Hamster Feeding
Hamsters will eat almost anything - they aren't fussy! This page gives you some advice and tips on what to feed your hamster and helps to ensure you are feeding your hamster well.
Hamster food is easy to find in most pet shops. Most of it will have been prepared commercially which will contain the right nutrient, vitamins and minerals your hamster needs to be healthy.
Hamster food is normally made up of a mixture of seeds, mixed flakes, pellets and peanuts. This sort of hamster food should be the main part of their diet. a 500 gram bag of hamster food of this sort will probably last around 3-4 weeks for one hamster.
Fruit and Veg
Whilst hamsters love to eat fruit and vegetables, you should not give them too much. Try to only give them fruit or vegetables only once or twice each. Always ensure that you clean and wash any fruit or veg that you give your hamster. This is because the chemicals the food may have been treated with can be very harmful to your little hammy.
Don't give your hamster too much fresh food
If you leave more fresh food out for a hamster than it can eat in a day, it will just go untouched. This fresh food that is left can perish and go off. This can be harmful your hamster and it's digestive system.
The odd scrap!
Hamsters will normally enjoy the odd dinner left-over! Things like rice, pasta and potato will be thoroughly enjoyable. Just make sure that it isn't spicy as your hamster really won't enjoy it. Foods like this can be moist. Just be careful here because as hamsters 'hoard' their food, moist food can decay and produce harmful and dangerous bacteria. This is why most hamster food is dry.
Most importantly, you should remember that, just like us humans, hamsters like variety in their diet. Whilst commercial hamster food is great, there is no reason why they can't have the odd treat!
How do hamsters eat?
Watching your hamster eat can make great entertainment!. Your hamster will scurry towards the food you have left out and stuff the food into its' cheek pouches. It's head will appear to have expanded (this is amusing!) and it will take the food to it's favoured burial place - it's hoard. Your hamster might then return for another face full!
Once you hamster has eaten it will clean it's face with it's little paws - similar to a cat cleaning itself. Hamsters don't particularly like an audience when they eat. They will probably wait until you aren't watching before they tuck in.
Hamsters hoard their food and don't tend to overeat. They just love to store their food and eat it at their own leisure. The best time to feed your hamster is in the evening when they are at their most active. One hamster feed a day is normally enough.
How much water does a hamster need?
In the wild, hamsters live in the desert. They don't need huge amounts of water. Ensure that you fill their water bottle with fresh water every day though.
Don't feed you hamster certain foods...
Do not feed your hamsters with acidic fruits like grapefruits or oranges. Never use evergreen or pine needles either as food or bedding. Also make sure you avoid onions and garlic too.
Hamsters are quite self-sufficient when it comes to feeding. A large supply of dry food can keep them going for a day or two quite happily.