Your hamster pet needs to take a proper diet and nutrition so that it remains fit and healthy for as long as possible. For their diet, hamsters can eat a pelleted mix, seed mixes, fresh foods, and treats.
As a pet parent, you have the option of buying a commercially available hamster diet but avoid making this your hamster’s primary food as it may cause nutritional deficiencies in essential vitamins, minerals, and amino acids.
Nutritional food content for hamsters
Most hamsters need at least 1/8 to 1/3 cup of pellets per day and since they are nocturnal animals, they eat mostly at night. Provide fresh water to your hamster everyday as they drink approximately 10 ml of water needed for 100 grams of body weight.
A healthy pelleted hamster diet should contain:
- 35% to 40% carbohydrates
- 15% to 25% proteins
- 4% to 5% fat
- 5% of crude fiber
If you wish to know everything about hamster food, diet, nutrition, their behavior, visit Animals & Pets, an online platform that imparts knowledge about hamsters and rats. The different kinds of blogs on hamsters will guide you on how to take care of their health in the best way possible with proper food and nutrition.
Learn the best and safe foods that you can give your hamster.
Pelleted diet- the best Hamster diet
The most ideal balanced diet for your hamster is a pelleted diet that comes in different shapes but looks like cookies, small biscuits, or cereal. If your hamster starts feeling monotonous with a pelleted diet and refuses to eat it then you can supplement with a variety of other food items. However, the pelleted diet should make the bulk of the diet.
Seed diets for hamsters
Pick a loose seed mix with a variety of foods like grains, dried vegetables, and some seeds. A mix of loose seed and pellet food is also available that makes an ideal balanced food for your hamster.
Fresh foods and treats
There are some human foods that hamsters can eat, but should be fed moderately.
- Whole grains like nuts, peanuts, pumpkin and sunflower seeds, lentils
- Fresh vegetables like broccoli, carrots, cauliflower, cucumber, peas, cooked potatoes, spinach, hay
- Fruits like apples, bananas, blueberries, grapes, strawberries, sweet potato
- Cooked brown rice
- Hard-boiled eggs
Avoid junk food, and sugary foods like yogurt and honey as hamsters are prone to diabetes. Avoid citrus fruits, almonds, raw beans and potatoes, onions, garlic, and chocolates.
How long can your hamster stay without food?
Having a pet hamsterdoes not mean you can’t leave it alone and go out. Hamsters can survive without food for a day or two but they should be provided with fresh water every time.
Ensure that you keep a full water bowl and plenty of dry and wet food in their cage that could suffice them for at least 48 hours.
One of the main signs that could indicate your hamster is suffering from nutritional deficiency is that it will start losing hair. Consult a vet immediately to know about the proper nutrition of your pet hamster.
