Did you know owning a pet’s beneficial for your mental health? If you can’t own a dog or cat, consider adopting a hamster. You might need some tips on feeding your hamster, but we’re here to help.
In this guide, we’ll provide you with some hamster feeding tips to keep your beloved critter well. You won’t have to ask the question, “how often should you feed your hamster?” anymore.
Want to learn some helpful tips? Keep reading.
Can You Overfeed Your Hamster?
It’s possible to overfeed your pet. Fill your pet’s bowl daily. Hamsters tend to store massive amounts of feed in their bedding or cheeks.
It would help if you waited for your hamster to eat their stored food before filling the bowl. You don’t want their fresh food to go stale and cause some health problems.
Hamsters don’t need more than two tablespoons of their food every day, and a dwarf hamster might need half of that amount.
Do you notice your hamster has begun to gain weight or store food? You should look at reducing the amount. If your hamster eats their food and doesn’t store a lot, increase the amount.
A younger hamster will eat more food compared to older hamsters. The same can be said about nursing and pregnant mothers. After babies are weaned, you can lower the mother’s food.
What About Treats?
You could look at providing your beloved hamster with healthy treats. Give your hamster blueberries, blackberries, apples, grapes, and kiwi. You could also give them mango, strawberries, pears, and even peaches.
Give your hamster green beans, kale, spinach, lettuce, cucumbers, and carrots.
You can give some nuts and seeds in moderation. Treat your hamster to walnuts, pecans, peanuts, and pumpkin seeds.
Mixed seeds are yummy. Your hamster will pick out the ones they prefer, which can cause their diet to become a bit unbalanced. Make sure you give a seed mix that has raw seeds. You don’t want added sugars or salt.
Check out The Pet Savvy for more options.
Should You Remove the Stash?
Don’t try to remove the stash in your hamster’s bedding. Some hamsters will end up super stressed because they don’t know where their food vanished.
Pelleted and dry food can last for a long time. It’s essential to put the stash back after you clean their cage. If there’s urine or feces on the food, get rid of it.
Should You Give Your Hamster Supplements?
Does your hamster have a balanced and healthy diet? It should include things like fresh veggies and fruits and a clean environment.
Your hamster should also be able to exercise. If they have all these elements, along with pellet food, you won’t need supplements.
Yet, some owners will give their hamsters extra vitamins. It’s hard to judge what to give them, and sometimes, you could give them too much. These supplements could have fat-soluble vitamins D and A.
These don’t get removed by urine and could result in an overdose. Always ask your vet first.
How Often Should You Feed Your Hamster
We hope this guide answered your question, “How often should you feed your hamster?” was answered. Make sure you keep your hamster’s cage clean and give them fresh fruits and vegetables.
Are you looking for more tips? Stay on our blog and browse our different resources on pets.