You can also feed your hamster timothy hay and occasional treats like mealworms, boiled eggs, and nuts. There are various types of foods you can feed your hamster. The best kind is pelleted foods as they will have the same nutrients with every bite.
- A compound pellet ration or mixture of different seeds formulated to meet their needs.
- Small quantities of greens, cleaned root vegetables and pieces of fruit such as apples. Don't give them grapes or rhubarb, as these can be poisonous to rodents.
What fruits and vegetables are safe to feed hamsters?
- Pear – Pears are thought to be healthy and digestible for hamsters. ...
- Although many hamsters don’t like to eat it, it is still healthy and safe for Syrian hamsters. ...
- Apple – Apart from the dry palettes, you can feed Apple to your Syrian hamster in a small quantity as a treat.
- Apricot – Dried Apricot and its stone/seed should be avoided. ...
What food do hamsters like best?
The following foods are safe for your hamster to eat:
- Broccoli
- Cauliflower
- Kale
- Cucumbers
- Celery
- Bok choy
- Sweet potatoes (should be removed of their skins before feeding, as molds can flourish in the skins and cause digestive tract upset and other ailments)
- Apples
- Cherries
- Strawberries
What foods are safe for hamsters?
Other human foods that are safe for hamsters
- Apples
- Bananas
- Blueberries
- Figs
- Pears
- Strawberries
- Watermelon
What are foods that hamsters Cant eat?
Dangerous foods for hamsters
- Bitter Almonds. If you get your hands on bitter almonds, the effects could be deadly. ...
- Unwashed Vegetables. It doesn’t matter what kind of vegetable we’re talking about here. ...
- Peppers, Garlic, and Onions. ...
- Tomatoes. ...
- Potatoes and Beans. ...
- Processed sugary Foods. ...
- Chips and Other Junk Food. ...
- Peanuts. ...
- Fatty Meats. ...
- 13. ...
What human food do hamsters eat?
What Human Foods Can Hamsters Eat?Sugarless breakfast cereals or grains.Greens.Seeds.Carrots.Apples.Raisins.Peas.Pepper.More items...•
What should I feed my hamster every day?
A hamster should have fresh, unspoiled food offered every day. Hamsters do hoard food, so an empty bowl does not have to be topped up. However, be sure she has food offered daily in the form of a commercial food, fresh fruit and vegetables, and an occasional treat.
What should you not feed hamsters?
Foods You Should Not Feed HamstersApple seeds.Raw beans.Raw potatoes.Almonds.Citrus fruit.Garlic.Onions.Rhubarb leaves or raw rhubarb.More items...•
What is a hamster's favorite treat?
Hamsters love apples, pears, strawberries, blueberries, grapes and bananas. Fruit should be offered in moderation, as a supplement to their regular pelleted diet.
What can hamsters drink?
Hamsters should only drink water. Water provides them with all they need to survive and stay hydrated, and there really is no other substitute. Whether you give your hamster tap water or filtered bottled water depends on the quality of the tap water where you live.
What food kills hamsters instantly?
Beyond the high-fat content and choking hazard, many fruit seeds contain trace amounts of a lethal poison called cyanide. Although we can eat them, usually accidentally, these seeds often have enough to kill a hamster. These include apple, cherry, and pear seeds, among others.
How many carrots can you give a hamster?
Hamsters love feeding on carrots, but because they are high in sugar, the best amount of carrot to feed to your hamster is half to one teaspoon every one or two days. Feeding it half a teaspoon is sufficient to meet its requirements.
What snacks can I feed my hamster?
The best treats for hamsters are foods that are similar to what they might eat in the wild. Fresh (rinsed with water) veggies are good, and examples include carrots, squash, broccoli, cauliflower, cucumber, romaine lettuce, spinach and other greens.
How much should I feed my hamster a day?
The amount that you feed your hamster largely depends on their weight and age, but in general, a hamster will eat around 2 tablespoons of food mix per day. Smaller hamsters, such as Dwarf varieties, will only need around 1 tablespoon per day.
How often should you give hamsters fresh food?
The recommended serving for fresh foods (listed below) is not more than two servings per day, one fruit/veggie and one protein/other per day, especially for smaller breeds of hamsters such as winter white, dwarves and robos.
Can I overfeed my hamster?
In the wild, a hamster can be quite a pest, hiding up to 60 pounds of grain in underground stores for winter. While a hamster with his cheeks full may be hard to resist, try to avoid overfeeding your hamster. The food he stores may soon become moldy if he urinates on it to mark it as his own.
How long can hamsters go without eating?
Most hamsters can survive for around 3-4 days without any food or water. That's because in the wild, hamsters are typically desert animals who will stash away resources for times of famine and drought, which means they likely already have some food hidden in their cage that you're not aware of!
Feeding Your Hamster: General Guidelines
The easiest and safest approach to feeding your hamster is to go with a complete meal that you can find at a pet or store. “I recommend one of the...
Can Hamsters Eat Carrots?
Carrots are safe for hamsters to eat, however, they should be given in moderation, said Dr. Carol Osborne, owner of Chagrin Falls Veterinary Center...
Can Hamsters Eat Tomatoes?
Tomatoes are members of the nightshade family and un-ripened tomatoes, along with the plant’s stems and leaves, contain tomatine, a solanum alkaloi...
What Other Fruits and Vegetables Can Hamsters Eat?
The following foods are safe for your hamster to eat: 1. Broccoli 2. Cauliflower 3. Kale 4. Cucumbers 5. Celery 6. Bok choy 7. Sweet potatoes (shou...
What Shouldn’T You Feed Your hamster?
While it may seem like you can give a hamster just about anything, there are some foods to steer clear of, including: 1. Apple seeds and skins 2. G...
What to feed hamsters?
[2] Leftovers can rot, contaminating the cage. Good vegetables to feed your hamster include: turnips, carrots, chicory, spinach, parsley, pumpkin, endive, cauliflower, broccoli, green beans, and asparagus.
How to keep hamsters from knocking over water?
Purchase a water bottle. Hamsters are liable to knock over a water dish, creating sanitary problems. At the pet store purchase a bottle that can hang on your hamster’s cage. Refill regularly with bottled water. Be sure to clean the water bottle at least once a week.
What does it mean when a hamster is feeding in the morning?
Feeding in the evening, when the hamster is awake and most active, means that she has access to food when it's freshest. Feeding in the morning means she has access to food for a snack when she wakes sporadically during the day.
How to keep hamsters from scratching plastic?
2. Purchase a small ceramic bowl. Hamsters can scratch up plastic bowls, creating crevices which foster the growth of bacteria. A small bowl is preferable to a large one, because it will leave space in the cage for your hamster to play.. Place the bowl at the opposite side of the cage from your hamster’s bathroom area.
How to tell if a hamster is obese?
Monitor your hamster's weight. Because they have so much extra skin, it can be difficult to tell when a hamster is becoming obese. A Syrian should weight approximately one ounce per inch of length. Also, if your hamster appears slow and sluggish, it is possible you should modify its diet.
Do hamsters need to be washed?
Support wikiHow by unlocking this expert answer. No. Hamsters are fastidious creatures and keep themselves clean, so they usually don't need to be washed. There are also risks associated with bathing a hamster, such as his inhaling water, drowning, or catching a chill.
Can hamsters eat sunflower seeds?
After a few weeks, slowly transition it to a different food source, should you choose to. If you are feeding your hamster a seed mix, make sure that it does not only eat the sun flower seeds. Hamsters prefer these, but they will not satisfy all of your hamster’s nutritional needs. ...
What to feed hamsters?
The following foods are safe for your hamster to eat: 1 Broccoli 2 Cauliflower 3 Kale 4 Cucumbers 5 Celery 6 Bok choy 7 Sweet potatoes (should be removed of their skins before feeding, as molds can flourish in the skins and cause digestive tract upset and other ailments) 8 Apples 9 Cherries 10 Strawberries 11 Raspberries 12 Peaches 13 Mango 14 Cantaloupe
How to give hamster treats?
If you want to give your hamster a treat by hand, try petting them with one hand while giving them a treat with the other , according to Osborne. “Feeding your hamster by hand is good way to socialize your pet and to bond,” she said.
Do hamsters eat pellets?
These pellets are preferable to a hamster-formulated seed mixture because many hamsters will pick out what they like from these mixtures, missing some of the nutritional value in the seeds they don’t eat, McGeorge said. Cindy Cribbs, owners Haven for Hamsters Rescue and Sanctuary, feeds their hamsters about a tablespoon of food once a day.
Can hamsters bite?
Hamsters can be hand-fed, however, they can also bite. “With dwarfs, be careful not to put your hands by their bowls since they can be territorial,” Cribbs said. “I always use a dipper spoon so that I can safely reach their bowl wherever they have put it.”.
Can hamsters eat carrots?
Carrots are safe for hamsters to eat, however, they should be given in moderation, said Dr. Carol Osborne, owner of Chagrin Falls Veterinary Center & Pet Clinic in Chagrin Falls, Ohio. Because carrots have sugar in them, they may not be the ideal snack for dwarf hamsters, which are prone to diabetes. The problem, however, generally isn't ...
Can raisins hurt hamsters?
Similarly to grapes, raisins have an unknown toxic effect that has been documented to damage the kidneys of cats, dogs and ferrets. Raisins aren’t known to cause toxicity to hamsters, but it’s best to discuss if giving raisins to your hamster is appropriate with your veterinarian.
Can hamsters eat hard boiled eggs?
The following foods are safe for your hamster to eat: Sweet potatoes (should be removed of their skins before feeding, as molds can flourish in the skins and cause digestive tract upset and other ailments) There are additional foods you could feed a hamster, like a bit of a hard-boiled egg for protein, Osborne said.
What to feed hamsters to keep them healthy?
Still, this can get monotonous for your hamster, and you should supplement this with seeds, nuts, vegetables, and fruits occasionally.
How much food do hamsters need?
Dwarf hamsters will need a bit less, roughly 1 tablespoon, while larger hamsters like Syrians will likely need a bit more. If your hamster is gaining weight and storing loads of food, you may need to reduce the amount. If your hamster is finishing all their food and not storing much, you’ll need to slightly increase their daily amount.
What to do if your hamster is not eating?
However, they could also simply be hoarding their food! Check their bedding for food that they may be keeping for a late-night snack, but do not remove it.
Can you remove hamster food from a cage?
In general, you should not remove your hamster’s stash. This will cause them stress when they find that their stored food has suddenly vanished! Dry, pelleted food and seeds can last for quite some time, and it’s advisable to put their stash back exactly where you found it after cleaning their cage.
Can hamsters hold food?
Hamsters can hold a large amount of food inside their cheeks. Some people estimate that they can hold as much as the equivalent of their own bodyweight in cheek storage! Stashing food away is perfectly normal behavior for hamsters, but if you notice them storing large amounts of their food away, you are probably giving them too much. ...
Do hamsters need vitamins?
Some hamster owners give their hamster extra vitamin supplements, but with a healthy lifestyle, these won’t help much. Also, it’s exceedingly difficult to judge how much they need, and they could end up having too many certain vitamins.
Is vitamin C safe for hamsters?
Water-soluble vitamins, like vitamin C, are safe, though arguably unnecessary in healthy hamsters. The only time when supplements are potentially helpful is when your hamster is having certain health issues and they are recommended by a vet. YouTube. Victoria Raechel.
What foods are risk-free for my hamster to consume?
What should I feed my hamster? There are a whole host of fruits, vegetables as well as herbs that are suitable for your hamster as well as which they will certainly find genuinely scrumptious when washed in advance as well as given up small amounts. These consist of:
What foods my hamster should not eat?
Whilst your hamster may be happy to chomp or anything, particular foods can be unsafe, as well as you need to stay away from using them. These consist of:
How usually should I feed my hamster?
Hamsters are not such as human beings and also do not call for three meals a day. In the wild hamsters forage and also shop food in their cheek pouches and near to their nest, as a survival impulse for when food is limited.
How much should I feed my hamster?
Some hamsters are a lot more active than others, as well as for that reason you need to observe your hamster to get a good understanding of their feeding behaviors. Ideally, a regular sized Syrian hamster will consume around 1-2 tbsps of food a day.
When is the best time to feed my hamster?
There is still much debate over the very best time to feed a hamster. Personally, I would say pick a time, either morning or evening, that fits you finest and adhere to it to ensure that your hamster ends up being utilized to the very same routine.
What do dwarf hamsters consume besides hamster food?
Surprisingly a dwarf hamster can consume the very same quantity of food as a Syrian hamster, regardless of the dimension difference as their metabolism is a lot quicker! Dwarf hamsters can eat the same diet regimen as a Syrian hamster, nevertheless, their dimension puts them more in jeopardy of diabetic issues.
What does a hamster eat?
Hamsters will eat anything given half a chance (including jumpers as we recently found out) and we should be mindful of giving them foods which can lead to dietary deficiencies, weight gain and other health problems.
What foods are safe for my hamster to eat?
There are a whole host of fruits, vegetables and herbs that are suitable for your hamster and which they will find truly scrumptious when washed beforehand and given in small amounts. These include:
What Food Should I Feed My Pet Hamster?
A hamster’s diet [1] consists of hamster pellets, a small amount of fruit and veg, and a constant clean water supply.
What Treats Can I Feed My Hamster?
The best and healthy hamster treats for you to give your hammy are fresh fruits and veggies, especially those not full of sugar.
Things Hamsters Can Chew and Gnaw
Your hamster must have things to gnaw on because his teeth are constantly growing.
What Vegetables Can Hamsters Eat?
There are plenty of vegetables that your hamster can eat and enjoy. These foods tend to be low in calories and high in fiber and other nutrients.
What Fruits Can Hamsters Not Eat?
Your hamster can eat a wide variety of fruits, with most of them being perfectly safe. Some fruits are toxic or upset their gastrointestinal system and should be avoided at all costs.
What Vegetables Can Hamsters Not Eat?
Most vegetables are safe for your hamster to eat. You should however avoid some exceptions to keep your hamster healthy and happy.
How Much Fruit and Vegetables Should I Feed My Hamster?
Any fruits you offer to your hamster should be limited and should not be unripe or overripe, which can be toxic or increase the risk that they will spoil.
What do hamsters eat?
Regarding edible vegetables, hamsters can eat carrots, celery, cucumber, green peppers, lettuce, pumpkin, spinach, and squash. Similar to when feeding fruits, skins and seeds should be removed from vegetables prior to being given to a hamster.
How much pellets should a hamster eat?
Captive hamsters of both species should be fed about 10 grams of hamster pellets twice per day, or one tablespoon once per day. Although dwarf hamsters are smaller, their metabolism is much faster, which is why they eat similar amounts to those of Syrian hamsters.
Can hamsters eat grapes?
Unlike dogs, hamsters can eat grapes. They can also eat apples, bananas, blueberries, figs, pears, strawberries, and watermelon. If you feed your hamster grapes, apples, or pears, be sure to first remove the skin and any large seeds, and cut the fruit into reasonably sized pieces. One cube of fruit should be enough of a treat for one day.
Do hamsters eat meat?
Since wild hamsters eat insects, you might feed your hamster live or dried crickets or mealworms. If you’re too squeamish to handle insects, hamsters can also eat some cooked meats. Cooked chicken and cooked beef are safe to feed ...
Can you feed hamsters raw meat?
Raw meat should never be given to hamsters, and meat should be cooked without any seasonings. You can also feed canned (wet) dog food to a hamster. Regardless of which meat you choose to give your hamster, don’t give them too large of a portion.
Do hamsters store food?
All hamsters store food in their cheeks, which they sometimes save for later. Hamsters will eat a lot, so you must be careful to not overfeed them. There are two types of hamsters usually kept as pets: Syrian hamsters and dwarf hamsters.