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| Feeding |
| Hamsters like to have food available to them at all times, although a food bowl is not necessary. If you do happen to choose to use a food bowl, fill up your hamster's food bowl with dry food. Check it every evening and discard husks or shavings from the bowl by blowing genly into the bowl (the husks will "fly" out of the bowl; it's best to do this outside or over a garbage can or sink!). Top it up if your hamster has only a little bit left, but don't be fooled! It may look as though your hamster is running out of food but really your pet has hidden its favourite seeds in its litter! (Without a food bowl simply use the same procedure but scatter the food around the cage - more info) Your hamster's dry food, or staple diet, can be bought in any pet store. It should be kept in a sealable bag or container for it to remain fresh. If food is left out in the open, it can become contamintaed or stale. All food should NOT be kept close to the hamster's cage, as this can be very frustrating to a hamster who can't reach it. |
| Dry food should consist of: corn (flaked or whole) alfalfa pellets sunflower seeds a variety of small seeds examples: red milo whole wheat whole oats Optional items that hamsters will enjoy: pea (flaked, split, or whole) peanuts (shelled or not) Note: Sunflower seeds and peanuts should NOT be salted! |
| **A staple diet consisting of only alfalfa pellets will become boring and monotonous for your hamster. Also, your hamster will not be receiveing the nutrients and vitamins it needs to be healthy. On the same note, staple diets containing many sunflower seeds should be avoided, as sunflower seeds are fattening for your hamster. |
| General Information Staple Diets Fresh food |
| Feeding your hamster fresh food Feed your hamster a small handful of fresh food every day; if your hamster doesn't finish what you give it by the following evening, take out what's left and feed it less that evening. However, you should realise that as your hamster grows, it will be able to consume more fresh food. |
| Do not feed your hamster food that is mouldy or spoiled; only feed it food that you yourself would be willing to eat. Do not feed your hamster food directly from the refrigerator. When feeding it greens from the garden, be sure the food is not poisonous, and is not contaminated with chemicals caused by pollution, primarily car exhaust; this being said, do not feed greens to your hamster from the roadside, because, although they may look clean and fresh, they still caontain hamsful chemicals. Below is a link to a complete (within reason) list of food that is is safe to feed your hamster (other than the staple diet). If there is any obvious items I have missed, feel free to e-mail me. List of Food |
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| Equipement Feeding The Cage Handling An Interesting Life Finding a Lost Hamster Health Dealing with Hamster Loss |
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