What can a hamster eat? A complete feeding guide

You want to give your hamster the best of the best and occasionally pamper it with something sweet. But the safe food for humans is not always good for the hamster to eat. What is a hamster allowed to eat and what is not? What is toxic and dangerous? Check out the complete nutrition guide for dietary advice for your hamster.

Helpful Hint: See a word in blue? Click on it to see an article with additional explanations. This way, you can make sure you give your hamster the best of the best.

About the hamster

Hamsters are small, cute rodents mainly active in the evenings and nights. They are easy pets and are also very popular with families. Two types of hamsters are incredibly commonly kept as pets. These are the Syrian hamster, which we also call Gold Hamster and the Russian dwarf hamster. Hamsters can be purchased from a pet store or a breeder.

How do hamsters eat?

Hamsters have a unique feature: they store some food in their cheek pouches. They take that with them to where they sleep. Hamsters do this because the areas where they naturally occur can often be very cold. A hamster must then keep a supply of food.

It is also interesting to know that a hamster is an omnivore. So it also needs protein to function correctly.

Pellets – Hamster food

At pet stores, you can buy all kinds of food for your hamster. This contains a good mix of different ingredients so that your hamster has a balanced diet. For example, it contains nuts, seeds, and vegetables.

Note: Never feed your hamster rabbit food or guinea pig food. Do not choose general rodent food either. This is not suitable for hamsters.

How much food and drink do you give your hamster?

Hamsters tend to develop obesity quickly. That’s because we don’t correctly assess how much a hamster needs and, as a result, quickly overfeed it. But a hamster doesn’t eat that much at all. Golden hamsters eat around 8 to 15 grams a day. Say, a tablespoon of dry food. Dwarf hamsters eat between 5 and 10 grams a day, so that’s equivalent to half a tablespoon.

Drinking is also not much. Dwarf hamsters drink maybe 5 milliliters of water a day, and Golden hamsters about 10. If you give them food with moisture, like cucumber or apple, they will drink even less. Even though hamsters don’t drink a lot, they must always have clean drinking water available. This can be provided in a special drinking bottle.

Always choose water. Not milk, fruit juice or other drinks. Water really is the best thing for your Hamster.

Always make sure that your Hamster drinks from the water bottle. This will happen especially in the evening and at night. Is there no drinking? Then dehydration is a serious danger. In such a case, it’s better to put a drinking bowl in the cage. Be sure not to put too much water in there. You don’t want your hamster to accidentally fall into the water bowl, not be able to get out and drown.

Keep an eye on your pet

If your hamster regularly gets out of its cage, it’s essential to always keep a close eye on it. Hamsters are rodents and therefore like to nibble on everything they come across. Be careful with plants in your home, for example, or other harmful substances. Plastic and cables are also dangerous. Always keep medicine and cleaning products far away from your hamster. Remember that hamsters are tiny and can quickly get into nooks and crannies where danger lurks. You can choose to place your Hamster safely in a particular Hamster Ball. This allows them to roam freely, but they won’t be affected by the dangers of the environment.

Avoid having rat poison, ant poison, or other poisons in the house. Even if your hamster is always safely caged, there is still a possibility that it will escape. If he eats the rat poison or other poison, it will cost him his life.

This fruit is okay for a hamster to eat

Fruit is part of a hamster’s natural diet. Many dry foods contain dried fruit. Be careful not to overfeed and always clean the fruit before feeding it. Be sure to clean it before you provide it, especially if it is not organic. Pesticides are often used that are not particularly good for your hamster, and always look out for rotting spots or mold, which are not good for your rodent either. The following fruits are safe for your hamster to eat:

This fruit a hamster shouldn’t eat

Not all fruit is safe for a hamster. Citrus fruits, for example, are dangerous for a hamster. They contain many acids, which your Hamster will not respond to well. Hamsters can get severe stomach upsets from citrus fruits, so it’s best not to give them any. Other fruits can also be harmful to your pet. The following fruits are not recommended for your hamster:

What vegetables can a hamster eat?

Hamsters can eat most vegetables. Be sure to always wash the vegetables well before giving them to your pet. It is best to provide the vegetables raw. When vegetables are not organic, they may contain toxins harmful to your rodent. This, of course, is something you want to avoid. If a vegetable is spoiled – even if it’s just a little moldy – don’t feed it to your hamster either. This can cause serious problems. This is something your hamster can eat well anyway:

These vegetables a hamster should not eat

In particular, vegetables from the nightshade family are not recommended for hamsters to eat, but there are some doubts about this. Some people think that potatoes, for example, are safe or that only the green part of tomatoes should be avoided. To be safe, it is better not to give them to your hamster. Also, vegetables from the garlic family aren’t safe for your hamster. Therefore, avoid the following vegetables for your hamster:

These nuts, grains, seeds and kernels are safe for a hamster

Hamsters often eat nuts, grains, seeds, and kernels. You will find many of these in the hamster food you buy at the pet store. A lot of them are safe for your hamster to eat. Just make sure you choose those without salt, spices, or sugar. The following nuts, grains, seeds, and kernels can be given to your hamster as a snack:

These nuts, grains, seeds and kernels are unsafe for a hamster

While many nuts, grains, seeds, and kernels are safe for a hamster, there are, of course, exceptions. Therefore, please, avoid the following foods as toxic to your hamster.

These herbs are okay for hamsters to eat

It is always better not to give your hamster too many herbs. This can easily cause problems with your Hamster’s stomach. However, some herbs are great for your hamster, and they can be eaten without issues.

These herbs a hamster should not eat

In addition to the list below, it is wise to be careful with salt or pre-seasoned foods. This is not good for your hamster. In tiny amounts, it won’t hurt. With pre-seasoned food, you often don’t know exactly what it contains, and it’s better not to take any risks. The following spices are also harmful for your hamster and should not be fed:

What plants are safe for hamsters?

Some plants, such as clover, are sometimes included in the dry food you give your hamster. So it’s not a bad idea to give your hamster some plants now and then. There are plenty of plants and flowers that your hamster can safely eat. Here is a list:

These plants are dangerous for hamsters

Many plants and flowers placed in the home are dangerous to a hamster. This is especially true of exotic plants. So pay close attention to what plants you have in your home before letting your hamster walk around. Many plants and flowers can cause significant problems if your rodent happens to nibble on them. And of course, there is that chance: rodents love to bite on anything they come across.

Can a hamster eat meat?

We don’t immediately think of meat-eaters when we think of rodents, but hamsters eat meat. They are omnivores and need animal protein to survive. The dry food you can buy usually contains this as well. The following meats fit well into the diet of hamsters.

Meat that is dangerous for a hamster

In addition to the types of meat mentioned, it’s good to remember that meat is never suitable for your hamster if you give it too much. Hamsters need only a minimal amount. Prevent obesity. The following meats should not be given to your hamster:

Other foods that a hamster can eat

Many types of food have already been mentioned, but there is also dietary guidance. What about other types of food? What can you feed your hamster?

Other foods that a hamster should not eat

Don’t give your hamster human food anyway. Think about food with a lot of spices, salt, or sugar. This is not good for your pet and will cause gastrointestinal problems. Be aware that a hamster’s body is very different from a human’s and can tolerate much less.

Summary

There is an awful lot of food that fits well into the diet of hamsters. So you can always give your rodent something tasty to snack on. Always do so in moderation so that your hamster does not suffer from obesity.

Is there anything missing? Please leave a comment. We are here to help!