Feeding Your Hamster
| Commercial Diet/Hamster Mix The basic and major part of the hamster's diet should be a hamster mix/commercial diet instead of your daily leftovers or other human food, as the latter may not contain the essential nutrients that a hamster need. A good brand of hamster mix should be bugs-free and contains essential nutrients of a balanced diet. There are different types of hamster food catering to Syrian and dwarf hamsters, so make sure you buy the correct type according to your hamster's breed. All-in-one hamster mix, catering to other animals besides the hamster (e.g. food for gerbil and guinea pig and hamster) should be avoided as these mixes could contain bigger pieces that is difficult for the hamster to digest. Change the hamster food in the food dish daily to keep the food fresh and free from contamination. Introduce new food and treats by mixing with the current diet to allow your hamster to get use to them gradually. Avoid overfeeding your hamster as their hoarding instinct may cause trouble in their cheek pouches. Perishable food should be changed regularly and fed in moderate amounts. Some common ingredients in commercial diets include sunflower seeds, wheat, nuts and beans, barley, maize, pea flakes, pellets, and various kinds of seeds (e.g. safflower seeds, millet seed). The hamster mix usually contains some hard food particles to satisfy your pet's need to gnaw. When fed with a balanced diet, vitamin supplements are optional and should be given in moderation.
Delicious Treats Besides the basic hamster mix, you can also supplement your pet's daily diet with a moderated amount of treats. Below are some delicious and healthy treats for your hamster. -Dog biscuits -Chopped hard boiled eggs -Carrot -Corn -Water Chestnut -Broccoli and Cauliflower -Plain oats -Health food (usually oil free and salt free) products such as museli, nuts and seeds. -Cheese and other milk products for strong bones -Cereal -Bread (you can spread a thin layer of peanut butter) -Diluted honey fed with a plastic spoon -Turnips -Spinach -Brussel Sprouts -Cabbage ***All only in small amounts!*** Foods to avoid -Chocolates -Henbane -Oak leaves -Buttercups -Laurel leaves -Hemlock -Garlic -Onions -Junk food -Sticky/sharp food as these may cause trouble in your hamster's cheek pouch. -Sweet and oily food as they causes obesity. -Vegetables and other high moisture content food should be fed in moderation to prevent diarrhoea. Although hamsters are omnivorous, it is better and healthier to stick with a vegetarian diet. Some books had also suggested that consuming meat encourage the cannibalism of young by adult hamsters. Feed your hamster once a day, in the late afternoon or evening. Give a small handful of hamster mix and a small handful of vegetables. If any is left uneaten, give less the next day. If all is eaten, try giving more, but first check to see if your hamster is hoarding in its cage. Give a good variety of foods, but introduce any new food gradually. You can buy hamster mix at a pet store, Walmart, etc. It is fortified so that it provides a hamster with a well-balanced diet of essential foods--grains, seeds, and nuts. To make sure your hamster gets the vitamins it needs, you can buy vitamin drops for small animals at the pet store. Never leave your hamster without fresh water to drink. You can feed pieces of apple, pear, grape, and tomato, all in small amounts only. But remember that fruit decays quickly, so check that none is left uneaten in the cage for more than a day. Also remove any uneaten vegetables that your hamster stored so that they do not become moldy. If you are going on vacation for more than three days, you can take your hamster with you, or arrange for a friend to feed it. For a shorter time, it's ok to leave enough food in the cage to last until you get back. Don't forget to fill up the water bottle!
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| Copyright � 2001 by Amanda |