Hamsters in the wild eat mostly seeds, some green plant foods, and occasionally grubs and insects. In captivity,
their basic diet should be a mix of seeds, grains, and nuts. This is available from all good pet shops. It is sold by weight
as hamster mix, or in prepackaged form. Complete pelleted food for rodents is produced commercially for laboratory animals,
but can be bought at some pet shops. They contain a complete balance of everything that is needed in the rodent's diet. Make
sure the food is kept clean and dry and not stored for too long, or the vitamin levels will decrease. In the damp, the food
may spoil and upset your hamster's digestion. This is especially true of peanuts, which can develop a highly poisonous mold
called aflatoxin. Complete foods may supply the basic needs of pet hamsters, but a variety of food provides interest for both
the animal and its owner. We all enjoy seeing the pleasure that a special treat may give. Here are some of the things your
pet may choose for its picnic hamper:
Hamster Hamper
Brazil nut- Great for the teeth.
Apple- A bit of fruit is appreciated from time to time.
Clover, dandelion and groundsel- Well washed, fresh from the garden.
Wholewheat toast- But go very easy on the butter.
Carrots- Salad vegetables are very popular.
Hard-boiled egg- Just a little from time to time.
Supplements
If you are giving your hamster a varied diet or a complete food that has been well made up, there will be
no need to add extra vitamins and minerals. If you are concerned that your pet may not be getting enough of these, especially
when they are growing, or rearing their young, a tiny pinch of a balanced, small-animal supplement can be sprinkled onto food
a couple of times a week.
Safe and nutritious foods
Here is a list of yummy food options that you can feed your hamster. Don't forget to provide fresh, high
quality food that has been rinsed thoroughly. Dry food and water should be provided throughout the day and evening since hamsters
love to snack.
The list that is safe and nutritious for hamsters:
Sprouts
Dandelion leaves
Corn (cob to gnaw on)
Cooked or raw potato
White bread
Boiled rice
Pasta
Dog biscuits
Chicken (Baked)
Cooked fish
Mealworms
Sunflower seeds
Apple
Carrot
Lettuce
Meadow hay
Cauliflower
Banana
Strawberries
Grapes
Berries
Crickets
Pelleted or block-type food products are another type of commercial diet that prevents the problems of the
seed mixture. Within the pellets and blocks are combined all the nutrients the hamster requires for a complete and balanced
diet, and the hamster has no possibility of picking and choosing what she wants to eat and what she doesn't. Many of the block
diets present an aded bonus: Their hard consistency helps keep the teeth trimmed, maintaining the hamster's dental health
while nourishing her at the same time.
Vegetables should be given always raw. Give fresh water every day.
How often should a hamster be fed? Feed your hamster once a day, in the late afternoon or evening.
How much food does it need? 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 that your hamster is not hoarding
it in its cage!
Extra vitamins
To make sure your hamster gets the vitamins it needs, you can buy vitamin drops for small animals at the
pet store.
Water
Never leave your hamster without fresh water to drink. It is wrong to think it can go without because it
is a desert animal. In the desert, hamsters drink the morning dew and find water in water-storing plants.
