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What Do Hamsters Eat?

Click on a link below to find out more about what Rabbits eat:

• What to Feed Your Hamster
• Treats
• Changing Your Hamsters Diet
• Preventing Selective Feeding
• Drinking Bottle

What to Feed Your Hamster

In their natural habitat hamsters eat a range of grasses, wind-blown seeds and grain. Hamsters are often mistaken as herbivores, but they are omnivores and do need protein in their diet to keep them healthy. Left alone in the wild, they will find grubs and insects to supplement their diet. The bulk of their diet is cereals and other hard foods which are chewed and digested slowly. This slow eating would make them easy targets in the wild, so they would normally bring their food back to their burrow to eat it in the safety of their own home. This also allows them to hoard spare food, in case it becomes difficult to find at a later date.

They have continuously-growing teeth which is why they need to gnaw hard material which helps wear down their teeth.

Hamsters need feeding every day. As they are nocturnal an evening feed is better for them. They will normally wake at feeding time and will be happy to play with you once they have been fed. A good quality, heavy, earthenware food bowl is essential to keep the food dry and clean. Plastic should be avoided as hamsters will chew it. Their bowls must be cleaned after every use. Do not give foods that contain whole oats as these can puncture hamsters’ delicate cheek pouches.

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Treats

Treats are so called because that’s just what they should be – a “treat”. If fed correctly they are not detrimental to hamsters and they will love them. However, treats are designed to be an extremely small element of the animal’s diet, and overfeeding may lead to health problems such as obesity, dental problems and heart disease.

Too much green food will cause diarrhoea as a hamster’s natural habitat is in dry deserts. If you feed your hamster human food, remember to avoid foods that are high in calories, sugary or contain too much fat. To help keep your hamster’s teeth healthy, you need to provide lots of hay and perhaps a gnawing block and safe twigs to chew. Some natural treats you can provide your hamster in small amounts are parsley, carrot, apple, celery, broccoli, sprouts, cauliflower, kale, spinach, peas, swede, tomatoes, banana and cucumber.

Never give sticky foods, such as boiled sweets, as they will stick to their pouches.

A number of specially made Hamster treats are also available from your local pet shop.

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Changing Your Hamster’s Diet

If you wish to change your hamster’s food, you must introduce it gradually into your hamster’s diet. Mix about one quarter of the new food with three quarters of the old food on the first day and then gradually increase the new food and decrease the old food over a 10-day period. This should make sure that your hamster has no tummy upsets.

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You should try to ensure that your hamster eats all his food from a very young age by calculating the correct daily requirement and dividing it into two meals, one fed in the morning and one in the evening. However, if you notice that your hamster tends to leave some of the ingredients in coarse mixes, reduce the amount you give him until he is eating all of it. Then slowly increase the amount again to the recommended daily allowance.

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Drinking Bottle

Ensure there is fresh drinking water available at all times. The best way to provide fresh drinking water is to use a gravity-fed water bottle, attached to the front of the cage. Use one of the large ballpoint bottles to prevent dripping and ensure a constant supply is available. Water bowls are not suitable as they are easily tipped over and can get contaminated.

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