home Metal

What is good for hamsters? What to feed a hamster: the best tips. Is something tasty healthy?

Djungarian and Syrian hamsters are popular pets for children, taking up little space and not causing as much trouble as dogs or cats. It’s not enough to just have a pet and choose a cage for it. Important proper nutrition, caring attitude. Improper care will cause health problems and the rodent may get sick.

Nutrition of hamsters in nature

When creating a menu for animals, they take into account age, behavior, health status, season, and behavioral characteristics in the wild. The natural environment allows hamsters to easily find food in hard-to-reach places. Rodents living in the wild have strong immunity to disease and receive nutrients that maintain health.

Nutrition of hamsters in nature:

plant seeds, easily accessible to small animals, supply the necessary nutritional components;

cereals allow animals to remain agile and fast;

small insects enter the diet of rodents without being the main dish.

Feeding at home

At home, make supplies on your own; animals cannot find food; you need to provide your pets with vital substances. Features of a hamster's diet:

mixtures of grains. Traditionally, the main grain crops for feeding animals are wheat, oats, and millet with the maximum amount of protein. It is impossible to get by with a mixture of three plants; other products are needed. Winter depletes the body of animals suffering from vitamin deficiencies; in this case, sprouted grain is beneficial;

The rodent's diet consists of seeds that have a high percentage of fat: sunflower seeds, chopped nuts, rapeseed, peas. You should not overuse it - too much fat will harm the animal and disrupt digestion and metabolism. Lipid products make up thirty percent of the feed;

grain mixtures do not contain the necessary nutrients, there are few vitamins D and A, the hamster also needs other food;

legumes have enough protein to facilitate pregnancy and feeding young animals with milk. Mineral metabolism of pets takes place with phosphorus and calcium, sufficiently contained in beans;

Freshly harvested peas are bad for your health. An excess of legumes in the daily diet will cause obesity;

Hamsters get a lot of vitamins, fiber, and carbohydrates from the vegetative parts of plants: tubers, rhizomes, leaves, which are necessary for the rodents’ body in winter time. If it is impossible to feed the animal with vegetation in winter, give meadow grasses: clover, dandelion. Plants are picked away from city roads and highways and must be washed and dried;

A little animal feeding will make your pet healthier. More often, the role of food is played by insects and deposited larvae containing amino acids;

pet stores sell mealworms, gammarus and other products; they need to be fed dried. Live food is replaced with food of animal origin, for example, milk;

Hamsters love human food, which is better processed and easily digestible. Animals that prefer solid food sometimes refuse human food; habituation occurs gradually;

not all products consumed by humans are beneficial for the Djungarian and Syrian hamster. Some contain dyes and harmful additives. When adding to your diet, make sure that the product does not contain harmful substances. Cottage cheese, hard low-fat cheese, rye bread, boiled eggs are good food for rodents;

fruits and vegetables diversify food and introduce necessary moisture. Apples, bananas, pears, strawberries, pomegranates, and cherry plums in grated form are useful for dzhungarik. If it is impossible to feed the hamster with similar products in winter, dried fruits are introduced. You should not give citrus fruits, exotic fruits containing many harmful acids;

hay like construction material required for nest all year round;

shrimp without shell, tail, head;

lean, steamed fish;

Full development of a pet requires vitamins and mineral supplements good quality, costing 200-400 rubles, offered by pet stores. Complexes intended for humans will cause irreparable harm to rodents and are not allowed in the diet of hamsters. Store-bought "vitamin" drops, crackers - Low quality treats are dangerous because they contain harmful additives;

the diet of pregnant females includes a lot of liquid, low-fat natural cottage cheese, cheese, crushed egg shells, supplying necessary microelements and minerals.

In addition to food, the hamster should have wood at home to grind down its constantly growing teeth. The animals happily gnaw on twigs and cones. The best are considered to be the branches of birch, hazel, and flower trees. Pelleted food is good for your teeth. Food must be constantly present in the feeder, otherwise the hamster will think that it is running out and will begin to create reserves. A drinking bowl is required in the animal's cage: the dzhungarik is quite active, it needs to replenish the body's water balance. You cannot give unboiled water - it is harmful, contains harmful impurities of chlorine and metals. You can drink well, spring, filtered tap water, adding vitamin C, changing it twice a day, be sure to wash the drinking bowl without using chemicals detergents. For weakened elderly hamsters, replace the water with chamomile decoction, changing it every 8 hours.

Food from people's tables should not contain sugar or honey. They give a little cottage cheese, milk, boiled chicken, quail egg, hard-boiled. Once a week a piece of meat is allowed. Food seasoned with spices, fried, processed with fats and acids is prohibited.

An old hamster is given soft food, dairy-free baby cereal, vegetable purees without additives, and a full teaspoon of food at one time. In winter and autumn you can give whole grain bread, but in summer you should limit it. Fermented milk products are prohibited: yogurt and kefir contain a lot of acids. Young animals can have cooked unsweetened oatmeal, semolina with milk, water, especially up to one and a half months of age - the stomachs of babies are weak, their teeth cannot chew solid food.

Butter, smoked meats, sausages, kozinaki, chocolate, baked goods, watermelons, coniferous wood, and mint are prohibited.

Types of Hamster Feeding

There are two main ways of feeding rodents:

combined - usually used in summer. For this type, you need to take care in advance of having several feeders: one contains a grain mixture, another contains fresh greens, and the third contains soft food. This type of feeding is not suitable for busy people: it takes a lot of time to prepare food for the day. Feeders will have to be disinfected frequently to avoid intestinal infections;

dry - more convenient in the cold season, here the diet is the most balanced, suitable for nutrition according to the norms.

Refusal of food for more than a day requires the introduction of artificial feeding. The food is ground, mixed with water until the consistency of sour cream, injected into a sterile syringe without a needle, squeezed out carefully, making sure that the pet does not choke.

Feeding mode

Regardless of the amount of nutrients received by the Djungarian or Syrian pet, it can get sick due to the owners’ failure to comply with the correct feeding regime.

You need to give food at the same time, which will prevent the production of excess gastric juice. They are fed twice a day: at noon and in the evening. The peak activity of rodents occurs in the second half of the day. From time to time it is necessary to control the weight of the Dzhungarik within 70 g, and the Syrian - 120 g. Excess requires a diet, the introduction of a larger volume of liquid, limiting seeds, meat, dairy products, cereals, and introducing additional physical activity. Fresh food is recommended in the morning, grain food in the evening. You cannot change the amount of feed frequently, as this will cause exhaustion or obesity. Typically, dzhungariks are omnivores, they eat everything offered, but this does not mean feeding the animals with just anything. Foreign experts adhere to feeding small rodents five times a day, offering small portions of food that are eaten completely.

Remember, if you feed your hamster properly, he will live a full and long life, remaining happy and healthy.

The hamster is a small, dense rodent that takes root well at home. Therefore, in Russia it is one of the most popular pets. From the article you can find out how long hamsters live, what breeds there are, how to care for the animal, what to feed a hamster at home, as well as other interesting facts about hamsters.

What types of hamsters are there? Photo and title

There are both species of hamsters that are quite familiar to us, as well as very rare and unusual ones. Each of them has its own distinctive features appearance and habits. Here are the most common and interesting breeds of hamsters:

Djungarian hamster

Perhaps the most popular home view. They are small, but not quite tiny - the body length is approximately 10 cm. In the middle of the back, from the back of the head to the base of the tail, there is a pronounced dark stripe. At the top of the head it turns into a triangle, going down to the nose. The rest of the fur is smoky gray with small white areas. There are also specimens of other colors - with a bluish, pearl or red tint. Dzungariki require careful care. If you don’t tidy up the cage in time, it will spread very quickly throughout the apartment. unpleasant smell, reeking of ammonia. Therefore, ideally, home cleaning should be done daily.

Taken from Wikipredia.com

People also call this animal “karbysh”. The peculiarity of this breed of hamster is that it almost never digs minks itself, but takes them away from other rodents like gophers. Having taken possession of the home, the karbysh adds to it a couple of extra entrances and exits and separate “rooms” for the toilet, sleeping and storing supplies. The result can be a real intricate labyrinth up to eight meters long.

The field hamster is quite aggressive towards anyone who potentially encroaches on its place of residence. It will literally fight to the death for its territory, and it doesn’t matter what size the enemy is - often the animals even attack large dogs or people. The animal's teeth are very sharp and grow throughout its life, grinding down as the field hamster gnaws on something. Before attacking, it often rises on its hind legs, snaps its teeth and makes threatening sounds.

The size of hamsters of this breed can vary from 5 to 37 cm, if you do not take into account the length of the tail, and weight - from 45 to 700 grams. They have rather large, round ears, and their paws are always white. Thick fur, combined with undercoat, allows the animal to survive the frosty winter. But, in addition to frost, the animal has many enemies among the animal world - from rooks to foxes. Farmers are also opposed to them, whose crops the animal can seriously damage.

From October to February, the field hamster hibernates, slowing down all metabolic processes. When it gets warm, he does not crawl out of the hole right away, but first eats up all the supplies left over from the fall. By that time, the mating period has just begun, during which this wild hamster is very active.

Author: Adams Moran

The most common representative of the species. Its average body length is 35 cm, and the body ends with a thick, strong tail 5 cm long. The ears are short and dark, the belly is also dark, but the upper part of the body is usually golden. The common hamster lives in the steppe and meadow zones of Europe, rarely rising above 1.5 km above sea level.

The animal's diet includes various parts of herbs and other plants. In the fall, mainly seeds and tubers are used, the same is suitable for stocks for winter period. Amazingly, this little animal can speak up to 15 kg of food. The most common items collected in the “pantry” are peas, corn, selected cereal grains, potatoes, millet, and lupine. The pantries are always in order, even the seeds different varieties are stored separately from each other.

Author: Aiti Kiperman

Two or three times a year, mainly in late spring, the common hamster reproduces. Usually each litter brings from ten to twenty small animals. Three weeks after birth, they can already switch to adult plant food, as well as some animal food (insects). In October the rodent lays down on hibernation, but he does not sleep continuously, sometimes he can wake up and have a snack when it is warmer outside -20C.

The common hamster is included in the list of animals protected by the Berne Convention, founded by the Council of Europe in 1976, and it is also listed in the Red Book of the Lipetsk Region. This species is often kept in a cage at home as pets. He can live well at home, but here some nuances should be taken into account. First of all, this is hibernation. Also, an ordinary hamster can significantly damage furniture and wires with its teeth, and in adulthood show inexplicable aggression. However, the animal quickly forgets the insults and becomes peaceful again. It can even be trained, and it reproduces well in captivity.

Author: Misha Fisenko

This breed is mainly distributed in Central Asia and both American continents.

The hamster's coloring perfectly matches the animal's natural habitat. But the Angora hamster can have absolutely any colors. In the middle of the 19th century, these hamsters began to be bred in captivity; soon breeders managed to breed individuals with long fur, the shade of which ranged from silver to black. So today, anyone who wants to buy an Angora hamster will have a wide choice.

Many sources often confuse the concepts of “Angora hamster” and “Syrian”, claiming that they are one and the same thing. But in fact, the Angora is only a variety of the Syrian, which has only a sandy shade of fur.

Caring for an animal of this breed is not much different from caring for other hamsters; they also need a clean, comfortable cage, good food and water. But there are added concerns about keeping the fur in good condition, otherwise it will quickly become dirty, matted and look unsightly. However, you cannot bathe the animal, it is dangerous for it. Provide him with a sand bath where the Angora hamster can clean his fur on his own. But do not forget to comb the coat regularly to prevent matting.

Posted by: Matthew Kitler

As for food, it should be taken into account that Angoricas are bred at home, which means they are more picky about their diet than their wild relatives. Its basis is grain crops, which saturate the body with fiber, and its addition is nuts, vegetables and fruits, rich in plant protein. The Angora hamster can happily eat flax, millet, tomatoes, and pumpkin. Of the seasonal fruits, it is allowed to give him pears, apples, and grapes. Other products include fermented milk and boiled chicken. The main thing is not to overdo it with unusual nutrition and, of course, all products must be impeccably fresh.

This animal belongs to the dwarf hamsters; it was discovered in 1904 on the border between Russia and China. Externally, the Campbell's hamster can be similar to a dwarf hamster, which is why they are often confused. It has a pleasant amber or sandy fur color and a dark stripe along its back. There is no hair on the paws, and this species does not change its coat for winter. This type of hamster lives shorter than others - on average 2 years.

There are two main types of color that a Campbell's hamster can have. The first is agouti, where the top of the coat may look a little darker as it gets closer to the roots, and there are lines on the sides separating the back from the belly. The second is selfie, when there are no stripes on the back and sides, the color is almost uniform, with the exception of minor spots on the chest or belly. The hamster's fur grows unevenly, as if in clumps, because it is directed at an angle.

Author: Maria Shepova

The Campbell's hamster is so tiny that its weight barely reaches 50 grams and its height is up to 10 cm. Its character is quite complex, and care should be taken not to get bitten by sharp teeth. Due to its size, a small aquarium can be adapted for the life of a rodent. However, if you have a whole family of hamsters, then they need a lot of space - otherwise there will be constant fights. The cage or aquarium should be in a fully lit place, but a window sill is not suitable for this - there the animal will be tormented by drafts and direct Sun rays, and also a hot battery is usually located under the window.

Campbell's hamster breeds over a period of six months, from March to September. Pregnancy lasts for 2-3 weeks, after which the female can give birth to 3-4 cubs. The babies will grow fur on the fifth day, and open their eyes on the tenth.

This is another dwarf breed that is sure to be loved by those who dream of a small pet. This species is native to Asian deserts, particularly Mongolia and China. IN Russian Federation It can also be found in the wild in mountainous regions near the Asian borders.

This is one of the smallest hamsters in the world - its length from nose to tail tip rarely exceeds 5 centimeters, and its weight is 25 grams. Round ears are set high on the head, the eyes are slightly bulging. The species is distinguished by its snow-white brow ridges, reminiscent of a mask. The hamster can jump quite quickly due to the fact that the front legs are shorter than the back legs.

Like many desert hamsters, this breed has a sandy coat color, but many other colors have been developed through genetic mutations. But, it should be borne in mind that animals with unusual colors are much weaker in health. In general, these hamsters are very active, they are constantly on the move, literally never sitting still for a second. At the same time, they almost never bite, having a peaceful disposition. But it’s unlikely that Roborovsky’s hamster will allow himself to be calmly held in his arms and stroked while watching TV - this is not in his character. The animal may become frightened and become very stressed.

Despite their tiny size, this breed of hamster needs a spacious cage where they have plenty of room to run and climb. And the more “tenants” there are in the cage, the larger its size should be. It is best to use an aquarium made of glass or acrylic with a wall height of at least 20 cm for keeping the animal. However, the glass can fog up. So you can consider another option made of plastic. A cage with bars is unlikely to be suitable - the nimble rodent can get through even very small holes.

Posted by Kasandra Nikson

It differs from its relatives in that it stays awake a lot during the day, giving the opportunity to fully communicate with it. It comes from the desert and steppe places of Asia and Western Siberia. In the wild, this hamster can cover vast territories in a day in search of food and a burrow. The appearance of the animal is remarkable - it has large shiny eyes of black or reddish color. The fur is smoky and very soft.

During winter or autumn, the animal's fur begins to lighten - so it was also given another name, Russian whitening.

Author: Nikolay Stepanich

Taken from wikipedia.com

Enemies of hamsters in the wild

In natural conditions, animals lie in wait everywhere deadly danger. The greatest threat is posed by:

birds (especially birds of prey such as owls and kites)
wild cats (lynx, tiger, depending on habitat
foxes

What do hamsters eat and what do they eat?

In the wild, these animals are rodents, which means that hamsters eat mainly grains. They are also always not averse to eating tender young shoots of plants, such as bamboo. In addition to cereals, the animal loves vegetables (potatoes, pumpkin, beets, carrots) and can even harm garden plantings. In order not to lack protein, the animals also periodically eat small creatures - insects, worms and even snakes. The rice hamster happily eats fish, the remains of which are left over from the dinner of other animals. Membranaceous often feasts on mollusks and crustaceans. Sleepy - Can't resist avocados and figs.

What to feed a hamster at home?

At home today there is no need to independently select an animal’s diet; specialized feed is sold. They already contain a balanced combination of vitamins and microelements. It is not compiled at random, but in accordance with the diet of animals in the wild.

It is important not only what hamsters eat, but also how exactly they eat it. The box with ready-made food usually indicates both the dosage and the desired diet. However, the animal can itself determine the ideal regime for itself. Most often, animals eat the food they receive at night, crunching it for the whole house, and during the day they only accumulate supplies. Ideally, you should provide your rodent with fresh, healthy food at the same time before bed.

What else can you feed your pet at home? As a treat and to diversify the diet, it is allowed to offer him beets, lettuce leaves, tomatoes, grass (for example, dandelions), pumpkin, zucchini, cucumber, and carrots.

Source: Unknown

Hamster care

Keeping and caring for a hamster at home is a simple process, but it requires certain knowledge and care. You can determine whether your animal is feeling well by such signs as shiny fur without bald spots, a clean nose and eyes, even breathing, and the absence of digestive disorders. Since the pet usually sleeps most of the day, it is better to assess its behavior in the late afternoon, during the period of activity.

Caring for and keeping a hamster at home always starts with choosing a good cage. They come in plastic and lattice. Plastic container-like ones are most convenient for dwarf hamsters (Roborovsky, Campbell, and dwarf hamsters). But lattice ones are perfect for golden (or Syrian) breeds. The main thing is that the bars of the cage are placed horizontally so that the animal can climb the walls. The gap between the rods also depends on the specific type - for golden, a distance of 1 centimeter is acceptable, for more small species- less.

If the distance between the bars of the cage is incorrect, the animal may unsuccessfully stick its head between them and die from suffocation.

The next step in caring for an animal at home is to properly equip its “apartment”. It starts with the choice of bedding - both the comfort of the rodent and the time you will spend cleaning the cage will depend on this. It is advisable not to use newsprint as bedding, otherwise your pet may be poisoned by printing toner. In addition, such paper does not absorb liquids and odors well. However, the same applies to ordinary paper or cotton wool. Cotton wool in a cage is also not recommended because the animal's small paws can get tangled in it.

Fillers such as sawdust, hay or wood shavings are better suited. But some animals are allergic to ready-made wooden pellets. The best option Corn is used to fill the cage (chopped cobs with a few grains left). It is very light and pleasant for the animal. This filler is more expensive than others, but it retains the smell for up to ten days.

Place two feeders in the cage - one will serve for soft food such as fruit, the other for hard and dry food. And for water it is better to purchase a special drinking bowl, changing the contents every day.

Source: Google Images

Caring for a hamster at home is not complete without providing it with physical activity. To do this, you need to equip the cage with a wheel, and also buy a hamster ball and other accessories (slides, ladders). The wheel must be solid, with transverse protrusions. Then it will be convenient for the animal to place its paws on it.

The rodent will use all this variety in the cage mainly at night, and during the day it will rest in its burrow. A special house can serve as a mink, but sometimes the animal prefers to make its own home by collecting filler or bedding to the side.

It is worth talking in more detail about such a device as a hamster ball. This is an excellent simulator that will not let the animal get bored. Ready-made balls are sold in stores, or you can make the device yourself. Its purpose is to allow the animal to move freely around the apartment without the risk of being crushed, caught by a cat, or stuck somewhere. The hamster ball will fit especially well in large apartment or home.

The easiest way to make this accessory is from ordinary plastic bottle. Due to its lightness, it will not make it difficult for the hamster to move. In addition, you can make holes in it for ventilation. Actually, no other manipulations are required - the hamster ball is ready for use.

You can also take not a bottle, but a plastic ice cream bucket (the main thing is that it is transparent). The bucket must be thoroughly washed and dried, and then small holes must be made in the bottom or lid of the container. Now you can put the hamster inside and close the lid. In a similar way, you can make a ball for a hamster from any container. The stores sell dozens of different beautiful and convenient options.

How to determine the sex of a hamster?

This information may be important if you keep several animals at once and do not plan to reproduce them. Finding out what gender an animal is is not very difficult. To do this, you need to examine him, but this should not be done abruptly so that he does not get stressed. Calm the animal down and treat it to something tasty. Gently take the animal in your arms and hold it on the fold of skin between the shoulder blades, but do not pull.

Inspect the back. Males have pronounced sexual characteristics, but females do not. You can presumably determine the sex simply by the size of the animal - males are usually much larger than females. The latter also have prominent nipples in the abdominal area. Determine gender a newborn animal is somewhat more complicated. This can be done along the gap between the anus and urinary opening. For girls this distance is usually shorter than for boys.

Hamster breeding

Animals become sexually mature very early, within a month from birth. But, provided that you are not in a hurry with breeding, it is still better to let the animal grow up to five months. It is necessary to happen in an area that does not belong to any of the pair of hamsters, so they will be more comfortable. It is best to do this in the late afternoon.

Within a week after the event, if the female was able to become pregnant, her nipples will swell, and after 2-3 weeks the babies will be born. It is important that the male must be separated from the pregnant and lactating female; he can even eat the cubs, and the female becomes overly aggressive, protecting the children.

After giving birth, the female should not be disturbed or touched for two weeks. You don't even need to clean the cage. The main thing is to provide her with enough tasty and healthy food. Baby animals can usually be separated from their mother at the age of a month.

Every potential owner is interested in the question of how long hamsters live at home. The answer is disappointing - only 2-3 years, and this is with impeccable care. If the care is poor, then the period is even shorter. Therefore, you should be very careful about the health of your pet. Even a common allergy or cold can lead to irreparable consequences. According to statistics, only 1 in 1,000,000 survives to the age of five, but it is quite possible to reach 3.5 years at home.

It is logical that the question of how long a hamster lives is of interest to those who get this little animal for the first time. For an inexperienced owner, even one who has studied a lot of relevant literature, the hamster will live up to a maximum of 2.5 years. This can also have its advantages. He won’t be thrown out into the street like a boring toy, because he simply won’t have time to get bored. And after his death there is always the opportunity to have another one.

What factors determine how long hamsters live at home? First of all, it's diet. Healthy good nutrition, which includes a whole complex of vitamins, will significantly extend the life of your pet. Therefore, it is very important what to feed your hamster at home. The choice of hamster cage, as well as the filler in it, is no less important. It is important that it is equipped safely and that the filler does not cause an allergic reaction. Of course, the cage must be cleaned in a timely manner, at least once a week, using only safe products with a minimum amount of different chemicals.

Author: Anastasia Kozlova

Next, the animal must have room to express its physical activity. It’s not for nothing that they say that movement is life. In the wild, hamsters can run up to ten kilometers a day. Also, the animal must be able to chew something, otherwise its fangs will not wear down and will grow to an uncomfortable size.

How many years hamsters live depends largely on their freedom of movement. The rodent needs to be let out to walk around the apartment more often, and it is advisable to use a special ball for this. The cage should be equipped with a running wheel in which the hamster will run several kilometers per night.

But how many years do hamsters live in the wild? Unfortunately, in such conditions they are susceptible to attacks by predators. In nature, this animal can live up to two years at most; at the end of its life, its vision and reactions deteriorate, making it even more vulnerable.

The most common diseases in hamsters are:

Abscesses on the pads of the feet. The reasons for their occurrence have not yet been discovered by veterinarians. Zinc ointment or regular fish fat. Lay the animal on its side or back and gently lubricate the damaged areas, applying a lot of product to the affected areas. Regeneration of the skin can last up to 5-6 months.
Anomalies with teeth. Excessively grown teeth will cause pain and discomfort to the animal. Make sure that the animal always has something to chew on and that its diet includes a sufficient amount of solid food. An incipient disease can be recognized by the increased flow of saliva due to the fact that the animal’s jaws do not close tightly. The teeth should be treated by a specialist; do not try to shorten them in any way at home.
Obesity. In the wild, a hamster moves almost all the time he is awake. Small physical activity and weight gain provoke heart problems. The animal's cage must have a large number of all kinds of attractions, and for moving around outside, a hamster ball is suitable. You should also not overfeed the animal or feed it human food.
Baldness. Externally, this disease may resemble lichen. Moreover, only an experienced veterinarian can distinguish them in the early stages through tests. Baldness of an animal often occurs due to a lack of vitamins and minerals. In this case, it is worth introducing some kind of food into his diet. vitamin complex. If baldness occurs due to stress, then try not to make noise near the animal’s cage and not expose it to excitement. Vitamins will also not be superfluous in this case.
Inflammation of the cheek pouches. This disease can happen if food remains are constantly stuck in them or if there is an injury from some sharp object. In this situation, too, only veterinarian will be able to properly invert these sacs in order to examine them and make a diagnosis. After this, he will use special devices to remove all the excess and treat the mucous membrane with antibacterial agents.
Wet tail. Don’t pay attention to the name—that’s not what the disease is all about. This is a serious stomach disorder with frequent diarrhea, which occurs due to stress or sudden changes in diet. In addition to loose stools, the animal may experience bleeding, lack of appetite, and aggressiveness. To cure the disease, it is necessary to give the animal electrolytes at home to avoid dehydration. Your doctor may also prescribe antibiotics. If you have several animals living at once, healthy ones need to be separated from sick ones, otherwise an epidemic will begin. During the illness, do not give fruits and other juicy foods, leaving mainly rice and hay, and replace the water with a weak infusion of chamomile.
Lymphocytic choriomeningitis. Unfortunately, this infection cannot be cured, so if the veterinarian makes this diagnosis, the hamster is euthanized. The primary symptoms of the disease are increased body temperature, weakness, and heavy breathing. The infection is often carried by mice, so you need to make sure that they do not have access to your pet's cage.

This disease can be dangerous for people! Therefore, wash your hands thoroughly after each contact with or care for a suspected infected animal.

The common cold is a zoonotic disease. This means that an animal can become infected from a person, just as a person can become infected from an animal.

Although the animal is a herbivorous rodent, its diet can include all kinds of insects. This gives the body additional protein.
In North America, forest hamsters act like magpies - they carry shiny things into their burrows. But in place of the stolen item, they almost always leave a pebble or a twig, as if exchanging. But in reality, everything is simpler - the animal simply throws what it was carrying in order to grab the sparkling thing.
The cheek pouches can hold an amount of food equal to a fifth of the animal's weight.
Hamsters are born with teeth that continue to grow throughout their lives, being worn down by gnawing. The teeth of guinea pigs are similar.
The animals are quite smart. They are trainable and usually easily remember their name and the faces of those in their household.
Most domestic golden hamsters come from a single female, who gave birth to twelve babies in 1930.
If we convert the age of these animals to human ones, then one year is equal to 25 human years.
During long runs, the animals mark their path with the help of scent glands.
The animal does not see very well, and also does not distinguish colors, but it has a well-developed sense of smell and hearing.
This feature has been noticed in dwarf hamsters - the female can delay the birth of a new litter while she feeds the previous one, this happens both at home and in the wild.

In science, cells extracted from the ovaries of Chinese hamsters are used in the production of many drugs for serious diseases, in particular multiple sclerosis and chronic lymphocytic leukemia.
In Vietnam, keeping these animals at home is prohibited by law because they carry infectious diseases.
Newton's and Syrian hamsters are listed in the Red Book and are on the verge of extinction in the wild.
Food reserves can reach 90 kg. Like squirrels, hamsters store much more than they can eat.
As a rule, only one animal lives in each large branched burrow.
Hamsters are good swimmers - they have adapted to draw air into their cheek pouches, creating something like a float.
The name of the animal originates from the ancient Avestan dialect and roughly translates as “enemy pressing in the ground” due to the habit of the animals bending plant stems in the ground to get food.

Have you ever thought about what you can and cannot feed hamsters? If not, then be sure to devote some of your time to this issue. The diet of these cheerful and restless animals in the wild consists of cereals, seeds, and other products, but what should you feed your baby at home?

There is an opinion that hamsters are omnivores. However, not all products that you can offer them are equally beneficial for the hamster. Failure to comply with the diet can significantly reduce the life expectancy of a pet. Disorders in the gastrointestinal tract intestinal tract, allergies, obesity are not uncommon with an unbalanced diet. To keep your pets healthy, be sure to remember what hamsters should not eat.

Eliminate the following foods from your hamster's diet:

all products that contain spices;
milk (and milk porridges), cheeses, cream, sour cream;
butter (both butter and vegetable), lard, fatty meat;
dried fish, dried dried meat, salted crackers, etc.;
honey, other bee products, sugar, sweets;
garlic and onion;
potato peelings and potato eyes;

Attention! Potato eyes are poisonous to hamsters.

food intended for dogs and cats;
some (for example red-pumped);
sorrel, kiwi, pineapple, watermelon;
pasta, (white and black excluding crackers) cakes, pastries;
mushrooms;
kozinaki;
pits of plums, peaches, apricots, cherries;
spruce and pine cones;

What not to give to hamsters:

spicy;
salty;
fat;
sweet;
flour;
canned;
roast;
feed intended for other animals.

Separately, it is necessary to say about dwarf rodents. The most common species today is the Djungarian hamster. Let us dwell in more detail on what you should not feed your Djungarian hamster.

These cute little ones should not eat all the foods listed above. In addition, they are prone to diabetes and therefore fruits should be given to them with caution. It is better to shift the emphasis in the diet of Djungarians from fruits to vegetables (except potatoes).

It is important to understand that twigs, greens and grass for hamsters must be purchased at a pet store. Do not use products that have been treated with specialized chemical solutions, growth accelerators or preservatives. Even people can get poisoned by eating such products, and for a tiny homa this is very dangerous.

Be sure to remember what you should not feed hamsters and try in every possible way to avoid your pet eating the foods listed above. Yours furry pets They are very inquisitive and will try everything you offer them, even store-bought ketchup. Remember - the life of a small rodent is completely in your hands.

The homeland of the charming domestic hamster is the steppe regions. These are harsh lands with winds and droughts. The steppes are not distinguished by a variety of vegetation, so the natural diet of the hamster is quite limited. In the wild, it is not easy for an animal to survive. The environment left its mark on the feeding habits of the animals and adapted them to the surrounding conditions.

Hamsters in nature have an excellent appetite and are almost omnivorous. Its menu includes all kinds of seeds, grains, and nuts. He will enjoy eating berries and nibbling on tree branches. The thrifty animal stores several kilograms of various seeds in its pantry, carefully sorting them by type.

By spring, the food supply is running low. After hibernation, a hungry animal gladly eats protein food. Snails, worms, insects, small animals help him recover and gain strength. However, in the fall he will also not refuse to snack on a worm or caterpillar. Another addition to the spring diet is young greens.

You want to pamper your fluffy with tasty things, but first you should think about whether he has access to such products in his natural habitat, and whether new treats for hamsters will harm him.

How to properly feed a hamster at home - we start from a natural diet

The main food of a hamster is cereal. Almost everything is suitable for him: wheat, barley, buckwheat, oats and flakes made from them. The hamster will also like legumes - peas, beans. Pumpkin seeds, sunflower seeds, nuts from hazelnuts to cashews.

Greens will be a useful and pleasant addition. Leaves of clover, dandelion, young nettle and lettuce are loved by pets.

The hamster will be pleased with berries, fruits and vegetables. bell pepper, carrot, apple - very a good choice. You can give defrosted berries. Dried fruits are also suitable, as long as they are homemade, without the use of sugar or preservatives.

From time to time, you can offer your hamster an earthworm, a piece of boiled chicken without salt and spices, or a shrimp as a protein component.

Important: seeds and nuts can only be raw and dried. It is necessary to exclude fried, salted, candied, with additives, dyes and spices. The hamster's liver is not designed for such tests.

Controversial issues

There are conflicting feeding recommendations in various sources. Let's take a closer look at the controversial products.

parsley. Hamsters need greens in their diet, but parsley has a powerful diuretic and laxative effect. It is used as a powerful element in all kinds of cleansing diets. It is unlikely that a sprig of this greenery will kill a small animal, but it will provide it with suffering from diarrhea and dehydration.
Fermented milk products and cottage cheese are also controversial. You can try a small amount and see your individual tolerance.
Beets are often recommended as a source of vitamins. A number of sources indicate that it is useless as food for a hamster, although it also does not cause harm.

Is it possible for hamsters to eat controversial foods, and what might happen? It’s better not to check. There are many approved components, they are available, there is no need to experiment on a dependent little creature.

Important: many permitted vegetables in supermarkets are treated with chemicals and should not be fed to hamsters. Pets die every year from poisoning from ordinary lettuce or cucumber. If you are not confident in store-bought vegetables, you can sprout wheat or lettuce on your own windowsill.

Hamster sanctions: hazardous products

The hamster should be excluded from the menu

fatty. Allowed nuts and seeds should also be limited due to their high fat content;
salty. The popular image of a mouse with a piece of bacon has killed many domestic rodents. Salt is a slow poison for a hamster.
smoked. The digestive system of a small pet is not designed for culinary delights. There is no need to share with the hamster; generosity is inappropriate here.
sweets. Everything sweet - sugar, honey, maple and Jerusalem artichoke syrups, raisins and other healthy foods are not for a hamster. Sweets unbalance the functioning of his body and ensure a slow, painful death. Watermelons, grapes, melons and other very sweet foods are also prohibited. Add potatoes with excess starch here.
sour: citruses, sorrel, rhubarb, exotic fruits, tomatoes.
spicy. Garlic, onions, their greens. Spices, seasonings, wild garlic - all this is not for a hamster.
vegetables and fruits that cause gas formation cause the hamster to suffer from bloating and diarrhea. You need to remove cabbage and fresh peas from your diet.

How to pamper your pet?

If almost all products from the human table are prohibited, what can you do to please your furry?

Hamsters have unique tastes.

Twigs of fruit and fruit trees. A hamster's teeth grow throughout his life and he needs to sharpen them. Solid food added to the hamster's diet helps maintain the desired length. The branches need to be cut off away from roads, in a clean place. At home, pour boiling water over them and rinse them from dust and dirt.
Chumiza, or capitate millet.
Moths and moth larvae.
Milk thistle
Flax seed
Homemade dried fruits.
Bell pepper.

Ready-made feed

Figuring out what to feed a hamster outdoors at home is not so easy. Sometimes organizing proper feeding becomes inconvenient.

Ready-made mixtures for hamsters from a pet store solve the nutrition problem once and for all. They were compiled by specialist zoologists and provide the animals with everything they need.

There are separate diets for Djungarian and Syrian hamsters. You can offer your hamster several types to choose from and settle on the one he likes best.

Tip: if you carefully observe which component of the mixture the hamster chooses first, you can understand what to pamper him with.

Vitamin supplements and additional components can be used, but first you need to study the composition on the food package. An overdose of some vitamins can lead to illness and baldness.

Drinking regime

A drinking bowl with fresh water should always be in the cage. The water should be clean; you should not offer your hamster milk, yogurt or herbal infusions. The exception is direct instructions from the veterinarian.

Behavioral characteristics and feeding of hamsters

The hamster closely monitors the changing seasons. He tries to hide part of the offered food behind his cheeks and store it in his pantry for the winter. In winter, grains, nuts, and dried herbs are stored there. Unfortunately for the animal, its supplies in the cage must be destroyed periodically. At home, he stores pieces of fruits and vegetables on which mold and rot appear. After cleaning, the hamster is very upset, but he will be consoled by nuts and seeds, which can be left in return for the lost goods.

The change of seasons in nature implies a change in diet. At home, the hamster does not hibernate. He is offered protein food a couple of times a week. The exception is a pregnant female, she needs protein daily.

The hamster is fed once a day, in the evening. In the morning you can offer something low-calorie, a piece of apple or carrot. How much you need to feed your hamster is indicated on the food packaging. You can look at the well-being of your pet. If there is a lot of food left, or excess weight has appeared, you need to adjust the menu.

Important: in nature, a hamster can run several kilometers while collecting supplies. Living at home, animals are prone to obesity. The running wheel will help him stay fit and healthy throughout his life.

The cute hamster is one of the most popular pets. Its maintenance does not require much space in the apartment, and its maintenance is not particularly difficult. However, when purchasing a furry friend, you should find out in advance what hamsters eat at home and what food is not recommended for them.

Diet features

First of all, proper nutrition for a pet hamster depends on the species to which it belongs. If in nature this species lives in the steppe or desert, a drier diet is suitable for it, and the diet of forest species must include grass and juicy fruits.

In general, you should remember a simple rule: at home, hamsters can only be given food that they can get in nature (unless you feed your pet with special store-bought food).

The advantages of purchased food include its balanced composition, if we are talking about a high-quality product. However, special food for rodents can put a strain on your budget, and besides, not all pets approve of such food. If hamsters are reluctant to eat store-bought food or ignore it altogether, do not force them, but switch them to natural food.

Authorized Products

What does a hamster eat at home? His health, vigor and life expectancy directly depend on this. In no case should the animal's menu coincide with yours if you are not a fan of natural separate nutrition.

Cereals and grains

The basis of the diet is whole grains, grain mixtures, flakes, seeds, as well as cereal porridges cooked in water. Oatmeal, wheat, buckwheat, barley, legumes (except red beans), and corn are suitable for your pet. In moderate quantities, you can offer pumpkin and sunflower seeds as a delicacy - crackers, nuts, “simple” dried fruits.

Healthy vegetables

Hamsters love to chew raw carrots, pumpkin pieces, Bell pepper, eggplant and zucchini. These vegetables can also be given boiled, but without salt. From time to time you can add boiled beets, broccoli and cauliflower, celery, radishes, radishes, small tomatoes.

Vitamin greens

In addition to fruits and vegetables, hamsters will need fresh herbs. Add to the list healthy products leaves of parsley and green salad, clover, young nettle, plantain. Offer your pet a twig from an apple, oak, birch or maple tree, as well as alfalfa sprouts (in winter - hay).

Protein food

A couple of times a week, your pet should be offered foods rich in protein: cottage cheese, kefir, low-fat natural yogurt made without additives. Offer your hamsters a boiled egg from time to time. Boiled chicken meat, without any additives or salt, is also suitable as a protein food. Sometimes you can give rodents boiled meat from lean fish or shrimp, as well as special insects that are sold as food in pet stores.

Fruit and berry “dessert”

From fruits, you can safely offer hamsters apples and pears, as well as bananas. Dry fruits can sometimes be given as a “yummy treat”: dried pieces of apples and pears, raisins, dried apricots, prunes. From berries, let's not too sour cherries and cherries, rose hips, currants, strawberries. Sometimes you can offer your pet plums and apricots, peaches, and sour grapes. To avoid trouble, it is better to pull the seeds out of the berries.

Drink

No one can live without water and a hamster is no exception. However, those types of rodents that in nature prefer steppes and deserts do not need a lot of water - they drink very little, and prefer juicy fruits as the main source of liquid. But, one way or another, a drinking bowl must be present in the hamster cage, and the water in it must be changed regularly.

Prohibited Products

Salt and salty foods, as well as all kinds of spices and seasonings, should be excluded from your pet’s diet.
You should not give your animal sweets: sugar, jam, honey, sweets and sweet cookies.
Dairy products should not include whole milk, cream, butter, or sour cream. Hard cheese is not recommended.
Hamsters should not eat exotic fruits (except bananas), as well as watermelons and pomegranates.
Among vegetables, cabbage and Brussels sprouts are prohibited for consumption, as well as sorrel, onions, potatoes, and garlic. You should not give your pets fresh or dried mint or branches of coniferous trees.
You should not give your animal self-caught insects: butterflies, flies, cockroaches, etc.
The list of prohibited products should also include fresh bakery products, brown bread, pasta, all kinds of sausages, mushrooms, almonds and Brazil nuts, as well as “complex” dishes from your table (salads, soups, stews, cutlets, sauces, etc.).

What else can hamsters eat? In pet stores you can find dried gamarus crustacean, which is perfect for a hamster as a “yummy” and a source of protein. If your pet turns up his nose at boiled chicken and sour milk, offer him dried gamarus - most likely, he will eat this delicacy with pleasure.
If your hamster has diarrhea, give him porridge prepared with rice water. Under normal circumstances, it is not recommended to feed your pet rice - only as needed to strengthen the stomach.
A pregnant or lactating hamster should have plenty of food and clean water(she drinks much more than usual). It should be remembered that a nursing mother, as well as cubs (up to one and a half months of age), should not eat apples. Ideally, it is better to give carrots, pumpkin and zucchini as vegetables at this time.
Hamsters whose teeth have not yet strengthened need to grind vegetables, fruits, cereals and other food. You can give them baby food, choosing only those formulations that do not contain sugar, soy, or additives. Older pets also find it difficult to eat solid food and are recommended to eat soft or ground food.
Decorative hamsters retain their natural instincts in the field of preparing food “for a rainy day” and love to hide food in secluded corners of a house or burrow. In this regard, the pet’s home needs to be regularly inspected and hidden perishable food (berries, herbs, vegetables, pieces of meat, etc.) should be removed. You can leave some grains, dry food or flakes “in the stash” so that the hamster is not too upset when he finds his monthly reserves completely ruined.
No matter how much your pet eats, he still has the desire to chew simply “for the love of art.” The fact is that by consuming vegetables, fruits and even grains, he cannot wear down his rapidly growing teeth. Therefore, in a hamster’s house there should always be a special stick that can be chewed.
With abundant feeding and a sedentary lifestyle, the hamster can gain excess weight, which often threatens obesity and disease. In such a case, flour products such as crackers, dry breads, etc. should be excluded from the diet. Even if this is your pet’s favorite food, try replacing it with lower-calorie treats. In addition, it is useful to install a special wheel for hamsters in the cage, and in the evening let your pet out of the cage so that he can run around.