Sunday, December 12, 2010

Hamster Care: Food

Hi Everyone! So this post is all about what hamsters eat!

A lot of people think that feeding a hamster is as easy as buying a bag of food and putting some in the cage each day and thats it.
Well...

It can actually be a lot more complicated than that. 
So what do hamsters eat?
Hamsters usually eat a mixture of seeds and grains, and sometimes insects for protein.

There are lots of different brands of hamster food out there but not all of them are the same. Here are some tips:

You can get two different kinds: A seed and pellet mix or Rodent Blocks. Seed mixes have more variety so hamsters like them more, but they might pick out their favorites. Rodent blocks give them a balanced diet. Some people feed their hamsters a mix of both.

If you are getting a seed mix here are a few things you should look for:
Look for a seed mix that does not have sunflower seeds or peanuts. These should be treats only since they are very fattening for hamsters. A hamster eating those every day is like us eating cake or cookies for our meals every day. 

Look for something that has pellets, some seeds, and some corn but not too much. The cereal type pieces are okay as long as there is not too many. They provide a good source of carbohydrates that the hamsters need. Dried vegetables are a good thing to have in their food, but their should be little or no dried fruit. It is like candy for hamsters and should only be given in moderation.

How much to feed:

Depends on your hamster. Most people just free feed. Hamsters usually won't over eat. If your hamster is the exception you may need to limit his or her food.

Treats:
Some good treats for hamsters are sunflower seeds, pumpkin seeds, carrot ( in very small amounts), dog biscuits (good source of protein), and meal worms (hamsters LOVE meal worms). Remember to not feed your hamster too many treats!


1 comment:

  1. Okay, I don't know what meal worms are but they sure sound icky!
    Love and hugs,
    Mom

    ReplyDelete