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What should I be feeding my dwarf hamster?
By Dave | July 24, 2008
bunnylove asked:
I have a 10 month old Djungarian Dwarf Hamster. I have been giving him a “gourmet” mix of food since I got him. Should I only be feeding him a pellet food? Especially since he tends to pick out his favorite pieces? And if so….how should I go about switching the food since he is so used to the “gourmet” mix?
I have a 10 month old Djungarian Dwarf Hamster. I have been giving him a “gourmet” mix of food since I got him. Should I only be feeding him a pellet food? Especially since he tends to pick out his favorite pieces? And if so….how should I go about switching the food since he is so used to the “gourmet” mix?
Thanks
Carlton
Topics: Gourmet Food | 4 Comments »
July 25th, 2008 at 2:30 pm
Just give him regular hamster food, hes still a hamster so he should eat it i suppose..
Good luck on changing his food!
July 28th, 2008 at 9:28 pm
Diet
Diabetes is becoming a common problem in Campbell’s hamsters and is an inherited problem. Unless an individual hamster’s ancestry is known to be free of the illness, a Campbell’s dwarf should not be fed any sugary foods (including fruit, corn, peas, carrots, yogurt drops, and some mass-manufactured “treats”), nor should they be bred.It can make it bleed and make it die in 5 to 6 weeks.
Like all hamsters, Campbell’s dwarfs are rodents and therefore must gnaw regularly to keep the incisors from growing into the skin of the mouth and causing health problems. Some pet owners provide dog biscuits to assist with this. Wooden chew toys should be used with care as splinters may injure the hamster. Teeth should be examined regularly to ensure they are not growing unchecked.
In the wild, Campbell’s dwarfs consume a variety of grains, seeds, and vegetables. For the pet hamster, commercial seed mixes and food pellets are available and should be augmented with occasional fresh vegetables. Care should be taken in selecting a seed mix that does not include harmful foods, some of which are suitable for other rodents (including other types of hamsters). The following items should be AVOEDED
almonds
garlic
potato tops
raw potatoes
rhubarb
rhubarb leaves
tomato leaves
raisins (can get lodged in cheek pouches)
anything sweet unless diabetes has been ruled out
they can eat dried out corn(buy regular corn on the cob and dry them)
GRAIN AND RICE(very important)
carrots sometimes
apples sometimes
lettus sometimes
you can keep feding him the gourmet food mix because i fed all of my hamsters that and they lived very long
July 29th, 2008 at 4:20 pm
introduce the new food bit by bit, gradually adding more and phasing the old food out over e period on 10 days. also for treats you can give him -
Alfalfa
Apple (seedless)
Asparagus
Avocado (skinned and seedless)
Banana
Basil
Blackberries
Blueberries
Broccoli
Brussel Sprouts – small amounts occasionally – not all hamsters like the strong taste
Calabrese
Cabbage – should only be fed in small amounts occasionally as too much can cause health problems
Carrots
Cauliflower leaves and stalks
Celery
Cherries – stones should be removed as they can be dangerous if gnawed
Chestnuts
Chicory
Chinese Leaves
Coriander
Corn-on-the-Cob
Corn Salad
Courgette
Cranberries
Cress
Cucumber
Curly Kale
Dates
Endive
Fenugreek
Feijoa
Figs
Grapes
Green beans
Kale – should only be fed in small amounts occasionally as too much can cause health problems
Kidney Beans (cooked)
Kiwi Fruit
Kumquat
Lettuce – small amounts occasionally – in excess it can cause liver problems
Logan Berries
Lychee
Mange Tout
Mango
Marrow
Melon
Mint
Mung
Okra
Pak Choy
Papaya
Parsley – a good tonic
Peach
Pear
Peas
Plums – stones should be removed as can be dangerous when gnawed
Potato (cooked)
Raspberries
Raspberry Plant leaves – beneficial for diarrhoea
Rhubarb (cooked)
Rocket Chard
Sage
Sorrel
Squash
Star Fruit
Strawberries
Sugar Cane – small amounts
Sweet Potato
Soybean Sprouts
Swede
Sweetcorn
Sweet Peppers
Ugli Fruit
Turnip
Water Chestnuts
Watermelon
Water Spinach
August 1st, 2008 at 9:14 pm
All hamsters are a little picky with their food- my hamsters don’t like the long black pieces in the bags of pellet hamster food you can buy for example haha!
Just keep feeding him the same mix, but try adding different things to it every so often, so once in a while add a selection of pellet food. And also make sure that his diet includes some form of greenery at least once a week- so lettuce or cucumber for example.
With my hamsters, I sometimes add cheerios cereals to their mix and they love it- it’s all heathly too.
Try adding variety between your mix and the hamster pellet mix, not just switching, and see how your hamster responds.