Hamsters are one of the most popular small pets across the world and especially among children. However, most owners do not have the correct knowledge about the feeding schedule of their little ones. Stick to this article to learn more in details!
Hamsters should be fed twice a day, in the morning and late evening. It is recommended to serve 1-2 tablespoon of fresh food in one serving and pellets in the other. However, make sure you don’t top up the food bowl every time you find it empty because Hamsters are known for hoarding their food.
Hamsters have the habit of hoarding their food. Therefore, do not serve them with fresh food every time you see their food-container empty.
It is very important to feed your Hamsters with appropriate amount of food. Overfeeding can lead to several health complications such as obesity, diabetes, diarrhea, etc. in our little ones.
How Often Does A Hamster Need Feeding?
It is crucial to feed our Hamsters appropriately. Most owners serve their Hamsters one-two tablespoons of food every 24 hours. However, I prefer to serve my Hamster one tablespoon of food every 12 hours.
Although it might seem the same a deal to you, serving two small meals instead of one large meal does make a difference.
Serving our little ones with two small meals in a day will mirror how Hamsters would eat in the wild. Also, most Hamsters hoard their food, so multiple meals will make sure that they at least eat some of their food.
Also, remove all the uneaten food every 24-48 hours. This will make sure that our Hamsters do not eat rotten food over fresh ones. Rotten food has a foul smell which can easily lead to stress in our Hamsters.
What Should I Feed My Hamster Daily?
It is important to serve our Hamsters a well-balanced diet. As Hamsters are omnivores, they eat both plants as well as meat-based food.
Commercially made pellets: Commercially made pellets are filled with nutrients and are formulated to provide our Hamsters with all the essential nutrients they require to lead a healthy life. Therefore, it is important to ensure that they get their daily dose of nutrients before serving them with any other kinds of food. This will help the owners to ensure that their little ones are not missing out on any vital nutrients.
Fresh fruits and vegetables: Besides pellets, Hamsters also need fruits and vegetables to keep themselves healthy. Serving our little ones with a slice or two of fruits or veggies will also add a variety to their diet. Some of the fruits and veggies that my Hamster loves to eat include corn, cabbage, cucumber, carrot, and bananas.
Occasional treats: It is important to serve your Hamsters with their favorite treats once in a while. Serving them with treats once or twice a week is ideal. Some of the favorite treats of my Hamster include boiled eggs, mealworms, and nuts.
Water: We must serve our Hamsters with fresh water every 24 hours. Water is essential for the survival of all living beings. You can serve them water in a bowl or a water bottle. Personally, I prefer to install both in my Hamster’s cage.
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Can You Overfeed A Hamster?
In no condition, we should overfeed our Hamsters. Overfeeding our Hamsters will invite several health complications in them.
Hamsters have the habit of hiding their food in their cheek pouches or even under their bedding or other corners of their cage.
As soon as we feed our Hamsters, we often see that the food disappears in no time. This is because most of the Hamsters start to stuff the food in their cheek pouches or hide it somewhere as soon as we feed them.
This behavior in Hamster makes the owners think that they are underfeeding their Hamsters, which in turn leads to owners overfeeding their little ones.
Overfeeding our Hamsters will make them obese. It will also lead to other health problems such as digestive complications, heartaches, dental pain, etc. Therefore, never feed your Hamster more than the suggested quantity.
How Long Can Hamsters Go Without Food?
Our Hamsters should not be without food for more than 48 hours. If our little ones are deprived of food for more than two days, then it may lead to several health complications in them.
Being deprived of food may also lead to intestinal blockages in our little ones. It is important to serve our Hamsters a mixed diet of commercial pellets, vegetables, fruits, and treats.
Although vegetables are crucial for our Hamster’s health, pellets (protein-based) will keep them full for a longer period of time.
After 48 hours, Hamster’s digestive system will start troubling them, our little ones can become seriously ill.
If you are planning to leave your Hamsters alone for a few days, there are a few things you must keep in mind. Read this article, ‘How Long Can I Leave My Hamster Alone?‘, to learn about everything in detail.
Why Is My Hamster So Fat?
An obese Hamster can be a troublesome situation for you. If your Hamster is fat, there can be a handful of reasons behind the same:
- If you are overfeeding your Hamsters, then they are bound to become fat. It is very important to serve your Hamster in appropriate quantities.
- Hamsters have the tendency to hide their food. Sometimes they also keep their food in their cheek pouches for later. Therefore, this sometimes leads to overeating.
- The weight of your Hamsters also depends upon the type of food you are feeding your Hamster. If you are feeding your Hamsters food rich in sugar and complex carbohydrate, then they will become obese in no time.
- It is important for our Hamsters to exercise to keep themselves fit. If your Hamster is not very active or spends his time in a corner of his cage, then he will become fat.
- If your Hamster is ill or has a certain kind of disease, then they may become obese. If you doubt your Hamster is sick, take them to the vet immediately.
- Lastly, if your Hamster is pregnant, then she might be fat (this is the most unlikely case). If you have housed two Hamsters of opposite gender together, then there are chances that your female hammy is pregnant.
What Is The Average Weight For A Hamster?
An average Hamsters can weigh anywhere between 20 grams to 120 grams, depending upon their species.
Syrians are known to be the heaviest among all Hamster species. A Syrian Hamster can even weigh up to 180 grams (in some cases even more).
The weight of a Hamster also depends on their age and gender. Male Hamsters tend to weigh slightly more than female ones. Likewise, the older your Hamster, the more he will weigh.
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How Do I Get My Hamster To Lose Weight?
If your Hamster is overweight, you must try and bring them back to track. It is very important to maintain our Hamster’s weight, in order to provide them with a healthy lifestyle.
Your Hamsters will easily become overweight if you are not cautious about their lifestyle. Here are a few things you can do to manage your Hamster’s weight:
- Have a look at what you feed your Hamsters: Make sure you are not feeding your Hamsters excessive sugary food or too many treats. It is very important to serve your Hamster a balanced diet.
- Reduce the amount of food you serve your Hamsters for a few days: Cut back on the treats you serve your Hamsters for a few days. A spoon-full of mixed food for a day will be ideal for an overweight Hamster.
- Get your Hamster to exercise more: Make sure your Hamster is active and not spending most of his time hiding in a corner of his cage. Get your Hamster a big cage, this will provide them a larger space to run. Also, provide your Hamsters with an exercise wheel and other play toys, to keep him engaged throughout.
- Get your Hamster examined by a vet: To make sure your Hamster is not suffering from any kind of health problems, it is important to keep a check on their health.
