Supplemental Fish Pellets

Fish pellets make a great holiday gift for your pet fish. If you are feeding your fish a fair amount of live or naturally occurring food, you can make a useful supplementary feed. It is advised to make a small amount first, to ensure the pellets float and the taste is appealing to your fish.

Ingredients 

Fish, beef hearts, bloodworms, or white cheese to help with binding

Assorted veggies and fruits

Garlic

Directions 

Descale the fish.

Boil the beef hearts and bloodworms.

Wash the veggies and fruits.

Peel the garlic and press it.

Mix ingredients with a hand grinder or blender until a fairly stiff paste is made. (If not stiff enough, add more fish or meat.)

Adapt a caulking gun or a device in fancy pastry prep to squirt this material out in a bead of the appropriate diameter.

Bake the resulting “toothpaste-like material” in an oven until hardens.

Chop or break into pellets.

Store in dry place in airtight container (lasts approximately 6 months).

Peanut Butter Delights

For a winter surprise, these peanut butter delights will delight your hamster in the coldest weather!

Ingredients

1 c. whole wheat flour

1 T crunchy reduced-fat peanut butter

1 T honey

⅓ c. water

Directions 

Preheat oven to 250°F.

Grease cookie sheet.

Mix ingredients with a blender.

Shape into ½-inch balls and place on cookie sheet. (They don’t spread so place close together).

Bake 45 minutes.

Leave in oven until the treats are dried out and crunchy.

Sweet Potato Biscuit Treats

Sweet potatoes are a great source of vitamins (Vitamin A and Vitamin C) and minerals (manganese, copper, and potassium) for your dog. They are high in fiber and low in fat, too. They are easy to make when you are baking for that special Thanksgiving meal for your family and relatives. The only ingredient is a sweet potato!

Ingredients

One sweet potato

Directions 

Preheat oven to 350°F.

Peel and mash the potato in a large bowl.

Stir until dough forms.

Roll dough into small balls and place on cookie sheet lined with parchment paper.

Press down slightly so the biscuits are about ¼ inch thick.

Bake until golden brown and let cool on a wire rack.

Easy-Peasy Sweet Treat – Thanksgiving

Your hamster brings so much joy, so be thankful for such a pet. Offer a treat to show your appreciation.

Ingredients 

Oats

Seeds

Honey

Directions 

Mix oats and seeds in a bowl.

Add honey until mixture becomes doughy.

Place the sticky mix on a tray and press flat or use cookie cutters and cut into different shapes.

Place in refrigerator for a few hours (until hardened).

Gravy Tops It All Off

This tasty tuna-flavored gravy reduces the risk of poisoning from mercury and other toxins found in other fish. Add it to any cat food for a yummy flavor.

Ingredients

½ c. liquid from canned tuna

2 c. vegetable broth

1 T pre-hydrated flavorless and sugar-free gelatin

1 T coconut oil

Directions

Add the tuna liquid, coconut oil, and broth to a pan or pot.

After boiling, add gelatin and stir.

Turn down the heat and simmer until it forms a loose paste or thick gravy.

Serve on your favorite cat’s food.

Homemade Peanut Butter Pumpkin Treats

Halloween and pumpkins go hand-in-hand. So when you pick out a pumpkin for carving, you can choose another one to make these dog treats. No tricks just treats!

Ingredients

1 c. pumpkin

2 eggs

½ c. oats (optional if your dog is on a grain-free diet, substitute an extra ¼ c. grain free flour)

3 c. whole wheat, brown rice, or gluten-free flour

3 T all-natural peanut butter

½ tsp. cinnamon (optional)

½ tsp. of salt to help extend the shelf life (optional)

Directions 

Preheat oven to 350°F.

Stir the flour, oats, and cinnamon in a small bowl.

Whisk the eggs, pumpkin, and peanut butter until combined in a separate large bowl. Stir the ingredients until the batter is dry.

Pour onto a floured surface and roll dough out to ½ inch thick. Cut out treats using a cookie cutter.

Bake for 30 to 35 minutes until golden brown.

Place on cooling racks and let cool thoroughly. They will harden as they cool.

A Cornucopia of Flakes (Fruits and Vegetables)

With all of the fruits and vegetables available this time of year, why not try your hand at making some healthy fish flakes?

Ingredients

Leafy greens (Spinach, Kale, Chard, Romaine lettuce, Sushi seaweed)

Vegetables (broccoli, carrots, and peas)

Fruits (apples and pears)

Fish (trout, cod, salmon, tuna, tilapia)

Directions 

Rinse the greens.

Parboil the vegetables and fruits.

Descale the fish but leave the bones.

Place all ingredients into a blender or food processor.

Pulse until the mixture reaches an even consistency.

Strain the mixture. Using a spatula, squeeze the mixture through a medium-fine mesh. (This removes the large pieces of bone or veggies that are too big for the fish to eat.)

Cover large baking trays with wax or parchment paper. Pour the refined mixture onto the sheets and spread into a thin layer (⅛-¼ inch thick).

Place in oven at 150°F and allow to dry (3-4 hours) or until mixture is crumbly.

Break the large sheets with your hands into the desired size.

Store in dark cool environment in an airtight container. (The food will be good for one year.)

Apple Carrot Treats

Apples are a great source of fiber, high in Vitamin C, and have a natural sweetness to help balance a dog’s blood sugar. Carrots are low fat and low calorie. They are nutrient-rich for a healthy skin and coat, and also for vision health.

Ingredients 

1 apple

1 carrot

1 egg

1 T melted coconut oil

1 T molasses or maple syrup

2 c. almond flour

1 c. oat flour

Directions 

Preheat oven to 350°F.

Peel the apple, remove and discard the core, and shred the apple.

Peel and shred the carrot.

Add the shredded apple and carrot, egg, melted coconut oil, and molasses (or maple syrup) to a large bowl.

Stir the wet ingredients.

Mix the almond flour and oat flour together in a bowl.

Add the flour mixture to the apple carrot mixture. Combine well.

Roll dough into small balls and place on a cookie sheet lined with parchment paper.

Press down slightly so the treats are about ¼ inch thick. (Or use cookie cutters to cut the dough. Place dough on a floured surface and use a rolling pin to roll out the dough, or use a pizza cutter to cut square and rectangular treats.)

Bake until golden brown (about 20-25 minutes) and let cool on a wire rack.