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This article was co-written by Pippa Elliott, MRCVS. Elliott is a veterinarian with more than thirty years of experience in veterinary surgery and pet treatment. She graduated from the University of Glasgow in 1987 with a degree in veterinary surgeon. She has worked at a veterinary clinic in her hometown for more than 20 years.
There are 11 references cited in this article that you can view at the bottom of the page.
This article has been viewed 2,854 times.
Dwarf hamsters are adorable and very small animals, about 5cm-10cm in length. [1] X Research Source Dwarf Hamsters are relatively easy to keep [2] X Research Source makes a great pet. These pretty energy balls have a very fast metabolism, so you need to feed them a balanced diet to keep them happy, healthy and active.
Steps
Choose food for dwarf hamsters
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Buy prepackaged hamster food. Dwarf hamsters have a similar diet to other hamster breeds. The main food of dwarf hamsters will be ready-to-eat hamster food, available at pet stores. This feed comes in pellet form and usually consists of pellets, seeds, cereals and broken corn. [3] X Research Sources
- Packaged hamster food has a high nutritional value, but you shouldn’t just feed your dwarf hamster ready-to-eat foods.
- Food with pellet formula helps dwarf hamsters gnaw, [4] X Source of research and good for their teeth.
- Choose packaged foods with a protein content of about 15%-20%. [5] X Research Sources
- If you have time, you can also make your own hamster food.
Pippa Elliott, MRVCS
Veterinarian
Elliott is a veterinarian with more than thirty years of experience in veterinary surgery and pet treatment. She graduated from the University of Glasgow in 1987 with a degree in veterinary surgeon. She has worked at a veterinary clinic in her hometown for more than 20 years.
Pippa Elliott, MRVCS
Veterinarian
Veterinarian
Veterinarian Pippa Elliott recommends giving your hamster pellets rather than mixes: “Piecements don’t allow hamsters to choose their favorite foods but are less nutritious, and mixed granules only Nutritional balance is reached if the hamster eats everything and doesn’t leave behind bits of food that they don’t find appetizing.”
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Feed your hamster fresh fruits and vegetables. Fruits and vegetables add nutrition and add variety to your hamster’s diet. [6] X Research Source Remember to wash vegetables and fruits with clean water to remove pesticides and other chemicals. [7] X Research Source You can feed your hamster vegetables and fruits such as asparagus, broccoli, bananas and blueberries. [8] X Research Sources
- Add fruits and vegetables gradually to your hamster’s diet to prevent diarrhea. Initially, you should only feed a small piece per week, then gradually increase to one piece per day. If you find that your hamster has diarrhea, stop feeding the fruit and vegetables, wait for the hamster to recover, and then try again. [9] X Research Source
- Herbs like thyme and coriander are also good foods for dwarf hamsters. [10] X Research Source
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Incorporate a protein source into your dwarf hamster’s diet. Protein is an important nutrient for your hamster. Fortunately, there are many great sources of protein that you can choose from. For example, raw and unsalted nuts like sunflower, flax, and sesame seeds are all high in protein. Lentils are also a good source of protein. [11] X Research Source
- If you are not too picky, you can also feed your pet rats insects (grasshoppers, earthworms, crickets), which are also high in protein. [12] X Research Source Consider buying this food from pet food stores, as the insects you catch outdoors can carry disease-causing microorganisms to your hamster.
- Small amounts of dairy products (unsweetened white yogurt, cottage cheese) and meat (chicken, turkey) are also good sources of protein. [13] X Research Source
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Add fiber to your hamster’s diet. Natural sources of fiber, such as timothy hay and alfalfa, are good sources of fiber. Hay may not be a dwarf hamster’s favorite food, but try giving it a small amount to see if it likes it. [14] X Research Source
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Give your dwarf hamster a hard treat once a week. Hard food helps dwarf hamsters grind down their front teeth, good for oral health. You can give your pet rat a few pieces of dog treats, a hamster treat or a small twig from a fruit tree. [15] X Trusted Source The Humane Society of the United States Go to source
- You can also give your hamster a soft treat, such as whole-wheat bread and scrambled eggs. [16] X Research Source
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Provide clean water for dwarf hamsters. Water is just as important as food in a dwarf hamster’s diet. Go to the pet store and buy a hamster water bottle. The marbles help regulate the amount of water the hamster drinks each time. [17] X Research Source
- Do not give your hamster water from a bowl or dish. While it may seem convenient, a bowl of water will wet a hamster’s cage. [18] X Source A wet cage can lead to mold and make your pet hamster sick.
- Fill the tank with water to create a vacuum in the tank. That way, the water won’t leak out when you add more water. [19] X Research Source
- Attach the water bottle to the cage in a location where there is no direct sunlight. Sunlight can cause algae to form in the water tank. Although algae won’t make your hamster sick, you will need to wash the water tank more often. [20] X Research Sources
- Attach the water bottle to the hamster’s cage with two small clips purchased from a pet store, if the water bottle does not come with a clamp. [21] X Research Source
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Know which foods should not be given to dwarf hamsters. Although hamsters can eat a wide variety of human foods, some can make your hamster sick and you should not feed them. For example, there are some vegetables that are not good for dwarf hamsters such as tomato leaves, raw potatoes and onions. [22] X Research Source You should also avoid giving your hamster citrus fruits (oranges, lemons) because they are too acidic.
- Watermelon is too much water for a hamster. [23] X Research Sources
- Almonds contain cyanic acid, which can make your pet rat very ill. [24] X Research Sources
- Fruit seeds can be harmful to dwarf hamsters. If you want to give your hamster a fruit with seeds (apple, peach, plum), be sure to remove the seeds first. [25] X Research Sources
- Chocolate contains a substance called theobromine, which can adversely affect the circulatory system of dwarf hamsters. [26] X Research Source
Feed the dwarf hamster
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Choose the right bowl for your dwarf hamster. The ideal bowl for dwarf hamsters is a small ceramic bowl. If you use a large bowl, you will tend to overfeed your hamster. Moreover, the bowl will also take up more space in the barn. Ceramic bowl is rodent resistant so it will be better than plastic bowl. Ceramic bowls will help reduce the risk of bacteria multiplying, as bacteria can develop in scratches caused by hamster gnawing. [27] X Trusted Source The Humane Society of the United States Go to source
- The included bowl is also very stable, not easily toppled like a plastic bowl. [28] X Trusted Source The Humane Society of the United States Go to Source
- Place the bowl away from where the hamster might choose to be a “toilet”. Hamsters often choose a place to go to the toilet. Once you know where that is, be sure to place the food bowl for them on the other side of the cage. [29] X Trusted Source The Humane Society of the United States Go to source
- Clean the bowl once a week when you clean the hamster’s cage. [30] X Trusted Source The Humane Society of the United States Go to Source
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Feed your dwarf hamster at the same time every day. There is some controversy about whether to feed hamsters in the morning or at night. Hamsters are nocturnal animals, so evening feeding is beneficial as they are awake. Morning feeding, on the other hand, means that food is readily available so they can nibble all day long. [31] X Trusted Source The Humane Society of the United States Go to source
- Whatever time you choose to feed your hamster, you should maintain a consistent time each day.
- Remember that dwarf hamsters have a very high metabolism, so they need constant food. [32] X Trusted Source The Humane Society of the United States Go to source
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Monitor your hamster’s eating habits. Hamsters need a varied diet to get the nutrients they need in the right quantities. [33] X Research Sources However, your pet rat may not like everything you feed it. If it doesn’t usually eat anything, remove it or change it to another food.
- For example, if your mouse doesn’t like a certain fruit (like an apple), change it to something else (like a banana). The varied menu also allows you to easily replace one type of food with another.
- Stop giving your hamster foods that make them sick (eg, diarrhea from eating watermelon). [34] X Research Sources
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Do not overfeed your dwarf hamster. Dwarf hamsters need only 1 tablespoon of hamster food per day, plus occasional treats and fresh food. Although 1 tablespoon of food may seem like a lot for the small size of dwarf hamsters, they actually have a very fast metabolism and can eat about the same amount of food as their relatives. [35] X Trusted Source The Humane Society of the United States Go to source
- Don’t constantly pour more food into your hamster’s bowl. Hamsters have pouches on either side of their cheeks, where they fill up with food to save. They also have a habit of storing food under the lining at the bottom of the cage. [36] X Research Source Hamsters’ food bowls, even if they are empty, do not necessarily mean they have eaten all of their food.
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Remove all leftovers. This is especially important for fruits and vegetables, as these can spoil very quickly and become moldy. [37] X Research Source You should only feed your hamster enough food for the day. You may have to experiment a few times before you know how much to give your mouse.
Advice
- If your hamster struggles with the water bottle every time, it could be that the vacuum in the bottle is too strong. If so, pour out some water to relieve the vacuum, but don’t pour out too much, or the water will leak. [38] X Research Source
- Don’t pick up the hamster by grabbing its tail, as you will hurt it.
- Broccoli stalks are a healthy and nutritious treat for dwarf hamsters.
Warning
- A hamster’s incisors can grow too long if they are not chewed continuously to reduce them. Too long front teeth can make it difficult for a hamster to eat, even puncturing the roof of its mouth.
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This article was co-written by Pippa Elliott, MRCVS. Elliott is a veterinarian with more than thirty years of experience in veterinary surgery and pet treatment. She graduated from the University of Glasgow in 1987 with a degree in veterinary surgeon. She has worked at a veterinary clinic in her hometown for more than 20 years.
There are 11 references cited in this article that you can view at the bottom of the page.
This article has been viewed 2,854 times.
Dwarf hamsters are adorable and very small animals, about 5cm-10cm in length. [1] X Research Source Dwarf Hamsters are relatively easy to keep [2] X Research Source makes a great pet. These pretty energy balls have a very fast metabolism, so you need to feed them a balanced diet to keep them happy, healthy and active.
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