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.

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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:

• butter;
• 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;
• candy;
• 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;
• Garnet.

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.

Greenery

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.

Choosing the right diet for your pet is the key to his health and good mood. In this article, we will consider how to feed a Syrian hamster at home, we will compile a list of useful and harmful foods. The list will help inexperienced owners quickly navigate and form the perfect menu for the baby.

We will also analyze what can be given to a Syrian hamster, and what it is absolutely impossible to feed it with.

The diet of the Syrian hamster in the wild consists of 3 main components:

• succulent feed (greens, vegetables, fruits, berries);
• protein food (small insects, worms).

At home, it is not difficult to provide a pet with a balanced diet.

Seeds and nuts

Since the homeland of the animal is forest-steppe and meadows, cereals should become the basis of its diet. The easiest way is to provide your pet with the necessary seeds in full, buying for him in pet stores. They include:

• wheat;
• corn;
• oats;
• red millet;
• alfalfa;
• sunflower;
• shelled peas;
• peanut;
• buckwheat;
• sesame.

All these components can and should be included in the diet of the Syrian hamster.

The only thing you need to pay attention to is that the percentage of fat-containing seeds and (sunflower, peanuts) is minimal.

It is better to use such food as a treat so that the pet does not begin to gain weight.

You can prepare a mixture for the baby yourself to be absolutely sure that all the ingredients are suitable for the pet. In the composition, in addition to the above components, it is good to include more seeds:

• pumpkins;
• watermelon;
• melons.

These components diversify the baby's diet and saturate the body with useful substances.

Greenery and tree branches

It should also form a significant part of the rodent's daily menu. Here is a list of useful plants:

• knotweed;
• Clover;
• wheatgrass;
• sleep;
• plantain;
• burdock;
• nettle (only treated with boiling water);
• leaf salad;
• parsley;
• Dill;
• seedlings of wheat, oats, millet and other permitted seeds.

There are plants that can be included in the diet of the Syrian hamster, but this must be done with caution. This:

• tarragon;
• sagebrush;
• dandelion.

Grass for feeding a pet should be collected away from busy roads (the best option is your own garden plot), rinsed well with running water and then dried.

In order for the rodent to be able to grind off constantly growing teeth, it is recommended that it also offer deciduous trees:

• apple trees;
• pears;
• cherries;
• birch;
• maple;
• beech;
• oak;
• poplars;
• ash.

Branches should be cut in an environmentally friendly place. Before putting them in a cage, you should rinse the branches and remove all knots.

Vegetables

In the daily diet of the Syrian hamster, you need to include some juicy, rich in vitamins. The most useful vegetables for small rodents:

• carrot;
• cucumber;
• pumpkin (only pulp);
• Bell pepper;
• radish;
• turnip;

Hamsters are especially fond of and, but kids are always happy with other vegetables. It is necessary to choose a fruit for complementary foods very carefully. The pet's small organism is hard to tolerate any "chemical" substances, so the vegetable is guaranteed to be grown without the use of pesticides and nitrates.

Even a small dose of chemicals, if it enters the animal's digestive tract, will cause poisoning.

Vegetables should be fresh, without rotten areas. All root crops must be washed well before treating them to a pet. It is better to peel the vegetables from the peel and cut into small cubes so that it is convenient for the baby to eat.

Fruit

• (if the apple is sweet and sour, you can give it more often);
• bananas;
• (first try to give a small piece to follow the reaction of the intestine);
• peaches;
• apricots.

Before you treat your baby with fruits, remove the seeds and seeds from them, cut them into small pieces and give them to the rodent one at a time.

Berries

Berries are on the list of what Syrian hamsters eat in their natural environment. In a small amount, it will be useful for them to enjoy:

• strawberries;
• raspberries;
• (seedless).

Berries should be chosen ripe, but not overripe, and washed well.

Protein products

Consider what you can feed the Syrian hamster to provide the body of the rodent with protein. Here are the most useful and affordable sources of this diet component necessary for animals:

• (chicken or quail);
• boiled chicken breast or lean fish;
• fresh green peas;
• chickpeas (soak in water before feeding);
• insects or worms intended to feed rodents and sold in pet stores.

For these products to be beneficial, they should be given in limited quantities.

"Protein days" is better to arrange a pet twice or thrice a week. Products need to be rotated.

How to feed the animal

After the question of what a Syrian hamster can eat is resolved, it is necessary to figure out what liquid should be given to the animal. Contrary to popular belief, juicy food is not enough to provide the body of the animal with moisture.

When choosing food, you need to take into account the age, habits, and health status of the pet. To choose the right diet, you should familiarize yourself with the nature and behavioral characteristics of rodents in the wild. Hamsters drink little liquids, they lay the bulk of the food “in reserve”, so if your pet tries to bury food in a secluded place in the cage, do not interfere with it, but rather reduce the portion of food.

What can and cannot be fed to hamsters?

grain mix . The feed should be in the form of granules or a mixture of seeds. Most often these are cereals (oats, wheat), millet, corn, seeds (pumpkin, watermelon, sometimes sunflower), peas, beans. Sometimes you can give nuts: cashews, pine nuts, peanuts, walnuts. Also, dried berries, pieces of fruit can be included in the feed - an additional delicacy for rodents. The feeder should not always be empty, because then the hamster will think that the food is running out and begin to make strategic supplies. In winter and autumn, hamsters can be given whole grain bread, in summer its consumption is reduced.

Green food . All greenery should be collected away from roads, if possible outside the city. You can give leaves of dandelion, plantain, clover, meadow herbs, lettuce, beetroot and carrot tops. It is useful for hamsters and sprouted grains (oats and wheat). In winter, rodents should not lack hay. For grinding incisors, tree branches are given (previously washed and scalded with boiling water) - apple, linden, maple, birch, willow, raspberry, blackcurrant, rosehip, pear and others.

Vegetables and fruits . You can and should add pieces of vegetables and fruits to the rodent's diet. It can be carrots, zucchini, beets, tomatoes, cucumbers, potatoes, pumpkins, bell peppers. As for fruits, these are pieces of apples, peaches, apricots, bananas, pears, in winter you can give soaked unsweetened dried fruits. Berries - strawberries, currants, strawberries, raspberries, blueberries, cherries.

Animal products . Also, a small amount of cottage cheese, milk, boiled eggs can be included in the diet, pieces of boiled meat are given once a week. Many hamsters also eat small insects: beetles, grasshoppers, locusts, ants, and worms. "Live" food is best purchased at a pet store.

“Crickets should make up about 3% of the diet of small rodents, which will significantly improve the health of the animal. This is especially important when the animal has children,” said Anneke Vermelin-Slik, a European expert and pet breeder with a total experience of more than 45 years. For the past 15 years, Anneke has been the secretary of the Dutch Standards Committee for Rabbits and Rodents, as well as a member of the board (and former chairman) of the Dutch Rodent Club.

ONTO Biotechnology launched the production of feed canned crickets. This is a unique product that contains only whole, fresh crickets, which do not contain any preservatives, chemicals, or medicines. Insects are grown on our own eco-farm, under the strict control of specialists. Therefore, the cricket is very useful for rodents.

The house cricket (Acheta domesticus) is a dietary, healthy product containing a lot of protein, calcium, chitin, 9 amino acids, OMEGA-3 and OMEGA-9 polyunsaturated fatty acids, vitamin B12, oligosaccharides. These insects contain little fat, so the animals will not gain excess weight.

Vitamins and mineral supplements . They can be bought at pet stores, more often they are sold in the form of tablets or liquid drops - they can be added to fresh food. There should also be mineral stones in the cage - they are used not only for the hamster to sharpen its teeth, it is also a powerful source of calcium, phosphorus and other trace elements. We want to remind you that you don’t need to be zealous with vitamins: follow the dosage indicated by the manufacturer, and even better, consult your veterinarian.

It is recommended to give fresh food in the morning and grain food in the evening. It is less likely that the hamster will “dig” a perishable product in reserve. When choosing ready-made food, try to take mixtures that include a minimum of sunflower seeds: hamsters love this delicacy very much and often choose only it from the bowl, and the rest of the food disappears. The packaging must be sealed, it indicates the expiration date and the composition of the product - pay attention to this.

You can not give the hamster products from your table, exotic fruits, mushrooms, flour, fatty dairy products, sweets, garlic, onions, sorrel, cabbage.

A domestic hamster, compared to a wild brother, is a true gentleman. Indeed, in the steppe or on the field, no one offers a rodent "to the table" vitamin fruits and vegetables, and even vitamins in a dosage form.

And the animals have to be content with what God sends. And in the place of their natural residence, God sends mainly grains of cereals and the fruits of legumes, sunflowers and corn. That's why their diet is complete only in the warm season when you can enjoy fresh berries.

It is known that hamsters are very thrifty, because they do not starve even in adverse weather conditions: they exist at the expense of supplies dragged underground in their cheek pouches.

Pets, in principle, are also happy to eat the same foods, but due to the pampered body and reduced stamina, it is better to feed them not with purely “natural” grains and seeds, but with balanced nutritious foods (which are also fortified) sold in pet stores.

What can you feed hamsters

This very food should be present in the feeder of the homa all the time. The mixture contains carefully selected and appropriately processed products that will not harm the pet.

Despite the fact that food for parrots and songbirds, as well as for rodents - guinea pigs, rats - is mostly grain, but hamsters should not eat it: the composition is completely different there.

As for the types of dry food, as a treat, you can sometimes, literally twice a week, give fluffy or seeds - sunflower or pumpkin. Why is it so rare? And because these products are part of the main feed.

But what should never be done is to treat a hamster with shelled nuts or fruit stones, which is supposed to help the rodent wear down its long teeth. However, the opposite effect can be achieved here: both teeth can be broken, and the oral cavity or pouches can be injured. And besides, the nucleoli of stone fruits contain hydrocyanic acid - the strongest poison.

To abrade the teeth, a special “biting” stick is placed in the cage - a boiled and dried branch of some country (environmentally friendly!) Tree, be it a birch, a hazel or an apple tree.

vegetable set

Knowing that hamsters “sweep” everything that gets into their paws, you need to carefully monitor that something harmful like sweets does not get into them - they don’t know about their harm!

And although many people, out of ignorance, believe that these rodents are omnivorous, there is one immutable rule: they should not be given "human" food with all its set of fats, sugar, salt, and even spices. What can you give hamsters from food?

Juicy and green food must certainly be included in the hamster's menu, and the products must be fresh and thoroughly washed.

From vegetables it is most preferable:

• carrot,
• beet,
• zucchini,
• pumpkin,
• green leaf lettuce.

In addition to lettuce, you can add parsley and dill, dandelion leaves and yellow clover to the list of necessary greens. Naturally, they should not be collected on the side of the road, but away from the highway and the city outskirts.

Green grass for hamster food can be grown in a pot on the windowsill, sowing seeds in the ground that the hamster did not scam.

• watermelons,
• cabbage,
• potatoes.

fruit treat

Starting from the age of two months, the hamster can get a little apple. Let him and currants. “Laxative” pear and apricot (as we remember, without a stone) should be dispensed with in small quantities, and given very rarely - as a treat.

Useful little animals and dried fruits - apples, raisins, dried apricots. The exception is prunes.

It is forbidden

Forbidden include almost all fruits of exotic origin:

• avocado,
• kiwi,
• persimmon,

And you need protein

Any living organism needs a constant replenishment of protein. Hamsters, of course, are no exception. For this they need to get a protein supplement every day. It may include the following products:

• boiled egg,
• low fat,
• boiled (without salt and spices) chicken breast,
• lean boiled fish
• sprouts of oats or leguminous plants.

The pet should receive all this alternately twice a week.

What can not be fed is whole milk, cheese and bread.

These foods are poorly digested and can create problems with the rodent's stomach and intestines, causing indigestion, prolonged constipation, and even death.

Let's drink, homa? Where is the vodka?

If it seems to you that the hamster does not need water, because he "almost does not drink it", then this is a deep delusion.

He drinks, of course, but not in the same quantities as his owners, and his drinker may remain half empty. The water in it must be changed daily, and it should not be boiled or distilled, i.e. devoid of all "live" useful substances, but ordinary drinking. You can filter it.

Menu for jungarians

Speaking about the diet of hamsters, one must consider what species they belong to. What do dzhungars eat at home? These hamsters are indeed omnivorous, but this does not mean that this “everything” can be given to them. Ideally, their home menu should not differ much from what Mother Nature presents to him in the wild. Ready-made dry mixes are ideal, but since they differ both in composition and quality, you need to carefully monitor whether your pet likes this or that set. Dzhungarik is able to ignore what he does not like.

You can also prepare a similar mixture at home if you mix the following products in equal quantities:

• legumes, in particular beans, peas, beans, lentils,
• buckwheat
• oats or hercules,
• wheat,
• barley.

A good addition would be sunflower or pumpkin seeds.. Every day, the jungars should receive something from nuts:

• peanut,
• walnut,
• cashew nuts,
• sesame seeds,
• hazelnut.

As for parsley, it is worth remembering: having a laxative effect, it is contraindicated for pregnant hamsters.

Certainly, the diet of jungariks should also include fresh fruits with berries, but in limited quantities, since this species of rodents has a tendency to diabetes.

Dried fruits, including banana chips, should be given in small amounts.

In general, zoologists believe that it is much more useful - vegetables, whose list is quite wide. In addition to the already mentioned root crops and pumpkin, these are:

• eggplant,
• - broccoli, Beijing, colored,
• fresh corn,
• cucumber (preferably grown in a summer cottage - without pesticides),
• tomato (with the same caveat!),
• string beans.

Opinions of experts differ about the use of radishes and radishes. You can experiment, but is it worth the risk: after all, even without them, your pet will not remain hungry!

And the favorite delicacy of hamsters are bamboo sprouts, sprouted grains of wheat, oats, alfalfa. And it is quite appropriate to offer rodents to gnaw cherry, maple, birch or apple twigs - any other deciduous or fruit tree. This is not only useful for the hamster's teeth, but also for his entire body.

What can't a jungarik?

Citrus fruits are harmful to crumbs, as is a dessert made from sour berries such as barberry or sea buckthorn. The stomachs of dwarf rodents are hard to digest white cabbage, sometimes this even leads to the death of babies.

Under no pretext should you give food from the table of the owners: fatty, fried, floury dishes are disastrous for pets.

And the following extensive list has a short name - you can not!

What will we feed the Syrian?

There are no big differences in the diet of these two types of hamsters. Perhaps the main feature is a great commitment to grain feed.

When compiling the menu for the Syrian hamster, one must take into account both the age and state of his health, and the taste preferences of the pet.

Balanced grain mixtures have already been discussed above. It is recommended to give such food in the mornings and evenings in the amount of one tablespoon.

Cereals and legumes, protein supplements, herbs, fresh vegetables and fruits - the set is almost the same.

It is useful for females who are expecting an addition to the family to receive cereal porridge.

And also hamsters, especially Syrians, choose live food as a treat: ants, flies, worms. However, it is better to buy this "game" in a pet store than to catch it personally.

What is good for the baby?

Hamster babies, like human babies, need to be fed little by little, but often. In the first three months of life, the hamster's diet should be special.

A bowl of dry food should always be in the cage of a small rodent, and what to eat, what to leave is at its discretion. But the owner will soon be able to determine his tastes and preferences.

Wet food for the baby can be offered only one of some kind per day, otherwise the delicate ventricle will react with frustration.

A leaf of fresh garden lettuce, sprouted peas, wheat, beans can act as green fodder. In addition to being vitamin "meals", they are also tasty, nutritious and beneficial for growing hamster organisms.

But to treat kids with such goodies as watermelon or strawberries is not worth it.

Feeding rules

For all types of hamsters, two meals a day are recommended - breakfast and dinner.

Experts believe that fresh food is more appropriate in the morning, and dry food in the evenings, then, traditionally hidden, it will not deteriorate.

Serving sizes depend on the size of the rodent - it can be one or four tablespoons. However, the volume of a single portion should not be made large. Thrifty hamsters, if you put more food in the feeder than they can eat, they can simply hide it somewhere in their bins, and then it will go and spoil. A hamster would not get poisoned!

New types of food are introduced into the menu gradually, from very small pieces - as the animal gets used to it.

For dwarf species of hamsters, choose food that is “convenient” in size - so that it is easy to hide in the cheek pouches.

If you managed to notice that not all of the food was eaten, immediately remove the excess. Spoiled, it will lead to gastric upset in the pet.

Keep an eye on the expiration date of the purchased ready-made food, even if it looks pretty decent. Often even one of the ingredients can make the food toxic.

Useful video

The diet of all mammals, which include hamsters, requires completeness and balance. Each owner knows the age, individual characteristics of his pet, his habits, realistically assesses his physical activity, and, focusing on all these indicators, taking into account the season, he must be able to select the products necessary for the pet. If the food is organized correctly, the hamster will live in contentment and health until the deepest hamster old age.

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Have you got a little adorable hamster or are you just planning to? What are you going to feed? Do you know that choosing the right diet for a fluffy miracle is not so easy? There are a lot of foods that hamsters simply cannot be given. Their diet differs from the human one, as well as from what forms the basis of the nutrition of their brethren in the wild.

Today we will talk about the basic rules for feeding these cute animals and analyze the main questions that arise from the owners. The list of what can be given to Djungarian hamsters is by no means small. But the list of prohibited items is quite extensive, and any responsible reasonable owner must be familiar with it.

What is often asked

Hamster owners often ask the same questions, for example: What can and cannot be given to hamsters? Is it allowed to feed furry pets with cheese, milk, bread, bananas, pumpkins, persimmons, apples, grapes? What can be given Is the animal to drink, or does it have enough liquid from food? What can be given to a hamster-jungarik, etc.?

As for cheese, let's say right away - there is no consensus. Somewhere it is said about its negative impact on the health of the animal, other sources do not support this opinion. If you want to exclude the slightest possibility of trouble, it is better not to use cheese.

Can you give your hamster cabbage? It is impossible - neither white, nor red, nor Brussels. But nevertheless, Chinese and colored (pre-boiled) will not bring harm. The sweet fruits listed above (grapes, bananas, apples) are healthy and completely safe for hamsters, and besides, the animals love them very much.

Never offer your pet milk - you can neither give it to the animal to drink, nor boil porridge in milk. This leads to severe digestive disorders. As for bread, black is strictly forbidden, white will not bring harm. Persimmon is shown in small quantities, but it is worth choosing sweet and completely non-astringent fruits.

What can you give hamsters from food

And yet, what is the best way to feed a hamster at home? You must be aware that the animal itself has a poor idea of ​​what it can and cannot do. Therefore, it is unlikely that he will choose food for himself, guided by the principles of a healthy diet - he will “crack” everything he gets to. So the owner develops the diet for the pet, and he is also responsible for the health and well-being of the ward.

The obligatory components of the hamster menu are food (dry and wet), protein supplements, vitamins with minerals and, of course, water, and it is not so easy to achieve the correct ratio due to the presence of a mass of various nuances. For example - what can be given to hamsters of different ages (young and old individuals eat completely differently)? What about illnesses?

What should be dry food

Dry food, perhaps, can be called the basis of the hamster diet. It is best if he will be present in the feeder all the time. Food that can be given to hamsters is not suitable for other animals, and vice versa. It is strictly forbidden to buy food intended for other animals - for example, rats or guinea pigs, as well as parrots and other birds.

Why? All specialized feeds contain a certain type of vitamin supplements, the composition of which is carefully selected for the needs of the animal's body. That is, the ingredients of different types of such food can be very, very significantly different. By feeding a hamster food that is not intended for this species, you can get very disastrous consequences.

On the importance of fiber

In addition to dry food, your rodent must also receive wet food. It consists of fruits, vegetables and herbs. The latter should be added to the feeder on a regular basis. This will bring the necessary variety to the diet.

What can you give a hamster from the "grass"? In addition to dill and parsley, he will gladly eat dandelions, plantain, nettles, lettuce and clover. Those valuable substances that contain greens are difficult to obtain from other products.

As for vegetables, all their variety should be divided into two lists in the same way - those that can be fed, and those that are strictly forbidden to give. Is it possible to give Djungarian hamsters potatoes? Feed mushrooms? What about onions and garlic? In no case! You can and should offer him carrots, beets, eggplants, zucchini, as well as cucumbers with tomatoes and peas. Hamsters will happily eat wheat or sprouted oat grains.

Everyone loves fruits!

Next, you should clarify what you can give a hamster from fruit. Without any fear, you can feed your pet with plums, currants, gooseberries, blueberries, rose hips and pitted cherries. From time to time, offer the animal something from dried fruits - for example, some raisins or dried apricots.

The hamster will not refuse pears or banana chips. But do not give prunes to avoid problems. Experiments in the matter of feeding should not be allowed, having decided to replenish the diet with a new vegetable or fruit, consult knowledgeable people.

It is not good to abuse fruits because of the excess sugar content in them. Nuts should also be given little by little (as a delicacy). You can treat your hamster with peanuts, walnuts, cashews or sunflower and pumpkin seeds.

We are a little carnivorous...

Animals need protein supplements, and many of them enjoy eating such food. Others categorically refuse, so sometimes it is difficult for the owner to determine what exactly to give to a capricious pet. In general, the list of protein source foods allowed for rodents starts with boiled chicken (just don’t try to salt it or add at least some spices). You can also give a hamster a hard-boiled egg (and you can feed both protein and yolk), low-fat kefir and the same cottage cheese (zero or one percent fat content), as well as bifilin. Sometimes the owners feed their pets with shrimp (peeled, of course).

In a pet store in this capacity, you can buy flour or earthworms, grasshoppers and butterflies. Do not take top dressing of dubious origin and anywhere, since it is not known what additives it contains, and how this will affect the health of the animal. Only in a pet store you will be sold a balanced product adapted specifically for this type of animal.

How often should you feed your hamster protein? It is better to do this once every two or three days or twice a week. It would be nice if you set a certain schedule, and the animal will receive such a diet on specific days. It is not worth giving him proteins for two days in a row.

About healthy supplements

Let's move on to vitamins and minerals. If you constantly feed your hamster exclusively with expensive dry food from a well-known manufacturer, then you don’t have to worry. It already contains everything that is useful and necessary for your pet. If you want to know the details - get acquainted with the composition indicated on the package.

When the food is simpler and cheaper (domestic brands) or even homemade, a couple of times every week the feeder should be replenished with minerals and vitamins. Such supplements should not be bought at a pharmacy - human vitamins are completely unsuitable for a hamster. Don't be fooled by store ads that offer crackers as a vitamin supplement. They are full of chemical impurities that, without exaggeration, can have a detrimental effect on the tiny body of an animal.

For supplements, go to the same pet store. There you will be sold a safe, healthy and balanced delicacy, and besides, you will receive additional advice.

Perhaps the least of the hassle will give you the purchase of specialized food for hamsters. Having provided the pet with such nutrition, do not hesitate - he will receive all the vitamins and minerals in the right amount.

What to Avoid

Why is it contraindicated for hamsters to feed from a human table? The fact is that the products familiar to us contain a large amount of spices, salt and pepper, vinegar, cinnamon. All of them are extremely undesirable to our small wards.

In addition, human food is often too fatty for a hamster. This applies to bacon, sausage, fatty meat, sour cream and cream. Or it can be too sweet - we are talking about sugar, jam, sweets or honey. And also salty - there is a lot of salt in canned vegetables, dried and smoked fish, etc. Fine flour, which forms the basis of buns, pastries and cakes, is also not at all useful for your pet.

Avoid giving fruits with pits, which can be harmful. Do not give hamsters cones or nuts in shells. Gnawing them, the animal can injure the cheek pouches on sharp edges, and even get poisoned by the bones of a fruit tree. In the same way, you should not throw a spikelet with grains into a cage, it is better to peel off the grains and "serve to the table" separately. The fact is that with its sharp edges, the spikelet can injure the animal in the process of chewing.

Because without water...

Any pet owner must know and understand that water is no less important for the health of a pet than food. Sometimes, seeing unfinished water in the drinker, the owner may decide that he does not drink at all. But this is not so - not a single living creature will last long without water. Therefore, the unfinished remains of it should be regularly removed and poured fresh (not into a bowl standing on the floor of the cage, but into a special hanging drinker with attachment to the bars of the lattice).

Do not try to feed hamsters with distilled or boiled water, it contains practically no useful substances. If you care about the health of your little fluffy, replenish the drinker with well or spring water. You can also take the usual one - the one that flows from the tap, but pass it through the filter.

Features of rodents

As you know, any hamster is a representative of the rodent squad. What does it mean? One of the leading needs of such little animals is to constantly grind their teeth on coarse hard food. It would seem that there are no problems to feed a hamster, but is everything suitable for him?

Merely eating roughage will not cause your hamster to wear down its teeth. Therefore, the cage should always have a supply of material in the form of thin twigs. To harvest them, find a cherry, apple, poplar, birch or willow growing far from the highway, cut, wash well and boil small branches. After drying, you can gradually offer the hamster.

When collecting grass or twigs for your pet, remember the poor environmental conditions of our cities. It is best to go out of town on a day off and stock up on food for your pet.

Hamster of respectable years...

What to do if your pet is sick or no longer young? What can you give a retired hamster? Old and diseased individuals behave sluggishly and have difficulty coping with solid food. Whole grains are difficult for their stomachs to digest. In this case, increase the proportion of soft foods in the diet.

A grater and a meat grinder will help to grind fruits, vegetables and nuts, and grains can be germinated. But even these hamsters require solid food to avoid digestive upsets. Give a sick hamster a weak chamomile tea, changing portions a couple of times a day.

...and a baby hamster

And if you have newborn animals? What can be given to a hamster that is tiny and completely helpless? We'll have to stock up on baby food, meat or vegetable. It contains no additives, soy, salt or sugar. Any dairy-free cereal (also unsalted and soy-free) will do. In addition, you can take the most common cereal and soak in water or boil rice. The latter option is suitable for a hamster of any age in case of indigestion.

Babies-hamsters can easily get sick with diabetes, so it is recommended to limit sweet fruits in their diet. Like people, these animals are real sweet tooth, and they will never refuse a delicacy. And here we repeat once again: you should not rely on the natural instinct of an animal that does not understand what is useful to it and what is not. The owner should take the decision on the issue of healthy nutrition of the animal exclusively into his own hands.

conclusions

Sometimes on the Internet there are photographs in which hamsters with a funny look absorb the most exotic food. After looking at this, the owners begin to give their pets anything, and then bite their elbows. Don't be fooled by these photos! Most of them are exclusively staged shots. For the sake of a beautiful picture, the unfortunate owners feed the little fluffies obviously inappropriate and sometimes harmful food.