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
- Raspberries
- Peaches
- Mango
- Cantaloupe
What foods are safe for hamsters?
Other human foods that are safe for hamsters
- Apples
- Bananas
- Blueberries
- Figs
- Pears
- Strawberries
- Watermelon
What happens if you feed your hamster to much fruit?
Greens to Avoid Feeding
- Cabbage (causes gas)
- Onions (causes gas)
- Leeks (causes gas)
- Spinach (hard to digest)
- Sorrel (hard to digest)
- Rhubarb (hard to digest)
- Raw Potatoes (hard to digest)
- Corn (may or may not cause cancer)
- Alfalfa (may or may not cause cancer)
- Citrus Fruit (too acidic)
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. ...
What else can you feed your hamster?
What Can Hamsters Eat?
- Pelleted Hamster Diets. Pelleted hamster foods offer a completely balanced diet in every bite, and they are often recommended for this reason. ...
- Seed Hamster Diets. ...
- Fresh Foods and Treats for Hamsters. ...
- Foods You Should Not Feed Hamsters
- The Best Hamster Diet. ...
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?
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
What is the best way to feed a hamster?
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.
What Human Foods Can Hamsters Eat?
All human foods should be fed in moderation and are not necessary if you’re feeding your hamster a well-balanced pelleted diet. Foods that are safe for hamsters include:
How much food does Cindy Cribbs give her hamsters?
Cindy Cribbs, owners Haven for Hamsters Rescue and Sanctuary, feeds their hamsters about a tablespoon of food once a day. Giving your hamster any more food than that may lead them to hoard their food. “People may think they are eating all their food when in fact, they just hid it from you,” she said.
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.
How do experienced vets answer your pet questions?
Experienced vets answer all your pet questions via chat or video.
Can raisins harm 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.
What to feed a hamster?
When your hamster deserves a little treat, consider some of the following: 1 Grains. This is the primary food for hamsters. You should provide approximately a tablespoonful daily. Grains offer protein and carbohydrates and can come from prepared hamster mixtures. Do not over feed fatty nuts (peanuts and sunflower seeds) as they promote obesity. These should be only a small part of the mixture. 2 Vegetables. Fresh, organically grown greens are the best. Romaine lettuce, dandelion greens, carrot tops, broccoli spears, spinach, artichokes and any other dark green veggies are great choices. Avoid iceberg lettuce and other veggies or fruits (like watermelon) that are high in water content as they can cause diarrhea. Remember to wash the vegetables thoroughly to remove traces of harmful pesticides. 3 Fruits. Hamsters love apples, pears, strawberries and bananas. They should be given in moderation, as a supplement to the regular diet. Be sure to remove any vegetables or fruits that are not eaten within 24 hours. 4 Timothy hay. Hay is a great gnawing food that can help keep your hamster's teeth in good condition. 5 Clean, fresh, filtered, chlorine-free water, changed daily. 6 Treats! Yes, you can reward your hamster with her favorite hamster treats, just keep them in moderation.
What is a good diet for hamsters?
A well-balanced hamster diet consists of a high-quality hamster food that is specially formulated to provide the proper balanced nutrition with the ideal daily dosage of vitamins and minerals, plus all the other essential nutrients . When your hamster deserves a little treat, consider some of the following: Grains.
How to keep hamster teeth in good condition?
Timothy hay. Hay is a great gnawing food that can help keep your hamster's teeth in good condition. Clean, fresh, filtered, chlorine-free water , changed daily.
What are the best foods for hamsters?
These should be only a small part of the mixture. Vegetables. Fresh, organically grown greens are the best.
Can you give hamsters treats?
Treats! Yes, you can reward your hamster with her favorite hamster treats, just keep them in moderation. Just as important as what is safe to feed your pet, do not feed your hamster the following, as they are harmful to their health and can cause serious medical conditions: Chocolate. Caffeine.
Do dogs need pellets?
However, your pet does need a high-quality commercial pellet as a main diet to meet their nutritional needs. However, in addition to their daily meals, it's fun to offer them a bit of variety in the form of different treats. Remember, treats should never make up more than 10% of your pet's overall diet and not make a dramatic changes ...
Pellets and seeds
One of the most popular choices you can buy nowadays are pelleted hamster foods which offer a fully balanced diet in every bite, and this is one of the main reasons it is so often recommended. Pelleted foods can come in many shapes, but they are usually presented in the form of small biscuits, cereals, or cookies.
Fresh foods and treats
While pellets and seeds are recommended to be the main diet for your hamster, you can also feed a variety of human foods as long as you limit the treats to no more than 10% of your pet’s diet. By human food, we refer to fresh vegetables, fruit, and whole grains, not cooked food which can be harmful to hamsters.
Timothy hay, alfalfa, and dietary supplements
Alfalfa, timothy hay, or a mix of the two are a nice addition to the diet of your hamster. It is worth noting that not every pet will go wild about them, but it is definitely worth a try. In the wild, hamsters are grass eaters, and they enjoy nibbling on this tasty hay.
Make feeding fun
Once you’ve chosen the right food for your pet hamster, there a few other aspects to consider. Since hamsters in the wild spend a lot of their time searching for something to eat, making them work for their food is a great way to keep them occupied and prevent them from getting bored.
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 is the best way to feed a hamster?
Mineral or salt licks are a good way to provide your hamster nutrition as maintains its teeth.
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.
Why do you buy pellets instead of mix?
Buy pellets instead of a mix so that your hamster eats a balanced diet rather than picking what he/she likes from the mix.
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 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.
What is the best food for hamsters?
The best hamster diet consists of commercial pelleted food combined with a variety of fresh fruits, seeds, and vegetables.
What do hamsters eat?
Hamsters are omnivores, meaning they mainly eat food sourced from plants, but in the wild, they are known to snack on insects and small frogs and lizards. A hamster’s diet should consist of around 15% protein and no more than 5% fat. In general, the best food to give your hamster in order to provide them with all the essential vitamins and minerals that they need are commercial hamster pellets.
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 happens if my hamster doesn't eat?
If your hamster is not hoarding food and not eating, they are most likely sick and need to see a vet. This is usually accompanied by other symptoms, like weight loss and lethargy.
When to take supplements for 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.
Can hamsters eat pellets?
Credit: mordilla-net, Pixabay. Commercial pellets will give your hamster a healthy, balanced diet with every bite and prevent them from picking and choosing what they prefer. With loose seed mixes, hamsters will often only eat their favorite items and leave the rest, resulting in an unbalanced diet.
