What do hamsters eat in the wild

Whatever kind of meat you decide to feed to your hamster; make sure that it is unseasoned. That means no salt, pepper or other spices. Finally, you may hear horror stories about hamster cannibalism. Some people say that giving a hamster meat makes them more likely to be cannibals and eat their babies or other hamsters! This is not true. Hamsters have been known to eat their young when they look unhealthy or when there is not enough food or water available.

And, in some cases, hamsters may also kill — and possibly eat — other hamsters if their environment is overcrowded and unclean. You do this by feeding them a very small amount as a test. If your hamster shows no signs of sickness, you can go ahead and add more cheese to their diet.

As well as hard cheeses, you may also be interested to know that hamsters can eat small quantities of cottage cheese. You should choose a low-fat variety and feed a test amount before feeding cottage cheese to your hamster more regularly. Hamsters can eat a wide variety of fruits; including grapes, strawberries, apples and watermelon.

The only type of fruits that you should definitely avoid are citrus fruits, such as oranges and lemons. This is because their acidity could give your hamster problems with their digestion. To feed your hamster grapes or apples, you should first remove the skin, slice the fruit into small pieces in half, at least, preferably into quarters and remove any large seeds.

Here is a quick look at some of the foods these cute animals love to eat. Hamsters are quite fond of seeds and grains. They will eat just about any type of seed or grain under the sun. Some of their favorites are pumpkin seeds, sunflower seeds, flax seeds, sesame seeds, wheat, corn, rice, and a great many others.

These omnivores enjoy eating a huge variety of plant types they find in natural habitats. They prefer soft sprouts, stems, and leaves but are also fond of eating grass. These tiny animals enjoy eating all sorts of garden plants such as dandelions, clovers, and many others. You can certainly supply your hamster with fresh fruits and vegetables every day.

They enjoy eating most vegetable types including kale, carrots, corn, cabbage, green beans, green peppers, pumpkin, squash, and many others. Hamsters are also fond of eating fruits like oranges, apples, pears, bananas, raisins, dates, and many others. Very few pet owners even realize just how much their pets need insects in their diet. Insects like crickets, mealworms , grasshoppers, bloodworms, and dried earthworms are all very good sources of protein for your hamster.

This may come as a surprise to many, but hamsters can eat meat. In the wild, they might feed on carcasses of other dead animals. In captivity, you can supply your hamster with a little bit of lean meat as a treat every now and then.

Chicken is a great meat source to offer your pet hamster. Hamsters do need to drink lots of water to stay hydrated, especially in warm climates. It is very important to ensure that your pet hamster has constant access to lots of fresh clean water every single day. These furry friends love to taste all types of foods including human foods. They enjoy eating cereal, porridge, cooked veggies, pasta, bread, and many other foods. It is perfectly safe to offer your pet hamster a little bit of these foods but you should avoid offering food that contains lots of spices, salt, and sugar.

Hamsters love to chew and gnaw on things. It also gives your hamster something to do and helps to stop them getting bored. They can gnaw on untreated softwood. Good woods to use are:. Create the perfect home for your hamster. Our vets give their advice on housing hamsters. Donate Menu. Get help. Find us.

Your hamster's diet Our vets' advice on making sure your hamster has a healthy, balanced diet. Before giving your hamster a whole cube of any food, allow them to first try a small bite of it. Note that if you give your hamster too much of a plant-based food in one sitting, they may develop diarrhea. Unlike dogs, hamsters can eat grapes. They can also eat apples, bananas, blueberries, figs, pears, strawberries, and watermelon. If you feed your hamster grapes, apples, or pears, be sure to first remove the skin and any large seeds, and cut the fruit into reasonably sized pieces.

One cube of fruit should be enough of a treat for one day. Indeed, hamsters should only be given fresh greens two to three times a week. Regarding edible vegetables, hamsters can eat carrots, celery, cucumber, green peppers, lettuce, pumpkin, spinach, and squash.

Similar to when feeding fruits, skins and seeds should be removed from vegetables prior to being given to a hamster. Not all fruits and vegetables are safe for hamsters to eat, however. Citrus fruits, pineapple, raspberries, apricots, nectarines, peaches, rhubarb, and raw beans are all harmful to hamsters if consumed.

Any meat, fruit, or vegetable fed to a hamster should be prepared immediately prior to feeding. Remove any food that is going bad as soon as you notice it. Moreover, sugary things that are bad for humans are also bad for hamsters and should not be fed to them — including white bread, chocolate, and candy.