What do hamsters eat? Are you looking for an ideal diet for your Hamster? Then I’m here to answer all your questions.
There are over 20 species of hamsters, of which only 5 species are common as pets. Hamsters are mistaken as herbivores, yet omnivores need a protein diet to keep them healthy.
Hamsters living in the wild eat a mix of plants and insects. At the same time, the pet hamsters eat fruits, fresh vegetables, nuts, seeds, commercial hamster food, and protein-packed treats like mealworms.
Hamsters love to hoard their food. They accumulate extra food in their cheeks and then store it around their cage for later.
Best Food for your Hamster
Hamsters are nocturnal animals, that’s why they eat at night. However, a Hamster’s diet must consist of the following:
15% – 25% Protein.
4% – 5% fat.
35% – 40% Carbohydrates.
5% crude fiber.
You can consult a vet to determine your Hamster’s caloric needs depending on size and health. Yet most Hamsters need a 1/8 – 1/3 cup of pallets daily.
A hamster’s diet should not only consist of seeds. However, seeds can be used to supplement a pallet diet or not given because Hamsters fed only on seeds are more likely to have nutritional deficiencies in vitamins and minerals, specifically vitamin E and calcium.
The seed food is also high in sugar and fat and can cause painful problems with the Hamster’s teeth and put on the Hamster’s weight.
So what should you include in the hamster diet?
What do hamsters eat?
The Hamster’s ideal diet should include the following:
A small number of fresh vegetables and fruits.
Commercial hamster pallet.
Treats like boiled eggs, mealworms, and nuts.
Access to clean and fresh water. A hamster drinks approximately 10 ml of water per 100 g daily. Provide water to your furry friend with a metal sipper tube in a water bottle.
Timothy hay is a type of hay full of fiber and ideal for pets.
What you should feed your hamsters
Hamsters can also eat human foods. Make sure you properly wash the food items (fruits, vegetables, or herbs) before feeding them to your hamster.
Below here is a list of Healthy fruits vegetables and herbs that are suitable for your hamster but just as an occasional treat feed them only a small amount per day. Fruit:
Pear.
Apple.
Melon.
Peach.
Lychees.
Papayas.
Banana.
Cherries (Seedless) and blueberries.
Dates.
Apricots.
Grapes.
Strawberries.
Squash.
Citrus fruits like orange, lemon, Lime, Pineapple, and grapefruit.
Almonds.
Spicy foods (Onion & Garlic)
Sugary or Salty Foods that can cause obesity or harm hamster’s teeth.
Avocado.
Chocolate.
Rhubarb leaves.
Raw potatoes.
Apple seeds.
Any junk food.
Hamsters love to chew & gnaw:
Hamsters love to chew things! Actually, they need to. Hamsters have healthy teeth that grow very quickly and chewing the right kind of things stops them from getting overgrown.
It also keeps hamsters busy to stop them from getting bored. However, all chew toys are not good for animals.
Wood is the most natural chewing material. So before you give hamster softwood branches to chew bake them for about an hour on low flame. And after a good wash, you can give them to your hamster.
You can offer the following woods to your hamster.
Apple.
Elm and Red Elm.
Pear.
Poplar.
Willow.
Yucca.
Hazelnut.
Dogwood.
Hawthorn.
Grape and Grapevine.
Quince.
Moreover, hamsters also love to shred and chew things like:
Cardboard.
Hay cubes.
Seagrass.
Coconut Shells.
Pumice stone.
Unbleached loofah.
You can also give your small fellow paper towel rolls and dog biscuits (free of garlic) for chewing. Hard, crunchy treats help them grind their teeth. So make sure you offer them something good to chew to remove the temptation of the cage bars.
FAQs:
1What is a hamster’s favorite food?
Hamster’s favorite food includes toasted bread, cheese, cooked beans, carrots, apples, pears, dog biscuits (free of garlic), Dandelion greens, and other leafy vegetables.
2What do hamsters eat naturally?
Hamsters in the wild eat a mix of plants and insects, like grains, grasses, seeds, etc.
3What is a hamster’s favorite treat?
A Hamster’s favorite treat is the food they eat in the wild. It can be greens, fresh vegetables, or protein-packed treats like mealworms.
4Can hamsters eat yogurt?
Yogurt is a dairy product, and a dairy product is fine to feed your Hamster.
5Can hamsters eat strawberry yogurt?
Yogurt is fine to feed your Hamster, but any yogurt other than the natural one can be harmful. Feeding your Hamster, yogurt that contains fruits or other ingredients can be harmful.
6How much food should you feed a hamster?
Hamsters need 1 – 2 teaspoons of dry food daily in the morning or the evening. Additionally, feed them a small portion of fruits, nuts, fresh vegetables, or protein every day or other day.
7What can hamsters drink?
Hamsters should only drink clean and fresh water so that they can stay hydrated.
8How long can a hamster live without food?
Hamsters only survive around 3 – 4 days without any food and water. That is because you may be unaware of the food they have hidden in their cage for times of famine and drought.
9What is the average monthly cost of hamster food?
Hamsters consume little food, on average 1 – 2 spoons per day. It means a hamster pallet bag can last for several months. It indicated that a hamster diet costs no more than 5 – 10 $ a month and 50$ a year.
Written by
Olivia Moore
Olivia is a freelance writer and pet enthusiast who writes articles on animals to help owners and their pets live their life in the best way. She resides in Australia and is currently doing her master’s degree in wildlife biology. Besides her studies, she has found a new love for working online and writing about animals. She is passionate about creating awareness about pets. Her mission is to write content on their health issues and the best ways to make their pets content. She loves to write about animals of all types but her specialties are dogs, cats, and birds.
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