Caring for a hamster involves covering all its basic needs to live and enjoy a good state of health. One of them is food: hamsters require a balanced diet with foods rich in fiber, protein, minerals and vitamins. Therefore, fruits, vegetables, seeds and cereals are fundamental foods in the diet of hamsters so that they can have all the energy they need, especially during the night, since they are nocturnal animals.
In addition, it should be noted that hamsters eat 3 times a day, with an amount per meal ranging from 60 to 80 grams. As for the water they drink, being small in size they do not need more than 70 milliliters a day. To find out what hamsters can eat and what foods they should not eat, in a we recommend that you continue reading this article.
What fruits hamsters can eat
Hamsters should eat a natural, complete and specific feed for them, but their diet should be supplemented with other foods such as fruits. These are important in the diet of a hamster because they cover the need for sugars of natural origin that the organism of this rodent has.
But, as much as they need to eat fruits, you cannot give them without worrying about which are the most suitable for the animal. Otherwise, you could involuntarily cause diarrhea and be forced to go urgently to the veterinarian.
Therefore, try to give your rodent small portions of fruits on alternate days to prevent them from ingesting an excess of sugars. The fruits that hamsters can eat are as follows:
- Pear
- Apple
- Plantain
- Strawberry
- Peach
- Blueberry
- Cherry
- Blackberry
- Grape
- Plum
- Melon
- Raspberry
- Mango
What fruits hamsters can’t eat
Due to the delicate organism of hamsters, they cannot eat all fruits. Those that you should not give under any circumstances are the following:
- Orange
- Tangerine
- File
- Lemon
- Apple seeds
- Avocado
- Grape seeds
- Apricot kernels
- Watermelon seeds
What vegetables hamsters can eat
As for the vegetables in the diet of hamsters, they are also important because they provide fiber to the body and help maintain good levels of hydration. The vegetables that hamsters can eat are as follows:
- Carrot
- Cos
- Alachua
- Broccoli
- Spinach
- Green beans
- Chard
- Courgette
- Cauliflower
- Cucumber
- Natural corn on the cob
Vegetables that hamsters cannot eat
As with fruits, hamsters cannot eat any type of vegetable because their body is delicate and does not tolerate all foods well. Vegetables that these rodents cannot eat are as follows:
- Tomato and its leaves
- Eggplant
- Onion
- Leek
- Chive
- Parsley
- Garlic
- Pepper
- Starchy vegetables such as potatoes and legumes.
What nuts hamsters can eat
Nuts can also be included in hamster feed, as well as other foods such as sunflower seeds and pipes. However, you should control the amounts of nuts provided for your rodent if you do not want it to end up suffering from serious diseases such as obesity, since these are foods rich in fat.
The nuts that hamsters can eat in small amounts are as follows:
- Chestnuts
- Hazelnuts
- Raisins
- Nuts
Now, do not give almonds to your hamster since some species of these animals have serious problems digesting the skin and oils of this food. This is the only nut you have to be very careful with.
Can hamsters eat bread?
Some people give virtually any type of food they are eating to their pets, even a small piece. This is the case of bread, very common in the human diet. But can hamsters eat bread or not? The answer is yes, but not in any way.
Hamsters can eat black bread and whole wheat bread as the most recommended options so that their body can digest it without difficulties. In addition, if you dip the pieces in milk, you will get the bread to have an exquisite texture for your little rodent.
Can hamsters eat cheese?
Hamsters can eat cheese. In addition, like other rodents, hamsters love this food and can eat it as long as it is proven that, when tasting it, it feels good. In this case, there is no problem in giving them the pleasure of eating it.
However, it is important to remember that cheese is rich in fat and protein. Due to its high fat content, it is recommended that you give it to it in a timely manner and in small quantities. And if the animal is overweight, do not hesitate to discard this food from its diet for the sake of its health.
Now that you know what hamsters can eat, we recommend you take a look at our articles How to care for a hamster and What Russian hamsters eat to continue improving your pet’s health.
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