What do hamsters eat in the wild?
In the wild, hamsters eat various plant foods (usually seeds), as well as many insects, their larvae and caterpillars.
How long can a hamster go without food?
What type of hard food do hamsters eat?
At home, hamsters can be fed with a ready-made feed mixture, which can be purchased at the pet store. It usually contains wheat, oats, corn, peas, sunflower seeds and nuts. In addition, it contains vitamin supplements necessary for normal growth and development. When buying food, do not forget to check the expiration date – it should be indicated on the package. If your hamster doesn’t like the food you bought, experiment with other types of food. Hamsters should not be given sweet food (chocolate, candy), a lot of fatty foods (for example, sunflower seeds).
The stores also sell a dainty for hamsters – sticks covered with grains. Hamsters themselves gnaw food – that’s both independent foraging, and training – grinding teeth. It is recommended to combine this delicacy with regular food.
It is helpful for hamsters to give hay as a feed additive. They eat part of it, and from the rest they can build a nest.
What type of green food do hamsters eat?
Add greens and fruits to your hamster’s diet. Recommended vegetables: carrots, beets, cucumbers, corn, potatoes (no eyes) and zucchini. It is necessary to give up vegetables such as onions, garlic, cabbage – they cause flatulence. Fruits: apples, apricots, peaches, pears, bananas (except citrus fruits and kiwi – they have too many acids and are poorly digested by hamsters).
Also essential vitamins are contained in wheat germ and dandelion leaves.
Do hamsters need animal proteins?
Protein supplementation is very important as hamsters are not only herbivores. In studies of Roborovsky hamsters in vivo, it was found that these rodents eat up to 60% of animal food at certain times of the year. This high content of animal protein in captivity is not necessary, but it proves that many supposed vegetarians do not give up on “meat” either. Small beef bones, pieces of boiled meat, cottage cheese will do – but not more than once or twice a week. Meal beetle and various food insects are good treats – but don’t buy a lot at once – one of my hamsters is afraid to eat them. 🙂 It is necessary to ensure that insects and perishable foods are eaten immediately.
What is a complementary feed?
As additional food – and entertainment – hay (hamsters can eat or use it to build a nest), ears of wheat and oats (better dried than fresh) are suitable. For grinding the incisors – you can give branches of “sweet” trees – birch, fruit trees.
What vitamins and minerals do hamsters need?
Vitamins for rodents are sold at pet stores. It is better to buy a whole package, and not bulk vitamins – then you will know exactly what you are buying. But: not all hamsters love these or those vitamins – one hamster may eat vitamins from one company, and the other simply will not like them. If the hamster needs vitamins – for example, in winter and spring, during pregnancy and nursing – you can grind the vitamin into powder and sprinkle the food with this powder, preferably fresh (a piece of apple). But you should not overfeed your hamster – an excess of vitamins is sometimes worse than a lack.
In the same pet stores, mineral wheels are sold – they include chalk, salt, etc. Such a wheel can be hung in the cage – and the hamster will chew on it whenever he wants.
Hamster water bottle or water dish?
Many people think that hamsters don’t need water – they get the right amount of water from vegetables and fruits. Yes, in nature it is. But a sip of water is also nice. My hamsters eat fresh food – but they do not give up water or milk. You can hang a special drinker in the cage – the water stays there for a long time (but it also needs to be changed at least once a week) and the hamster can drink when he needs to – and if he needs to. Ordinary bowls are not recommended as drinkers, as the hamster can turn them over and the bedding will get wet.
