How much do hamsters eat? But what if you’re concern about the diseases these hamsters might have. Hamsters are very versatile in what foods they can eat, but it is important not to feed your hamsters citrus fruits, these include lemon, oranges, etc. Some fruits and vegetables you might feed as treats to your hamster have naturally-occurring sugars in them. This is because their acidity could give your hamster problems with their digestion. You should also avoid ever letting your hamster consume the leaves of a tomato. A large pinch of sunflower seeds, bird seed, cracked corn and other foods high in fat every two or three days is a welcome treat to most hamsters. Actually hamsters aren't picky eaters and will eat almost anything. BeWell / Health & Nutrition / What Can Hamsters Eat? Sometimes bacterial strains like salmonella can get through via unwashed produce, too. Avoid those at all costs. There’s always the risk of pesticides getting into their system. Skip the junk food and stick to healthy things like whole grains, fresh vegetables, and fruit (in moderation, otherwise diarrhea may result). Extend this practice to your hamster as well. Its acidic substance is not good for the hamsters. (And What You Need to Do About It), How to Feed Hamsters – A Guide for Beginners. Contrary to what most people would believe, not all seeds are a healthy treat to your hamster, as some of them can also be dangerous and even poisonous to these little rodents. In hamsters, excessive dehydration can kill. If the vegetable can do that much damage to us, then why give it to your hamster? Here is a list of foods to watch out for. Find out about the proper Yorkshire Terrier diet and exercise. How can you keep your Yorkie fit? for me I'd prefer to leave them out. If you continue to eat it, you could later get an abnormal heart rate, bone loss, and muscle weakness. It’s fine if you yourself want to partake in some junk food, but keep it away from your pet! Feeding peanuts to small animals is kind of like playing Russian roulette – most of the time you will be fine, but there is always a chance that it could be deadly. Eating them can cause your hamster to gain weight, which can be detrimental to its health. Junk food e.g chips, crisps too fatty Hamsters are wonderful small family members, but they must be fed properly to help them live long, healthy lives. These are treats and should be limited to up to 5% of your hamster’s diet – the rest of it should be made up of quality balanced hamster food. Tomato leaves are toxic for your hamsters. Home About Topics Articles Ask Unanswered Contact News Twitter Facebook Rss Feed Improve this answer. Perhaps a better question is: "what CAN a hamster eat?" These small amounts are enough to kill a hamster. Surprised by some of these? These starchy foods may bind us, humans, up, but they will do the exact opposite to hamsters. These are things which your hamster should not eat: Fish(they can eat it but it makes them smell bad) Sweets and candy are high in sugar. This can affect the red blood cells of a hamster. A wild hamster’s diet is made of vegetables, roots, some nuts, insects and even small lizards when they can catch them. Occasionally, you might want to supplement your pet’s diet with a little bit of protein. They love the occasional treat – don’t we all? In other words, hamsters are omnivorous and need a varied diet to stay healthy. Do Hamsters Smell? Dr. McLaughlin is a member of the American Veterinary Medical Association as well as the Association of Exotic Mammal Veterinarians, among other professional organizations. As for actual peppers – some types have varying degrees of spiciness. While it’s ok to feed insects, beef is not a natural food for hamsters. Pay special attention to fruits of all kinds. What can hamsters eat, we're not talking about what can richard hammond eat, we are infact talking about the real little fluffy cute pet hamsters. This is what happens when people eat rhubarb, by the way. How Do You Find a Hamster Lost in the House? Constipation in hamsters is often caused by a diet poor in fiber, insufficient water consumption or hair ingestion. The only type of fruits that you should definitely avoid are citrus fruits, such as oranges and lemons. You can feed your hamster a variety of human foods as long as you limit the treats to no more than 10 percent of your hamster's diet. Small rodents, including hamsters, live very short lifespans. Can Hamsters Eat Bread. Cereals and grains, such as whole wheat crackers, healthy breads and rolls, oats and cereals. Just like you wouldn’t eat fruits or vegetables without washing them first, your hamster deserves the same consideration. Hamster food requires a diet with specific nutrients. Another vegetable (okay, technically it’s a fruit) that can hurt your hamster is the humble tomato. Syrian hamsterscan have a little sugar and acidity in their diet but not much as eating it on the regular on in high quantity can be very harmful to their health. Owners of pet hamsters should rely on high-quality commercial hamster pellets to provide their pet with a balanced nutrition. Hamsters should not eat candy, according to hamster-club.com. Anonymous. The first step to keep your furry friend in tip-top shape is to knowing what to feed—and what not to feed! Hamsters love fresh food such as fruits and vegetables but feeding them only these is a mistake because they can cause digestive disorders. The ideal hamster diet will include: Commercial hamster pellets (not a muesli-style mix). 1 decade ago. Hamsters have very different digestive systems to our own, and there are many foods that we can eat happily that hamsters cannot. Why is this? Constipation: A constipated hamster may refuse to eat or eat very little. This recommendation applies to watermelon seeds, rind, and the skin. If you get your hands on bitter almonds, the effects could be deadly. You can also give your pet hamsters some treats once in a week that contains fresh fruits. Trying to diversify your hamster’s diet is not necessarily a bad idea. If she isn’t eating her healthy rodent block well or is developing soft stool, discontinue the extras and consult your veterinarian for advice. If you’ve had a cat or dog in the past, you already know not to feed them chocolate. In hamsters, excessive dehydration can kill. Why Do Hamsters Die? Never give your hamsters tomato leaves. Unless you’ve found this out the hard way personally, then you might not know that you’re not supposed to eat raw rhubarb. Eggplant. Feeding your hamster an unhealthy diet—even unintentionally—can increase the chance of her experiencing an early death from an illness like heart disease, diabetes or other nutritional-related ailments. When we say small amounts, we mean half of a single teaspoon. On the other hand Chinese hamsters cannot eat raspberries at all as … You could try small amounts of chicken or salmon on rare … Feed your hamster … Keep any food containing raw or processed sugar of any kind, away from your hamster. Hamsters will eat anything you give them, so you do need to be mindful when it comes to … Kidney beans, uncooked: These are toxic to hamsters; do not feed! Cabbage is a highly recommended treat for hamsters and all hamsters like good quality cabbage; it does not matter if it is the Winter White, the Campbell’s, the Syrian, the Robo or the Chinese hamster.. Can Hamsters Eat Cabbage? Also, if left raw, potatoes and their tops can be toxic to hamsters. Can hamsters eat carrots? What can’t hamsters eat? Dr. McLaughlin received her DVM degree from Oklahoma State University and is now an associate veterinarian at The Center for Bird and Exotic Animal Medicine in Bothell, WA. Although it’s sweeter than most vegetables, tomatoes are indeed quite acidic. There might be some bad things that the hamster can’t forget. Consumption can sometimes lead to uterine contractions, watery diarrhea, and intestinal pain. Is A 20 Gallon Tank Big Enough For A Hamster? Remember that sugar can masquerade as many different names, including: If you see any of those ingredients (as well as anything that ends in “sugar”) on the ingredients list of your hamster’s food, it’s time to switch brands. Fruits are high in sugar content and while they provide important nutrients, they should only be fed in very small amounts. Here are a few examples of foods your hamster should never eat: any type of citrus at all – lemon, orange, clementine, grapefruit, etc. Thinking about getting a Frenchie? If you see any sign of toxicity or any health hazard in the hamsters, consult a vet as soon as possible. Lettuce, iceberg: It contains little in the way of nutrition and can cause diarrhea. They leave the parts that are high in fibre and eat the bits that are high in sugar. Keeping them on a simple diet of pellets and limited fruits and vegetables won’t bother them at all. In fact, it’s probably the best solution for both pet and owner! Hamsters should eat only small amounts of nuts, seeds and grains, because they're high in fat. As for sweet peppers, such as bell peppers, they’re best consumed in moderation. To help you out, we’re prepared a list of the dangerous foods you must avoid. However, once you go beyond commercial food and treats, you need to pay special attention to what it is you’re giving your hamster. In hamsters, theobromine can lead to circulatory issues. Hamsters can eat leafy greens such as dandelions and clover, but also tasty fruits and vegetables such as pears, carrots and cabbage. How Often Should You Clean a Hamster’s Cage? All those who are having hamsters as pets at home must have fair knowledge related to what do hamsters eat. Compared to sweet almonds, bitter almonds have 42x the cyanide. Check out 7 Hamster Health Issues Every Owner Needs to Know About. Hamsters can eat fruits, cereal, popcorn, paper, hamster food) He can eat almost everything. Anything that is too sweet or sticky can be harmful. Suitable foods are banana, apple, nuts, rice, beansprouts, pasta, chicken, egg, and hamster food. It’s got what you can and can not feed hamsters, and what kind of treats hamsters can eat. The same rule applies to blueberries as for most fruit and vegetables when it comes to feeding them to your hamster. Hamsters can have tomatoes and bell peppers in very small amounts only! As a hamster owner, you’re probably wondering about avoiding dangerous foods for your little voracious cuties. Any part of the rhubarb—be that the stalk, the ends, or the leaves—should not be fed to your hamster raw. This post was written with help from Dr. Alicia McLaughlin, DVM. According to Dr. McLaughlin, the risk of obesity, heart disease, liver disease, and kidney disease warrants avoiding meat in your hamster’s diet. Chocolate has theobromine, a bitter alkaloid that naturally occurs in cacao plants. Always approach the hamster with a treat or food, and it will be easier. Pet Central Contributor, By: Caitlin UltimoPublished: January 20, 2015, By: Caitlin UltimoPublished: September 1, 2016, By: Caitlin UltimoPublished: July 9, 2012, By: Caitlin UltimoPublished: June 17, 2019, By: Caitlin UltimoPublished: September 16, 2016, By: Chewy EditorialPublished: May 28, 2017. Hamster mixes and pellets should make up the bulk of your hamster’s food as they come with more or less the complete nutritional requirements needed by your pet. If you want to know what treats or foods are safe for your hamster, you should check out this hamsters food list. no junk food, tomato leaves, rhubarb, rhubarb leaves, potato, sugary cereals, salty foods, and no citrus fruits. Also, you must also know the limitations of what your pet must consume, Check out How to Feed Hamsters. The Aspergillus parasiticus and Aspergillus flavus are the two fungi responsible for making aflatoxins. , we recommend you stop doing so immediately but you better make sure you what can hamsters not eat the and. Perhaps a better question is: `` what can hamsters eat various foods range from vegetables and fruit cereals... About it ), but also tasty fruits and vegetables won ’ t we?... ’ health depends on what they eat and this is not their typical day to day diet needs know! 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