As we know that you want to give your hamster the best life possible, a key element is the food. That’s why we have prepared in this post a series of tips that will help you give your hamster a complete and balanced diet. Attention!
How to Properly Feed a Hamster?
Most of the time, hamsters do not need many different types of food. However, they will need a balanced diet to meet their nutritional needs, and you should offer them foods rich in protein, fiber, vitamins and minerals.
Grains, seeds, fruits and vegetables are essential foods for hamsters to have the energy they need, especially at night. Hamsters are nocturnal animals, so they spend most of their energy after the sun goes down.
However, depending on the time of year, hamsters’ diets can vary. In winter, with low temperatures and few hours of sunlight, some hamsters tend to hibernate. It is therefore important to provide your pet with fatty and tasty food at all times, as it needs to warm up and maintain a good body temperature. During this period, your hamster will be inactive and will need a higher caloric intake.
What Fruits Can Hamsters Eat?
- The fruits that hamsters can eat are: apple, pear, strawberry, banana, cherry, blueberry, peach, plum, grape, blackberry, raspberry (and its leaves), melon and mango.
What Vegetables Can Hamsters Eat?
- Some of the vegetables that hamsters can eat are: romaine lettuce, carrots, broccoli, spinach, artichokes and any other dark green vegetable.
Prohibited Foods for Hamsters
Hamsters have delicate bodies, so the foods that your pet cannot be fed under any circumstances are the following:
- Fruits like apple seeds, citrus fruits (tangerine or orange, lemon, lime), grape seeds, avocado. Also bones such as apricot or watermelon.
- Vegetables that contain starch, and certain vegetables such as eggplant, tomatoes and their leaves, onions, chives and leeks.
- Meat, except in small quantities, boiled chicken from time to time.
- Other foods such as fried foods, sweets, and candies. Also, avoid foods containing lactose, as they usually do not digest it properly.
It is true that nuts and certain foods, such as pipes and sunflower seeds, are part of a hamster’s diet, but it should be kept in mind that these are high-fat foods, the amount of which must be controlled to prevent diseases such as obesity.
What Can You Give Hamsters?
- Cereals and seeds: The best thing to do is to offer a high-quality mix of hamster-specific food (between 10 and 15 g per day) as the basis of his daily menu.
- Fruits and vegetables: Your hamster will appreciate a fresh vegetable from time to time as a supplement, yes, give him a small piece and what he does not eat, remove it from his cage after a while.
- Food that is difficult to gnaw: Hamsters love to gnaw, they are not called rodents for nothing! So if you give him a bar from time to time, it will be the ideal complement to his diet.
- Proteins: Proteins can come from insects (bought in specialized stores), ground meat cooked without fat, eggs, cheese or yogurt. As always in small doses and alternating days, without these foods becoming the basis of his diet.
Remember that fresh water and a balanced diet are always important, so making a sudden change in your hamster’s diet is not recommended, as it may cause stress. If you change his diet according to your veterinarian’s instructions, do it gradually.
You will be surprised to know that your hamster will not overeat, and that it is not necessary to give him an exact portion of food, he will eat according to his needs.