Hamsters are popular pocket pets because of their adorable appearance, ease of care requirements and affectionate personality – making them popular “pocket pets.” However, to keep them in good health it’s crucial that their diet meets all life stages properly so they receive adequate nourishment throughout. Here is our ultimate list of food for hamsters!
Wild hamsters are omnivores, meaning that they eat both plant materials and insects for protein sources. When feeding time rolls around they tuck food away in their cheek pouches for easy transport back to their burrow for safe consumption – and it is undeniably adorable when your pet hamster displays this instinctive behavior even while in its cage!
Pet hamsters can enjoy eating pellets, seed mixes, fresh foods and treats from time to time. Their diet should consist primarily of high quality store-bought food designed specifically for them (rats mice or cats should not eat the same). But selecting such food from pet stores may be daunting – not only is their selection vast but once home you need to decide between fresh food options or treats too!
Here’s everything you should know about feeding hamsters, including commercial products and fresh foods suitable for them, as well as foods they should avoid.
Pelleted Hamster Foods
One of the easiest and most convenient ways to feed your hamster is with pelleted foods. Pelleted diets provide an all-inclusive balanced meal in every bite and are often recommended because of this feature. Pelleted diets come in various forms but usually resemble small biscuits, cookies or cereal pieces and most hamsters love chewing on them; their chewiness also prevents your pet from picking through it all looking for favorite dishes while rejecting others like seeds may do; unfortunately an entirely comprised diet made out of pellets might lead them reject them all and some will refuse them all before long enough!
To prevent that from occurring and ensure your pet receives a balanced diet, use pellets as the mainstay of their food while supplementing it with other, more appetizing options. Always read and follow package directions when giving food; generally speaking though, about 2-3 tablespoons should be offered per day.
Seeds for Hamsters
Hamsters enjoy eating an assortment of seeds, but can quickly select their favorites and reject others. Therefore, it may be best to feed your hamster a combination diet of pellets and loose seeds; or select a seed blend containing some pellets as part of its recipe. A high quality seed mix typically features grains, seeds, dried vegetables or fruits in addition to vitamins and minerals for optimal nutrition.
When feeding loose seed mix to your hamster, make sure the bowl is empty before offering more; otherwise it could result in nutritional deficit. Also ensure the mix has been designed specifically for hamsters (many such products cater both hamsters and gerbils), not other rodents or birds.
Adhere to package guidelines; as a general guideline, offer roughly 1/8 cup of seed mix each day.
Fresh Foods for Hamsters
Hamsters love fresh fruits and vegetables! As a general guideline, your hamster’s diet should consist of 75% pellets/seeds/treats with 20% being fresh foods; all the rest being pellets or seeds only.
Provide your pet with small bits of fresh, clean produce every day. Make sure the food has been cleaned before offering, and remove any uneaten food by the end of each day to prevent it from spoiling.
Some of the best fresh foods include greens like kale, dandelion greens, romaine lettuce, Swiss chard and raw spinach. Fruit is another tasty treat but be mindful not to overindulge in sweet stuff as this can lead to weight issues in pets. Spice up their diet several times each week by offering apples, bananas, berries grapes melons – while citrus should be avoided altogether!
Your hamster should receive a daily “salad” of fresh vegetables such as carrots, broccoli, cauliflower, cucumber, peas and squash (cooked potatoes are best), along with cooked potatoes (other vegetables should remain raw).
Feed Your Hamster Grains, Nuts and Protein
While pellets, seeds and fresh produce should make up the bulk of its diet, providing small bites of other foods every week will provide more natural diet for your pet and stave off boredom.
Most hamsters enjoy nibbling on nutritious whole-grain snacks like pieces of whole-grain toast, cereals and cooked pasta or rice dishes with no added sugars or sweeteners. Be wary of sweet cereals or breads which contain excessive amounts of added sugars!
Like other rodents, hamsters enjoy eating nuts. But this treat should only be provided once every week in small doses; and only unsalted varieties like peanuts, cashews and walnuts should be given; almonds should not be given due to potential health concerns for their tiny digestive system.
Hamsters often enjoy peanut butter as an occasional treat; however, its use should be handled carefully due to its potential for becoming lodged in their cheek pouches and causing serious health problems. A very thin layer on a piece of wood may suffice; otherwise it must only be given in small doses. Whenever giving peanut butter it must not include additional salt or sugar content.
Hamsters, like other rodents, require protein in their diets, and enjoy non-plant-based proteins such as scrambled or hard-boiled egg, dried mealworms or crickets or plain cooked chicken and turkey as treats from time to time. You can give your hamster an occasional treat of scrambled or hard-boiled egg; dried mealworms or crickets; or plain cooked chicken or turkey for special treats from time to time!