What to feed hamsters, or proper nutrition for your fluffy pet. What can you give your hamster food? Hamster food What homemade food can be given to hamsters

With the advent of beloved pets in the house, many worries arise. Nutrition is one of the main issues in the care of animals. Hamsters are small rodents, but just like any pet, they need quality nutrition.

What do hamsters eat at home, what do hamsters eat in their natural habitat?

Small pets are very popular with families with kids. Fluffy hamsters are often bought because adults and children like them. The activity and health of small rodents will depend on their nutrition and care. Properly formulated diet affects the development of any pet.

Today in all pet stores you can buy a wide variety of foods for many types of pets. They are specially designed, taking into account the needs of pets. Despite this, many owners feed their animals incorrectly, which affects their health and life expectancy.

To understand how to properly feed a hamster, you need to know what is included in their natural diet. It is known that steppes and fields are the natural habitat for hamsters. In such an area, they dig holes for habitation. They not only live in them, but also stock up on food. The main food for these cute fluffy rodents is cereal plants. The basis of their diet is:

wheat;
oats;
corn;
millet and other cereals.

During the period of winter cold, these reserves are gradually eaten up and in the spring, rodents are forced to switch to protein food of animal origin. It includes:

Beetles.
Worms.
Butterflies and other insects.

Rodents of larger sizes sometimes prey on small animals. Animals need different vitamins, so they eat vegetables and fruits- beets, apples, pears, carrots and other common species.

Judging by the diet in the natural environment, hamsters are omnivores. They can be fed different foods, but in small portions.

Biological mechanisms are also relevant at home. The diet in the natural environment must be considered when compiling a menu for your hamster.

In ready-made feed from pet stores includes all necessary ingredients- millet and oats, sunflower seeds and peas, nuts and corn. By pouring such food into the feeder, you can immediately determine what the pet loves the most.

The mixture also often includes granular greens, fortified mixtures and compound feed. They can be purchased separately at the pet store if they are not found in the main hamster food. Experts recommend feeding your hamster one kind of food to which he is accustomed and loves.

The upper and lower jaws of these rodents have structural features. They have large incisors without roots. They grow throughout the life of the animal. Because of this feature of large incisors, the hamster must eat solid food. Due to this, the teeth will not be able to grow too large. Too large incisors will interfere with him while eating.

Hamsters have cheek pouches in which they store their food. During the meal, the animal deposits about 20% of food in the natural pantry and then eats it up in a secluded place.

Diet: what can hamsters eat

Hamsters are easy to keep at home. However, bringing home this cute creature, you need to know what is better and more useful to feed it. Homemade food should not be very different from natural food.

The basis of the diet should be cereals buckwheat, oats, wheat, barley. And also in the mixture you need to add legumes - peas, beans, lentils, beans. Very often, pumpkin, melon and sunflower seeds are added to ready-made feeds. It is good to add nuts to homemade food - cashews, walnuts, hazelnuts, chickpeas and others.

fresh greens- a must-have in your daily diet. Mostly parsley, lettuce, dill, clover, dandelion, nettle are used.

Little rodents eat with pleasure vegetables and fruits. They are necessary for the full development and growth of the pet. Fruits and vegetables in the diet will help strengthen the immune system. In winter, it is more difficult to provide him with these types of products, but they can be given in dried form. And also for food hamsters use frozen berries, fruits and some types of vegetables.

From the home table, you can not give food to a rodent. What do hamsters like, what treats? If you want to pamper him with something tasty, then it is best to give your hamster the following products:

Bamboo and wheat sprouts.
Branches of deciduous and fruit trees in spring time.

Hamsters love to gnaw on tree branches, which clean their teeth, and also saturate the animal's body with all vital vitamins and minerals.

For the normal development of a domestic rodent need protein food. The best option is boiled chicken meat, but without salt and spices. You can offer earthworms, shrimp meat. A good source of protein is eggs (quail or chicken). They should not be given more than twice a week.

A good option fermented milk products- homemade yogurt or kefir up to 1% fat. More fatty foods will provoke a problem with the digestive organs. If they occur due to such products, you can give the hamster rice water to restore the digestive tract.

These cute animals almost always sleep during the daytime and are active closer to the night. In this regard, the main meal takes place in the evening. Desirable give food at the same time to get your hamster accustomed to his feeding schedule. Cooked food in the feeder should always be fresh and balanced. In the evening, it is recommended to give him porridge and a mixture of cereals. In the evening, you can also give a treat.

In the morning, it is better to offer lighter food, for example, greens and vegetables. The quality of the products is of great importance, so that they are fresh and natural.

Prohibited Products

Now we know what hamsters can eat, what foods they like. There are also foods that are classified as prohibited species. Every caring owner must understand that not all food products will benefit the pet.

These include fatty and salty foods, smoked and sweet dishes. It is also not recommended to give citrus and exotic fruits. Under the ban garlic, cabbage, onions, watermelon, potatoes.

Before introducing new food into the diet, it is worth considering whether the hamster eats such food in its natural habitat. The more natural the food, the more benefits it will bring to the animal and it will have fewer health problems.

The drinking regimen of hamsters

Every animal should have drinking water in its cage. As for hamsters, the basis of their nutrition is dry cereal food. As a result, they need constant access to fresh water.

If you give them fruits, vegetables and greens, rodents are not so willing to drink water. Despite this, the drinking bowl with water should be washed regularly and fill up with fresh water.

And also, it is worth making sure that in the cage the rodent has running wheel. Sometimes the hamster is let out of the house so that he runs around the room under supervision. Such walks will help to avoid obesity when he becomes an adult.

If you follow all the rules of feeding, the pet will maintain good health for a long time. He will be active, fluffy and beautiful.

Dr. Elliot, BVMS, MRCVS is a veterinarian with over 30 years of experience in veterinary surgery and companion animal care. She graduated from the University of Glasgow in 1987 with a degree in Veterinary Medicine and Surgery. She has been working at the same animal clinic in her hometown for over 20 years.

Number of sources used in this article: . You will find a list of them at the bottom of the page.

Hamsters are cute, cute and playful animals. If you want to get a hamster, know that you will have to take care of proper nutrition. This can be quite a challenge, as your hamster's diet needs to be varied and have enough nutrients. You also shouldn't change your hamster's diet too often.

Steps

Part 1

Get the right food

Buy hamster food from the pet store. Most of the diet should be food for hamsters. It comes in granular form or as a mixture of seeds and completely allows you to provide the animal with all the necessary nutrients.

Supplement your hamster's diet with fresh foods. Give your hamster a small piece of fruit, vegetable, or protein every day or every other day. The size of the piece should not be larger than a couple of raisins. Hamsters are not accustomed to consuming large amounts of water, so a larger piece can cause them diarrhea. Leftover food can also rot and contaminate the cage.

Give your hamster hard treats. It is very important to feed your hamster a solid treat about once a week. They are needed to keep your hamster's teeth in good condition, as a source of additional nutrients, and simply as a change in diet.

At the pet store, you can buy treats that will hang from the top of the cage. This will force the hamster to work hard to get food, and besides, it will be like a game for him.
Mineral blocks are also suitable for maintaining good dental health and supplying essential nutrients.

Know what food should not be given to hamsters. Do not feed your hamster beans, onions, potatoes, rhubarb and tomato leaves. Junk food, chocolate, alcohol and candy are also bad for your hamster.

Buy a water bottle. A hamster can turn over a saucer of water, and then the cage will have to be washed out. At the pet store, you can buy a bottle that will hang from the cage. Fill it up regularly with bottled water.
- Remember to clean your bottle at least once a week.
Keep your hand in the cage while feeding. This is a good way to bond with your hamster and create positive associations with him. When you feed the hamster with one hand, you can stroke or hold it with the other. Gradually, the hamster will begin to get used to you.

Keep track of your hamster's weight. Because of the skin, it is difficult to tell if the hamster has gained weight. A Syrian hamster should weigh approximately 11 grams per 1 centimeter of length. Also, if your hamster has become slow and lethargic, you may need to reduce his diet.

Do not overfeed your hamster - this approach can lead to obesity or diabetes.
Clean your hamster's cage once a week. This ensures that mold doesn't start growing there due to the presence of hidden (and forgotten) food that the hamster leaves in the cage.
Remember to change food and water daily to keep your hamster healthy and happy.
If the hamster is small, clean the cage every two weeks.
Buy food in granules, not in the form of a mixture, so that the animal eats a balanced diet, and does not choose from the mixture what he likes.

It is not always possible to have a large animal at home. But you really want to have a fluffy pet! Djungarian hamsters are an excellent alternative - they are not whimsical in care, and at home they eat ordinary foods. However, the fluffy diet still needs to be carefully monitored.

Description

The Djungarian hamster belongs to the genus Upland Hamsters. Under natural conditions, he lives in dry steppes and semi-deserts in Western Siberia and Khakassia. The animal can also be found in the mountains of Kazakhstan and China at an altitude of 2500 meters above sea level.

Dzungaria belong to dwarf breeds. Their body length does not exceed 10 cm. The height of animals is 5-6 cm, and their weight is 35-65 g. When viewed from above, the body shape of the animal resembles an egg.

Domesticated animals differ from wild relatives in color. There are several varieties of the color of pets:

standard (taupe);
sapphire (gray-blue);
tangerine (orange-cream);
pearls (matte white with gray patches).

Djungarian hamsters have a dark gray or black stripe on their back. It smoothly flows onto the head of the animal, forming a rhombus on the upper part of the muzzle. This is clearly visible in the photo. In animals on the abdomen, the hair is lighter or white. The line between the dark and light colors on the sides of the animal resembles connected arches. The wool of hamsters is thick and fluffy.

The paws of the animals are covered with white wool. They are like hands. When animals eat, they hold the food in their front paws. Djungarian hamsters have a pointed muzzle. Their small ears are covered with white wool inside. The eyes of the jungars are black, resembling beads. The tail is so small that it is not visible under the coat.

Dwarf hamsters have a calm disposition. They give the impression of good-natured bumpkins. Some animals make contact immediately after the first meeting with the owner. They jump on the palm, shoulders or head of the owner. However, most pets treat the new owner with distrust.

Important! Animals are in good health. But they can get sick due to malnutrition, poor hygiene, or stress.

The Djungarian hamster is afraid of drafts. Hypothermia quickly causes the animal to catch a cold. The pet begins to sniff and sneeze loudly. His fur is fading, and his ears are pressed against his head. To cure a hamster, you need to disinfect the cage and its contents with a special solution.

Also, crumbs have a predisposition to diabetes. Therefore, you should try to less often include foods rich in monosaccharides (raspberries, strawberries, bananas, melons, watermelons, beets, pumpkins, tomatoes, persimmons, dried fruits) in their diet.

Peculiarities

If before purchasing a hamster you want to create the most optimal living conditions for him, then you should take note of the following rules:

Animals very quickly get used to human hands, but just as quickly they wean. They need constant attention and love to be played with. Small hamsters especially love to run around.
We do not recommend that you keep a hamster in an aquarium, because they quickly run wild there and, at the sight of human hands, they will rush and bite at them. In cages, hamsters feel much more comfortable.
Immediately upon bringing home, the hamster must be settled in a ready-made housing. When moving, the animal is guaranteed to get stressed, since everything that he knew has disappeared.
In most cases, if the female and male live together, after forty days they are completely ready to create offspring. Therefore, in such cases it is necessary to be extremely careful.
It is better not to buy and settle same-sex Djungarian hamsters together, as this will certainly lead to enmity between them.
Do not forget that hamsters are shy animals and can experience stress. In order not to harm the pet, do not take it as a toy, but treat it carefully and with love. It is best not to give the dzhungarik into the hands of young children and not to try to tame them by force in the first days of acquaintance.

Many people consider Djungarian hamsters to be ideal pets. Miniature animals do not take much time and do not require large maintenance costs. They are almost odorless. Hamsters are easily tamed and willingly play with children. Pets are active during the daytime, so you can watch them play during the day.

Cell selection

For a comfortable existence, the animal first of all needs a cage. It is best to give preference to galvanized frames, as wooden or plastic hamsters can easily gnaw through.

Also, when buying a home for your pet, you should pay attention to the following points:

The cage should be spacious, because Djungarian hamsters love movement, they do not sit still and constantly move around.
If you plan to have one animal, then it is desirable that the minimum size be 40x40 cm. If the hamsters live in pairs, choose a larger cage.
The cage can be two-story, but you should not choose too high. Dzungarians love to climb everywhere, but often break down and fall. When falling from a height, the paws or tail can be broken.
Distance between bars - minimum. Hamsters are very small and nimble, they can arrange an escape. Finding a fugitive is not always possible even in a small apartment.
The cage door should fit snugly and close securely. Curious animals will try to open it.
It is desirable that the base of the cage was a low pallet. It will not allow the bedding and debris to scatter beyond its limits.

Home equipment

In the minks of animals in wild nature usually there are passages, labyrinths and pantries. For the pantry, you can buy a ceramic house or make it yourself from wood or plywood. For these purposes, a cardboard box is suitable. It is installed upside down, and a passage is cut in the wall. After some time, a wooden or cardboard shelter will be damaged by the teeth of a dzhungarik, then it will have to be replaced.

The passage at the house should be such that the animal can easily go into it with stuffed cheeks.

Important! A hamster can sleep in the same house, or it can build a separate nest for itself from pieces of paper. Each pet is unique.

The hamster needs to expend his energy and move a lot.

To do this, you need to install in the cell:

ladder;
artificial labyrinth;
spinning wheel.

Choose a wheel taking into account the fact that the jungarik is very small in size. The spinner should be small and easy to spin so that the animal does not damage the spine.

Sawdust, wood shavings or a special filler made of corn and cellulose should be poured at the bottom of the cage. You can put some paper torn into small pieces (hamsters love to build a nest out of paper).

It is impossible to put cotton wool or synthetic filler (synthetic winterizer or holofiber) in a cage. The paws of the animal get tangled in them, and when swallowed, the intestines clog.

A small bowl is used for food, and a nipple drinker is best suited for water. Jungariki drink very little. If water is poured into a bowl, they will overturn it, and there will be dirt in the cage.

Cleaning

Due to their cleanliness, dzhungars do not cope with natural needs throughout the cage, but organize a toilet place in one of the corners.

There are a few simple rules to help keep the cage clean:

General cleaning with a complete change of bedding causes a lot of stress for the hamster, so wash the cage no more than once a week. To do this, use a sponge, simple laundry soap and hot water. You need to wash all the accessories: a bowl, a wheel, toys - everything that is in the cage.
Clean the cage without waiting for a strong odor. Even with severe pollution, toxic chemicals such as bleach should not be used. If necessary, use vinegar to remove urine and odor stains, but rinse thoroughly after treatment.
Hamsters have a very sensitive psyche. Cleaning with a rearrangement makes them nervous, especially with regard to food supplies, which, obeying instinct, the animal creates. If you constantly ruin the "pantry", the dzhungarik is stressed, unsuccessfully trying to find a more secluded place in the cage. Therefore, remove only spoiled products.
To reduce the stress of spring cleaning, leave some old litter and nest wipes in the cage. Also, during cleaning, transplant the hamster into a small container so that the animal is less worried.

Food

When the cage is equipped, the next thing to coordinate is the nutrition of the jungar.

The basis of the diet is a grain mixture. Ready feed contains the necessary nutrients, vitamins and microelements, so that the nutrition of the Djungarian hamster will be balanced and healthy.

Popular feed manufacturers:

JR Farm;
little one;
Fiory;
Padovan;
Lolo Pets;
Vitapol.

Important! When purchasing special food in pet stores, you need to pay attention that it is not intended for large rodents, as they have a completely different composition. Choosing the wrong food can cause irreparable harm to your pet.

In addition, Djungarian hamsters eat vegetables, fruits, green shoots and even protein foods of animal origin.

Therefore, the diet small pet should consist of the following components:

Grain mixtures
The main food is a mixture of various grain crops: millet, wheat, oats, buckwheat. Grain should be given in significant amounts, about a spoonful at a time. It is necessary to observe how much the animal eats, as the grain must remain uneaten so that the hamster can have a snack when he is hungry before you give him the next portion of food.
Vegetables
It is necessary to feed the jungarik with vegetables so that he eats everything, and wet food does not decompose in the cage. If fresh vegetables are left uneaten, they must be removed from the cage. Without fear, you can give: carrots, bell peppers, tomatoes, cucumber, pumpkin, zucchini, beets, radishes, lettuce.
Legumes
Green peas and other legumes can be given with boiling water first, or boiled a little and mashed. Asparagus sprouts are very useful for a hamster.
Greens
Dzungarians can eat greens: dill, parsley, celery, dandelion, clover, plantain, which is very useful for the body.

As a treat, you can give some fruits, but not all and in limited quantities. Cherries, plums, sweet cherries, apricots are real delicacies for a fluffy pet, often hamsters love them the most.

Important! Sometimes, once or twice a week, animal protein must be included in the diet: chicken meat, lean beef, egg yolk, small crustaceans. The fat content of protein products should be less than 10%.

To protect the animal from undesirable consequences, the following products should be excluded from the diet:

Cabbage. It leads to bloating in a hamster, it is very difficult for digestion, the animal can die after tasting such food.
Tomatoes. Their Djungarian hamsters can be given in small quantities, it is better to give lettuce pepper, it is more easily absorbed by the body.
Potato. Starch is a poison for a dzhungarik, it's not worth the risk.
Beet. Harmless, but does not bring tangible benefits.
Raw beans. It is also not suitable food for hamsters, it is better to boil them.
Cucumber. Cucumbers can be given if there is confidence that they are grown in environmentally friendly conditions, it is better to peel them before “serving on the table”.
Apple. Because of the danger of abdominal dropsy (ascites), animals should not eat apples.
Pear. This fruit is weak and can cause stomach upset in a hamster.
Peach. Too sweet, so don't give it to your pet.
Sea buckthorn and barberry. Too acidic, it is better not to feed these foods.
Watermelon and melon. They absorb harmful substances very well, therefore, they should not be eaten by jungars.
Tropical fruits. Banned are all exotic and tropical fruits (oranges, tangerines, kiwi), with the exception of bananas. By drying them, you can make food for the hamster in the form of chips, which they love very much.
Greens. Do not feed your pet sorrel, green onion and garlic sprouts. In small quantities, you can give celery (too juicy) and parsley (has a laxative effect).
Bread. It is strictly forbidden to feed your pet with fresh bread and other bakery products. But sometimes you can offer your pet a small piece of dry white bread.
Dairy. Cheese is also contraindicated for hamsters, it is better to give fat-free cottage cheese.

Important! At home, hamsters eat whatever they are given. Domesticated animals have lost all their natural skills, so the responsibility for the life and health of small pets lies entirely with their owner.

reproduction

In their natural habitat, Djungarian hamsters breed from March to September; in captivity, they breed all year round. A month after birth, they already need to be planted and separated by gender.

Important! Puberty occurs from 4-6 weeks, but there are opinions that such an early pregnancy can be dangerous for the female. It is recommended to start mating from 4 months.

In order for mating to be successful, it is necessary to acquire “reserve” males and females, because it often happens that one of the selected producers is unsuitable for mating: it does not allow an individual of the opposite sex to approach itself, does not mate for a long time, ruins the nest. In such cases, a “spare” hamster will come in handy.

Females selected for breeding hamsters must be healthy, well-fed, with a shiny coat. Males should be slightly larger than females, with a shiny coat of a well-defined color.

Under favorable conditions, hamsters can bring offspring at any time of the year. To exclude unscheduled reproduction when keeping one pair of animals, they are settled in different cages, planting the female with the male only for mating.

Interesting to know! Pregnancy after the first mating in a female may not occur, so sometimes mating has to be repeated more than once.

Obvious signs of pregnancy in the female appear, as a rule, on the 10-12th day. The activity of the female bearing cubs is noticeably reduced. She tries to move carefully, without making sudden movements. The gestation period is 18-22 days.

A pregnant female should create calm, comfortable conditions, since in case of stress, the female can kill and eat her offspring. Also, the female can be aggressive towards the male.

Before childbirth, it is recommended to make a complete disinfection of the cage, and use a one-story house for childbirth. It is forbidden to stroke, touch and touch newborn young animals, because a female hamster, smelling a foreign smell, can eat her offspring.

During pregnancy, as well as feeding young animals, it is necessary to separately and in small quantities include protein foods in the diet of the female, which may include boiled chicken meat, boiled egg yolk, and non-fat cottage cheese.

Diseases

Tiny pets have relatively strong immunity, but are still susceptible to some diseases.

Domestic rodents are fascinating creatures that both children and adults love to watch. Deciding to get a pet, the owner takes full responsibility for the maintenance and feeding of the animal. An important role in the health of a hamster is played by a proper diet. Despite the variety of special foods and snacks, each owner feels the desire to please his pet with some delicious product from his own diet. Hamsters, as noble food lovers, almost never refuse the owner's treats, which is not always good for them. Therefore, a caring owner should know everything about products that can be fed to a rodent at home without consequences.

What can you feed hamsters

A safe choice in feeding is a balanced grain feed designed specifically for rodents. They contain vitamins and hamster favorite treats like oats, wheat, corn and peas, as well as pumpkin seeds and nuts. It is this food that should be included in the main diet of Djungarian hamsters and other varieties of rodents.

Often, sunflower seeds are added to the feed, but the less they are in the composition, the better for the animal. Despite the pleasant taste, loved by hamsters, the food for them is too fatty. Replace the seeds with pieces of walnut, hazelnut or peanut. Do not forget to clean the shell, as the hamster can easily damage his teeth by trying to chew it on his own. Do not offer your pet almonds, apricot or cherry pits, they are toxic to the hamster's body.

When choosing food in the store, give preference to special mixtures designed for rodents, including Djungarian hamsters. Pay attention to the composition: it should be suitable for the age of the pet. When you want to please your hamster with an exquisite delicacy, offer him an unusual food on a stick, which is covered with tasty grains. In this case, the pet will be able to grind teeth and at the same time be an independent food earner. Cereal sticks can be treated with a frequency of 1 time per month. By the way, similar recommendations will be for various crackers and biscuits for hamsters.

Animals are happy to eat bread, but it is advisable to offer them whole grain varieties. You can feed with bread only in the autumn-winter period and in small portions. Be sure to watch the rodent's stool and, if there are signs of constipation, it is better to refuse bread. There should always be grain food in the feeder so that the hamster does not have the feeling of lack of food. Otherwise, he is prone to saving, begins to stockpile and comes to banal malnutrition.

What can you feed hamsters besides dry food?

A mandatory addition to the diet is fresh grass and greens, especially in spring and summer. Useful vegetation:

fresh dandelion leaves;
carrot and beet tops;
lettuce and celery;
alfalfa and plantain;
garden rose petals.

To feed a hamster at home with greens, you need to be sure that it is completely safe. It is better to grow a useful supplement yourself: on suburban area or on the windowsill. Animals are very fond of fragrant parsley, but it should be given in small portions, since the excess will have a laxative effect on the hamster's stool. By analogy, exclude parsley from the diet of a pregnant or lactating female.

When feeding your pet with celery, watch the reactions of the animal, since the concentration of harmful substances from this plant may well be too high for a small organism. Park areas away from busy city roads are suitable for collecting fresh grass. The best option is grass harvested outside the city, away from dusty highways. If it is not possible to collect fresh grass, you can grow wheat or oats at home. Choose the most juicy greens for your pet, be sure to wash and dry slightly before feeding.

Place young shoots of fruit or berry crops in the cage so that the rodent has the opportunity to grind down its teeth. Sprigs of apple and pear trees, raspberries, currants and wild roses, lindens and acacias are well suited. First, it must be washed well under running water, poured over with boiling water and allowed to cool, after which you can safely offer the animal.

In winter, provide your hamster with plenty of hay with the addition of wheat ears. It is not forbidden to pour grain feed directly into the litter, as some breeders do. The rodent will extract grains with interest, choosing the most delicious ones for itself. Sometimes you can treat your hamster to homemade popcorn, excluding additives in the form of sugar, salt and flavor enhancers.

If there is a meager amount of vegetables and fruits in dry food, feed your pet with the following crops:

pumpkin and zucchini;
sour varieties of apples;
sweet pepper and radish;
strawberries and strawberries;
cherries and currants;
cucumbers and tomatoes;
bananas in any form.

Vegetables are best given without peel and in small portions. Do not feed your hamsters dried fruits, especially those with excess sugar. As an exception, you can treat your pet with raisins or a dried apple slice.

Once or twice a week, rodents can be fed with cottage cheese, a boiled egg, chicken breast, lean beef and rabbit meat, boiled boneless fish. Eating animal products will not harm the rodent, since its wild counterparts can eat about 60% of such food. Twice a week, you can give your pet grasshoppers or worms from the pet store, remembering to monitor the moderation of portions.

What not to feed hamsters: prohibited foods

Do not feed the rodent white cabbage, onions, garlic and sorrel. If you really want to feed your pet with a crispy vegetable, give preference to Chinese cabbage and lettuce. It is undesirable to treat the animals with potatoes, it is poorly absorbed due to the high amount of starch. Beets are considered useless food for rodents: there is no harm or benefit from it. Green peas can lead to bloating, so the hamster can only have a small portion and always in the form of mashed potatoes.

A variety of citrus fruits and kiwi are poorly tolerated by rodents due to their high acidity. Harmful to hamsters are sweet fruits like apricots and peaches, so you need to choose the most sour fruits, but always ripe ones. You can not feed hamsters with fruits of watermelon or melon, because they contain a lot of nitrates.

Grapes must be given carefully, choosing a ripe berry of small and medium size, it should not be overripe or fermented. If the hamster decides to hide it in a secluded place, he can get poisoned by spoiled supplies. Make sure the pieces of fruit are fresh and without large pits.

You can not feed hamsters with salty and spicy food, avoid excessively fatty and exotic foods, sweets in the diet. Eliminate the feeding of semi-finished products, various types sausages and sausages. Do not offer your hamster cheese, as it contains a lot of salt, spices and turns out to be too fatty for a small organism.

Offer greens and fresh feed to the animal in the morning or lunch hours so that uneaten leftovers can be removed from the cage in time and not create a pathogenic environment with unpleasant odors. If unusual products appear on your table that you want to pamper your pet with, make sure they are safe. In case of uncertainty, ask your veterinarian what you can and cannot feed a rodent from "unverified" treats. So you can maintain good health and vitality of the pet.

A common problem with keeping hamsters at home is that it is difficult to determine their food preferences in captivity. The fact is that a hungry animal will grab and hide everything behind its cheeks, including food that is harmful to it and even absolutely inedible objects, which will negatively affect its health. With proper feeding, fluffy pets will delight their owners with their active behavior, live longer, be healthy and give good, viable offspring.

Show all

What does a hamster's diet consist of in nature?

To organize the proper nutrition of a pet in captivity, you need to bring its diet as close to natural as possible.

Most of the menu of rodents is plant foods. With great pleasure, hamsters eat cereals, fruits, vegetables, grass. At the same time, hamsters cannot be attributed to herbivores: they consume caterpillars, worms, spiders, beetles. Rodents do not disdain fresh meat, bird eggs.

What absolutely can not be given to rodents at home?

It is absolutely contraindicated to feed a hamster with dishes prepared for people. Should be excluded from their menu:

salty;
smoked;
fatty;
roast;
sweet;
acute;
canned;
food intended for other animals.

It is a mistake to believe that cheese is useful for a pet from food from the human table. This stereotype is not true. In nature, hamster cheese is not found, so you can’t feed it to an animal.

List of products contraindicated for rodents:

oil;
vegetable fats;
fresh milk;
milk porridge;
sour cream;
cream;
cheeses;
fat meat;
salo;
dried and dried fish and meat products;
fresh bread;
pasta;
pastries, cakes, cookies, pies;
salty crackers;
candies;
sugar;
bee products;
chocolate;
crisps.

There are exceptions for hamsters and among natural plant foods. This issue is discussed in more detail below, in the sections on vegetables, fruits and greens in the diet of animals.

How to feed hamsters at home?

The correct diet of a rodent consists of grains, greens, succulent feed and protein foods. A mandatory component is clean fresh water.

So that pieces of food, garbage, waste products do not get into the pet’s drink, and it remains free of impurities, does not spill, it is best to use a ball drinker in the cage.

Feed mixes for hamsters

The easiest way to organize proper pet nutrition is to purchase food developed by specialists at pet stores. It usually includes:

dried peas;
lentils;
beans;
oats;
millet;
wheat;
peanut;
cashew nuts;
hazelnut;
walnuts.

Seeds are also included.

sunflower;
pumpkins;
flax;
sesame.

In some mixtures, herbal granules, dried fruits as a treat and vitamins, calcium are added.

Fresh food

Restricting an animal to only a dry mixture is an unforgivable mistake. Be sure to feed your pet with greens, juicy food, giving about 50 grams of vegetables and fruits per day. Fruits can be given in large pieces or crushed. Young animals need to grind their teeth. Therefore, it is better for them to put large pieces in the cage. But it is difficult for elderly individuals to gnaw hard vegetables. For them, it will be more useful to eat chopped fruits.

Vegetables

From vegetables, rodents are useful:

pumpkin;
broccoli;
Chinese cabbage;
carrot;
eggplant;
vegetable marrow;
bell pepper;
tomato;
asparagus;
cucumber.

There is a group of vegetables called conditionally acceptable. They are not poisonous to hamsters, but in large quantities they can harm their body. These include:

white cabbage;
red cabbage;
beets;
potato.

Cabbage contains a lot of vitamin C. But it causes strong fermentation in the intestines, provokes diarrhea. Therefore, it can be given only if the animal suffers from constipation, in a very small amount, without leaving the pet unattended.

Beetroot also has a strong laxative effect, it contains a lot of sugar, which is harmful to animals.

As for potatoes, the opinions of experts differ. On the one hand, it contains many vitamins and microelements, there are antioxidants that strengthen the walls of blood vessels and slow down the aging process of the body. On the other hand, raw potatoes can cause fermentation and diarrhea. Therefore, this root crop should be given carefully, observing the condition of the pet. Potato peel accumulates poisonous corned beef, which leads to the death of the animal. When giving a hamster the vegetable it needs, cut off the thick top layer.

Some experts suggest feeding rodents boiled vegetables. But hamsters in nature do not meet boiled potatoes, which means they should not eat such a product. An exception is made for elderly animals. They have boiled potatoes in the diet, but in combination with raw pumpkin, cucumber. Boil vegetables without salt.

Boiled cabbage and onions can also be offered to pets. And in raw form, these products are given to animals no more than 2-3 times a month.

Fruits and berries

Hamsters like tasty, fragrant fruits. When keeping a pet at home, you can and should give them, because they have a lot of vitamins and minerals. However, caution must be exercised here as well. Not all fruits and berries are suitable for hamsters.

It is useful to feed rodents:

apples;
apricots;
pears;
plums;
bananas;
grapes;
raspberries;
peaches;
blueberries
cherry;
strawberries.

They are contraindicated:

citrus;
kiwi;
watermelon;
a pineapple;
pomegranate.

Persimmon is a conditionally acceptable fruit. It contains a large amount of tannins and sugar. If you decide to treat your pet with this fruit, you should choose the least sweet variety. Give persimmon to the animal male no more than 1-2 times a month.

Greens

Although dry mixes often contain herbal granules, pampering your pet with fresh herbs is never superfluous. Of the beneficial herbs, hamsters love the most:

nettle;
dill;
clover;
plantain;
leaf lettuce;
parsley;
dandelion;
beet and carrot tops;
alfalfa;
shiritsu (red spotted);
rabbit cabbage.

Despite the juiciness of the plant, you can not feed hamsters with celandine - it is poisonous for the animal.

Because of the strong smell, hamsters do not like the greens of onions, garlic, leeks. They may also refuse fragrant mint, dill and parsley. But if the latter are not contraindicated for rodents, then experts do not recommend onions and garlic to animals because they contain a large amount of sugar.

Sorrel contains many acids that are harmful to rodents. Therefore, you can not give this grass, useful for people, to animals.

Hamsters are also given twigs of trees and shrubs. They contain many vitamins. Hamsters clean and grind their teeth by gnawing them. It is not necessary to offer aspen and poplar to animals - they have a bitter taste. Oak branches contain tannins that can cause constipation.

Meat, dairy and eggs

Proteins are an important part of the hamster diet.

From meat products, they can be offered boiled chicken breast without skin and salt. Insects and worms will be healthy delicacies on the pet's menu.

From dairy products, animals can be offered fat-free cottage cheese, kefir, sugar-free yogurt with the lowest fat content.

Hamsters love to feast on boiled eggs. You need to give them to your pet peeled, and leave the eggshell in a cup: the hamster uses it as a biological supplement rich in calcium. Before boiling, the egg should be thoroughly washed with soda so that it does not have germs. The product is given to the pet once a month, no more than half.

Portions and number of feeding hamsters per day

You can give dry food to pets at home 1-2 times a day. Don't be afraid to overfeed your hamster. This animal will never eat too much. A thrifty animal will simply hide part of the food.

Check the hamster's cage daily, especially if the pet's diet includes perishable foods. Having lain in a secluded place even for a day, they are able to poison a pet.

Portions of food for hamsters vary depending on their species. Dwarf breeds include Dzungarian, Siberian dwarf, Campbell's, Taylor's, Roboro's hamsters. They need 1 tablespoon of dry feed mixture per day. For larger species, such as the Syrian, the portion is doubled.