the dough for 5-10 minutes. Remove the dough from the bowl and lay it out on a cutting board. Press down on the dough with your fingers and form it into a large ball, making sure that the oats are well-incorporated. It may be slightly difficult to incorporate the oats since they are larger. Kneading the dough will help mix them in better.
Form the dough into dime-sized biscuits. Peel off a dime sized piece of the dough and roll it into a ball. Place the ball on a baking sheet and continue making treats until you’re out of dough. This will be the size of the biscuit, so make sure that it isn’t too big so that your hamster can nibble on it.
Cook the biscuits for 20-30 minutes on 300 °F (149 °C). Preheat your oven to ensure an even cook on the biscuits. Place the tray into the oven and wait for 20-30 minutes. The biscuits should harden turn golden brown. Wait for the biscuits to completely cool off before giving them to your hamster. You can store the biscuits for up to 2 weeks in a sealed jar in your pantry.
Feeding Treats to Hamsters Safely
Place the treats on a flat surface so your hamster can eat them. The hamster should start nibbling on the treat as soon as you put it down. Watch the hamster eat the treat to make sure that it doesn’t try to store it in its pouch.
Feed your hamster 1-2 treats per day at maximum. Peanut butter is filled with unsaturated fat and protein which is good for your hamster in moderation. Too much peanut butter could cause your hamster to each too much fat, which is unhealthy for it. It might be tempting to feed your hamster more treats, but it’s best for its health if you don’t.
Remove any leftover treats from the cage. Peanut butter is sticky and will go bad over time. Since hamsters have a tendency to hide food in their pouch, removing leftover treats will prevent the food from sticking to their fur and going bad. If you plan on giving your hamster plain peanut butter, make sure to spread it thinly on a flat surface so that it has to lick it off and can’t store it in its pouch.
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