Hamster Feeding Chart
| Veggies and Green | Grains | Fruits | Proteins | Fats |
| Spinach | Oats | Blueberries | Cooked chicken | Pecans |
| Cucumber | Barley | Peaches (no pit) | Dubai roaches | Brazil nuts |
| Daily 1-2 tsp. | Daily 0.5-1 tsp. | Every other day < 1tsp. | 2-3 times/week 0.5 tsp. | 2-3 times/week 0.5 tsp |
- 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 human foods are safe to feed hamsters?
and drinking water is just as important for them as it is for us humans. Aside from water being so good for them, hamsters have sensitive tummies, so any change to their food or fluids could cause them to become unwell. This means that even though ...
What are foods that hamsters Cant eat?
- Aubergine
- Acorns
- Buttercups
- Bluebells
- Bindweed
- Citrus fruits
- Elder
- Garlic
- Leeks
- Privet
What are all the things you feed to hamsters?
The ideal hamster diet will include:
- Commercial hamster pellets (not a muesli-style mix). You can buy these in pet shops.
- Small amounts of fresh fruit, vegetables or herbs
- Timothy hay. This is a special variety of hay that’s full of fibre and is ideal for small pets. ...
- Occasional treats, like nuts, boiled egg or mealworms.
- You hamster will also need constant access to clean, fresh water. ...
How much do you feed a hamster per day?
Good quality food and fresh, clean water must be readily available at all times. Hamsters eat 12 grams (about 1 tablespoon) of food daily mostly at night. Be observant of your hamster food intake they often hoard food in a corner. Carefully select commercial pellets that contain 15-20% protein.
How much fresh food should I feed my hamster?
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.
How often should you feed a hamster?
People are fond of regular meals and we often tend to put our pets on a similar system of two or three meals a day. At a minimum, most pets are fed at least daily.
What is the best food to give your hamster?
Romaine lettuce, dandelion greens, cauliflower, carrot tops, broccoli spears, spinach, sweet potato, squash, artichokes and any other dark green veggies are great choices. Avoid iceberg lettuce and other veggies or fruits—such as watermelon—that are high in water content and have little nutritional value.
Can I feed my hamster carrots everyday?
Carrots are perfectly safe for hamsters to eat in moderation. In fact, hamster experts recommend offering a small amount of safe fruits and vegetables like carrots a few times a week to supplement your hamster's diet.
Can I feed my hamster vegetables everyday?
Hamsters, like other pet rodents, require a varied diet to meet their full spectrum of nutritional needs. In addition to commercially produced pellet food, hamsters need small amounts of vegetables daily. Be mindful of the amounts, limiting the daily serving to about a tablespoon.
Do hamsters need fresh water everyday?
As a responsible hamster owner you know you should provide your hamster fresh water every single day. Even if your hamster has a water bottle in his cage that holds enough water to last for several days, he can become dehydrated if the bottle leaks or malfunctions, which is common.
Do hamsters need fresh food everyday?
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.
Can you overfeed a 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.
What do hamsters need in their cage?
For a quick look at the basics to set up a happy home for your hamster, you'll need the following:Small animal habitat.Small animal bedding and nesting fluff.Small animal bed or sleeper.Hamster hideaway.Exercise wheel and/or ball.Water bottle.Food bowl.High-quality hamster food.More items...
Can I feed my hamster cheese?
Many hamsters love the taste of cheese, but its high fat and sodium content is not especially healthy for hamsters. If your hamster enjoys cheese and seems to tolerate it well, you can offer it occasionally in small amounts. Hamsters should get no more than a pea-sized amount of cheese just once or twice a week.
How do I give my hamster the best life?
If you're looking to make your hamster a bit happier, here is a list of things you can try.Provide a Bigger Cage. ... Provide a Complete Diet. ... Fresh Water is Always Better. ... Use an Exercise Wheel. ... Add a Tunneling System. ... Consider Treats – in Moderation. ... Provide Deep Bedding. ... Enrichment is Essential.More items...•
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 is the best diet for hamsters?
The Best Hamster Diet. The ideal diet for a hamster is a pelleted diet that is supplemented with a variety of other safe and human foods. If your hamster won't eat the pelleted diet then sprinkle some seed mixture onto the pellets or find a seed diet that already has pellets in it.
What do hamsters eat?
Pelleted hamster foods offer a completely balanced diet in every bite, and they are often recommended for this reason. 1 Pelleted diets can come in many shapes but usually look like small biscuits, cookies, or cereal.
Can hamsters eat honey?
Store-bought treats such as yogurt drops and honey/seed sticks are too sugary for a hamster and they should be avoided. Since dwarf hamsters are somewhat prone to diabetes it is also especially prudent to avoid sugar in their diet, so avoid fruits altogether as treats for them.
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.
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.
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.
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 do hamsters eat?
Round out the diet with greens in the forms of lettuces, grasses, fruits, and vegetables.
What do hamsters need to keep going?
Carbohydrates. Carbohydrates in your food mix is a must. Carbohydrates are what an active hamster needs to keep going. If your lab blocks or seed mixes don’t have them or not enough, you can provide additional carbs of the following in small amounts.
How do hamsters drink water?
Hamsters in nature rarely drink water but instead get their water from the things they eat (This does NOT mean you don’t need a water bottle though). Fresh greens, fruits, and vegetables not only provide your hamsters with the water they need, but they also provide extra vitamins and minerals they need. With that said, you need to be careful how much greens you add into the hamster food; too many greens and they can get a case of diarrhea. A rough guide calls for only feeding it about one square inch (2.54cm) of greens per day. There are greens, fruits, and vegetables that are great for hamsters and there are also ones that should be avoided. The following are some of the greens that are acceptable and some of the greens to avoid (If you collect these from outdoors, make sure there are no pesticides or toxic chemicals that could be on them. Always thoroughly wash them before placing them in your hamster’s cage.)
How much food does a Syrian hamster eat?
A Syrian hamster will only eat one to two tablespoons of food per day . Dwarf hamsters have higher metabolisms so they will consume the same amount. Expired bags of hamster food might have moth eggs hatch inside. Store the feed in a cool dry location to ensure freshness.
What is lab block for hamsters?
A lab block usually contains a mixture of seed and grains and vitamins and minerals. These are a preferred type of hamster food if you want to make sure your little guys or girls are getting all the vitamins and minerals they need to stay healthy. If you could only get one type of dry food, these would be them.
How long does hamster food last?
Most feed won’t last more than three months before it goes bad. A Syrian hamster will only eat one to two tablespoons of food per day.
Why do hamsters lick rocks?
In the wild you could observe a hamster licking different rocks or minerals that contain salt. They need salt to help retain water and stay healthy. You can provide your hamster with a salt lick or a mineral salts. These come in various forms and are sometimes added to their accessories as a form of play.
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 are the best foods for a hamster?
The best foods for a hamster are those that contain higher amounts of fiber and carbohydrates. This will keep them feeling full longer after they consume the food. pelleted diet, Sunflower seeds, lettuce, carrots, and dandelions are just some of the best foods that can be given to them as treats as well as part of their daily diet plan.
what do baby hamsters eat?
Baby Hamsters are only fed on milk by their mother until they are about six weeks old. If they are removed from their mothers before this period of time, the only thing that you can do is give them specific milk products designed to feed young hamsters (available in pet stores) or Lactol (dried skimmed milk).
What foods should hamsters not eat?
Hamsters are omnivores, which means they will eat both plants and animals. Whatever you feed your hamster must be healthy for him/her to consume. Unfortunately, some human food is toxic or unhealthy for hamsters to eat.
how to prevent your hamster from getting fat?
It is very important that you keep track of how much food your hamster consumes every day. If you find out that they are starting to get fat, then you have to reduce their daily intake by 10 percent. You can also look for a leaner brand of food that is lower in calories and fats so the amount of weight they gain will be lowered as well.
do hamsters eat cheese?
Cheese is something that should not be included in a Hamster’s diet plan mainly because it is hard for them to digest. Hamsters love to eat small bits of fruits but their digestive system isn’t prepared for dairy products like cheese. Eating too much of it will cause your pet to develop diarrhea or gastroenteritis.
how much do hamsters drink?
Hamsters need to drink an adequate amount of water every day through the food they eat. A good diet for a hamster should include plenty of vegetables and carrots as these provide natural sources of liquids (vegetables have more water than fruit).
what do hamsters eat in the wild?
A Syrian Hamster eats mostly vegetation such as grasses and leafy greens in the wild. However, there is very little research on what they choose to consume so it’s hard to figure out what exactly you should feed your pet if you ever let it outside for exercise time or overnight trips.
Your hamster's diet
Hamsters love to hoard their food. They pack extra food into special cheek pouches and then store it around their cage for later.
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Make feeding fun
Hamsters in the wild spend a lot of time searching for food. Making them work for their meal is a great way to keep them occupied and stop them getting bored. You can try things like:
Healthy fruit, veg and herbs
These fruits, vegetables and herbs are all suitable for your hamster. Make sure you give them a good wash before you feed them to your hamster and only feed a small amount each day.
Things to chew and gnaw
Hamsters love to chew and gnaw on things. It’s a natural behaviour that helps keep their teeth healthy and stops them getting overgrown. It also gives your hamster something to do and helps to stop them getting bored.
How much food should a dwarf hamster eat?
Dwarf hamsters will need a little less, and Robo or Chinese hamsters may only need a single tablespoon of food once per day due to their tiny size.
When do hamsters snack?
And your hamster will be ‘snacking’ at intervals during the night, and sometimes during the day, whenever he feels hungry. But you may be wondering whether or not to fill up the bowl again, or whether to wait until the hamster has eaten what is in his store.
Why do hamsters have cheek pouches?
Hamster cheek pouches. Those hamster cheek pouches don’t just add to the cute appeal of a hamster, in wild hamsters they serve a very useful purpose. Every hamster likes to keep a store of food in a safe place. Usually close to his or her nest. This helps wild hamsters survive during times when there are food shortages.
How do you know if a hamster is emptying his food bowl?
You’ll probably notice your hamster emptying his food bowl quite soon after you fill it up. He’ll stuff the contents into his cheeks and then return to his nest to empty the food into his store.
How to stop hamsters from getting fat?
How to stop your hamster getting fat. In addition to providing him with an exercise wheel, you need to make sure he doesn’t eat too much as this can lead to obesity too. It’s important that your hamster doesn’t get fat, as this can make him sick. So don’t be tempted to fill the food bowl every time it is empty.
Why is my hamster's food stale?
This is because if the food is stored in his nest for long, it may go ‘stale’. You’ll need to check your hamster’s store from time to time and if it is getting much bigger, it means you are putting too much food in his bowl, or filling it too often.
Can you take hamster food out of a cage?
It’s okay to remove your hamster’s food store and throw it away when you clean out the cage. At least once a week. He won’t approve, but he doesn’t need it in the same way that wild hamsters do, and he’ll soon make another. If you leave the store in his bed, then the food will go mouldy and potentially make him unwell.
When Should you Feed Your Hamster?
Pet experts that champion for evening feeds contend this as the best time because hamsters are most active at night and will thus feed better.
What Should You do With Leftover Food?
Your hamster will, at times, not finish the food you give them. Remove the leftover food before refilling the bow. You should also clean the bowl before providing a different food variety.
How Much Should You Feed a Hamster?
Hamsters should eat throughout their active hours to match their high metabolism rates. In the wild, food is scarce, and hence hamsters store some in their cheek pouches when they find it.
Can a Hamster Get Fat From Too Much Food?
Yes. Obesity is one of the main risks to which you expose your hamster with too much food or unhealthy feeds like those containing too much fat. Periodically weigh your hamster to ensure it is within normal weight ranges.
How Often Should You Give a Hamster Fresh Food?
There exist two primary reasons to add something different to your hamster’s diet from time to time. It helps your pet reach optimal nutritional levels and wards off the boredom caused by the same foods daily.
Wrapping Up
With these guidelines, you are sure to keep your hamster well-fed and healthy. When cleaning the hamster cage, you will often come across food stashes even if you give the animal just enough food.
