Hamsters are small omnivores that need a rich, varied and balanced diet to be healthy. In nature, these small animals have a 75% vegetarian diet, so they need a fair balance in the intake of proteins, fibers, vitamins, etc.
The hamster naturally eats seeds and cereals, plants, nuts, possibly fruits and vegetables gleaned from their environment. His diet as a pet should be as close as possible to his natural diet.
In this article we will try to give you the basics to properly feed your Syrian / golden hamster.
What rates for a special Hamster diet?
The ideal rate, whether we are talking about a granule, an extrudate or a mixture, should approach this:
- Protein: 15 to 20%
- Fats: 4 to 6%
- Fibers (cellulose): 8 to 10%
- Ashes: 4%
- Calcium: 0.6%
- Phosphorus: 0.35%
How do hamsters eat and in what quantities?
It is considered that a hamster consumes about 15g of dry food per day.
Hiding food in various places keeps them busy and replicates natural foraging behavior. It is an effective way to fight against a sedentary lifestyle.
The hamster has an instinct to store up: it is to move its food that it fills its cheek pouches. An empty bowl does not necessarily mean that he has eaten everything. You need to know the location of its main reserve and check its contents before filling the bowl again. It is normal for him to have a few small reserves, but if he is storing for a siege you are feeding too much; if it does not stock or hardly any, it means that you are not feeding enough.
If you give fresh food to your hamster, remember to look at the reserve every day: it would be a shame if food rotted. A hamster must have a balanced diet, being overweight is dangerous for their life. Be careful not to give it excessively greasy seeds.
What kind of food for hamsters?
Although there are pellets and extrudates for hamsters, they much prefer mixtures. They who love to store according to their preferences, only have small identical foods. Small rodents take great pleasure in eating, and they love having a variety of foods available.
A varied mix can be perfectly balanced for your hamster. We offer you the Bunny Nature HamsterDream Expert , it is a healthy product for your small rodent.
Fresh food for hamsters
You can offer fresh fruits and vegetables to your hamster. Be careful that it is in the list of authorized foods. This kind of lists are available on various Facebook groups or blog), you can also ask your veterinarian for advice.
Food should be offered in small quantities and at room temperature. Make sure your hamster does not store fresh food that can mold in its supply. Each fresh food must be introduced in small quantities in order to monitor that it does not trigger diarrhea.
The hay
A very green hay can be made available to your hamster. It is rich in fiber and promotes transit. It also promotes tooth wear.
treats
For the diet of hamsters it is better to favor natural treats, with as little sugar and fat as possible. Plants, fruits, vegetables, insects are all dry foods that will delight your hamster’s taste buds, in moderate quantities.
Handing out treats can be a bit of an activity: you can hide the food or just put it in a treat-dispensing ball.
To help with tooth wear, you can offer your hamster wooden sticks to nibble on, roots or dried plants rich in silica .
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