Source: Hamster Hideout. You can supplement your hamster with fresh fruit and vegetables. Oxbow Essentials Healthy Handfuls Hamster & Gerbil Food is a complete diet balanced with nutrients that help maintain proper nutrition, weight, digestive function and dental health. Mealworms or eggs make a great additional protein source. And, be sure that it does not have any ingredients listed under the foods that hamsters cannot eat section. If you’re wondering what to try first, keep their diet as close to their wild cousin’s diet as possible. So, what do hamsters eat that are safe foods? Sugary products: Hamsters may choose to eat these empty calories instead of their healthier foods, and excess can lead to diabetes. Hamsters can eat a wide variety of fruits; including grapes, strawberries, apples and watermelon. Those cute little hamsters will eat anything, however, not all foods are suitable for Syrian hamsters. Although a hamster mix will provide the hamster with a good basic diet, hamsters also enjoy fruit and vegetables to eat. But, the majority of their diet should be a pelleted hamster mix. And, since domesticated hamsters are closely related to their wild cousins, their diet is similar. Cabbage is a highly recommended treat for hamsters and all hamsters like good quality cabbage; it does not matter if it is the Winter White, the Campbell’s, the Syrian, the Robo or the Chinese hamster. Yes, bananas are a great choice for any hamster including Syrian hamsters. Hamsters can be cute, small, cuddly, and playful. However, the Syrian hamsters are easy to take care of and need low cost and space. In pet stores, you can find pellet food for hamsters that has been carefully balanced to ensure that most of their nutritional requirements are met. Occasionally, you might want to supplement your pet’s diet with a little bit of protein. And, since domesticated hamsters are closely related to their wild cousins, their diet is … Hamsters are not only popular pets; they are also the subject of scientific study in laboratories throughout the world. Note that vegetables are not the staple food for the hamsters. In this article, we will cover what Syrian hamsters should and shouldn’t eat and how to provide them with the best diet possible. Even carrots are safe for hamsters. Of course, each hamster has a different appetite and different metabolism. The golden hamster or Syrian hamster (Mesocricetus auratus) is a rodent belonging to the hamster subfamily, Cricetinae. Vitakraft Formula is a well-respected formula that will provide your hamsters with a nutritionally complete diet. However all hamsters, everywhere, do not react well to the seeds of a fruit. This product uses farm-fresh timothy hay to provide the fiber content necessary to maintain intestinal health and prevent digestive upset. twice a week. Consuming too much of these foods can cause finicky eating patterns and obesity. Plus, it is a tasty treat that is high in fiber. Syrian hamsters can live in captivity for 32 to 34 months. ( Why do they sneeze ). Be sure that the cheese is unflavored. But avoid feeding pork to your pet hamster. When she’s not working or reading and writing about all things related to pet health, she loves to travel and surf. Syrian hamsters tend to form a strong bond with their owners, mainly because they are solitary pets and rely on us for entertainment. And remember, the Syrian hamster – also called Golden hamster or Fancy hamster – is the largest of the five hamster species we keep as pets.Therefore, it requires more food than its smaller cousins. What do hamsters eat in the wild? Wild hamsters will eat everything from seeds and grasses to insects and meat. This is because their acidity could give your hamster problems with their digestion. So, what can Syrian hamsters eat besides hamster mix? Here is a link to Chewy.com where you can purchase it online and have fast delivery to your door. Can Hamsters Eat Strawberries? Pre-packaged muesli or pellets bought from your local pet store offer a great source of nutrients and minerals for your hamster, however small quantities of fresh fruit, vegetables and herbs offer a great way to supplement their diet. As long as your hamster likes the small test piece and it doesn’t make them sick, you can offer them a larger piece next time. Commercial rations are formulated to meet their biological needs. Here are some quick facts about the ideal hamster diet: Your hamster’s diet should consist of at least 16% protein and 5% fat with a balance of essential nutrients and some fiber. It’s not uncommon for hamsters in the wild to be seen eating insects, and for hamsters in captivity to enjoy foodstuffs such as pieces of boiled egg. This should only be given to them once every week or two as a treat. Remember that carrots and other vegetables do contain small amounts of sugar. Dried crickets and mealworms are very popular among Syrian and Dwarf Hamsters. Keep your pet’s health at optimal level. However, many hamsters prefer a mix of dried seeds and grains, which correspond to their food choices in the wild. The only type of fruits that you should definitely avoid are citrus fruits, such as oranges and lemons. Syrian hamsters can eat a wide variety of fruit, vegetables, salad, nuts, meat & herbs as part of a balanced healthy diet, below is a comprehensive list of safe food for Syrian hamsters. Tomato leaves: These are toxic to hamsters. All those who are having hamsters as pets at home must have fair knowledge related to what do hamsters eat. Can Hamsters Eat Apples & Their Skin & Seeds? Carrots are filled with Vitamin A and other nutritions. Their natural geographical range is limited to arid areas of Syria, Turkey, Greece, Romania and Belgium. And, you should only feed them banana once or twice a week. Hamsters can also eat grapes, apples, watermelon, pears, peaches, and strawberries. 22 Foods Hamsters can (& can’t) eat! Good choices are: broccoli, kale, cucumber, carrots, clover, alfalfa, spinach, basil, and cauliflower. 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. Any uneaten fruits and vegetables should be promptly removed from their cage. Bread is not good for them and white bread is the least healthy option. This applies for every kind of hamster out there, be it Syrian, Robo, Campbell, or Chinese. Rather than giving them a huge chunk, cut the carrot in smaller cubes or offer a baby carrot for them to chew on. Wild hamsters are omnivorous and eat a wide range of foods from seeds, insects, and nuts. Even carrots are safe for hamsters. Smaller hamsters should consume fewer grape pieces while larger hamsters can eat more,” said Olivia Petritz, DVM, DACZM, and avian and exotics specialist at Advanced Critical Care and Emergency Specialty Services (ACCESS). For domesticated hamster researchers design diets to maximize growth, breeding, milk production in mothers, and the maintenance of health in adult hamsters. Hutch and Cage.com does not provide veterinary advice. To encourage your hamster’s natural foraging behaviors, you can distribute food all over the cage for him or her to find – one downside of this, however, is that it becomes more difficult to monitor your hamster’s food intake. I've been putting this video off for a long time, but it's finally here! Pet hamsters only require about 1 to 2 tablespoons of food per day. Nina has a passion for sports, nutrition and the outdoors and she loves all pets, but rats have a special place in her heart. Dried crickets and mealworms are very popular among Syrian and Dwarf Hamsters. Carrots can be a wonderful treat for your hamster because it is good to gnaw on. Avoid citrus fruits as they are too acidic. If you’d rather avoid handling insects, you could substitute this for hard-boiled egg in small quantities. In general, hamsters can eat fruits that include blueberries, apples, strawberries, figs, plums, bananas, and pears. You can really feel free to choose and use the term you prefer, regardless of the breed or type of hamster you have. The best source of fibre is provided by good quality hay which you can source at a local pet shop. For domesticated hamster researchers design diets to maximize growth, breeding, milk production in mothers, and the maintenance of health in adult hamsters. The diet of the hamster is less studied than the diet of other laboratory rodents. Hamsters are omnivorous, which means they eat both vegetable and animal materials. Weaning the Baby Hamsters . After 2 weeks, feed them 2 milliliters 8 times a day. And, be sure to offer them only a very small piece. If you look at a box of hamster feed, you will usually just see grains, a few seeds, and a few … 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; Put it in an air-tight container in the fridge for extra freshness In pet stores, you can find mixtures that were put together especially for dwarf hamsters, consisting of smaller seeds and grains (e.g. In the wild hamsters are omnivorous but mostly eat plants. A small amount of boiled egg … By Susan Cabbage is a highly recommended treat for hamsters and all hamsters like good quality cabbage; it does not matter if it is the Winter White, the Campbell’s, the Syrian, the Robo or the Chinese hamster. And, any fruit or vegetable should only be used as an occasional treat. The dried food should be kept in a small earthenware/ pot bowl to avoid it tipping over and causing a mess! And, you should only offer a small cube or curd of cheese. Fruits. Look in Walmart or pet stores for hamster food or hamster and gerbil food. Thus, wild golden hamsters … If you would rather not offer them insects, you can give them other types of meat like beef or chicken. The Journal of Nutrition, Volume 27, Pp 213-224. The Journal of Nutrition, Volume 27, Pp 213-224. For a Syrian hamster or other full-sized species of hamster, increase the amount of milk offered. Offer only one new type of food at a time. Syrian hamsters are the most common species of hamster there is to find (and the largest). Well, there are lots of things that you can make a part of hamsters' diet like seeds, dried fruits, vegetables, and so on. Note: The first 10 seeds of the list can be either fed dry or can be mixed into the daily diet of the hamster.It is always advisable to feed 2-3 types of seeds in a combination for holistic nutritional growth. Can Hamsters Eat Cabbage? Also, as an Amazon affiliate, we earn from qualifying purchases. Most of the commercially sold treats for hamsters – such as the popular yogurt drops – are very high in sugar and calories and should be avoided. While hamsters and gerbils love seeds and fruits, they can be high in calories and low in nutritional quality. In the wild areas, when the hamster is not living as a pet, that means the hamster is living with all the other animals. And, it can be difficult to feed a hamster milk. Hamsters naturally eat a mixture of seeds/cereals/insect larvae/larger insects e.g. Nutritional Requirements of the Syrian Hamster. While it may look like a tiny amount of food to you, it’s just perfect for a hamster. How should I introduce a new food to my hamster? 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