How to feed a Syrian hamster?

Hamsters, including Syrian ones, can please the owners, but only under the condition that the food is organized correctly. It makes no sense to experiment when you can find out the main points from standard recommendations.

Correctly feeding a Syrian hamster at home is not too difficult. These animals are very active in the evenings. For this reason, in the morning you need to give relatively little food. But in the afternoon, towards the evening, more nutritious food is needed.

In addition, all hidden places in the cells should be checked. Hamsters hide their reserves there, but they are not able to independently control their safety. The owners will have to take it upon themselves.

Often, a complete set of the right compounds can be bought at one pet store. However, you need to carefully check the reputation of the supermarket, so as not to buy obviously low-quality goods. Of course, you need to study and company quality certificates.

In the wild, hamsters often feed on:

• cereal grains;
• succulent plant foods;
• worms;
• small insects.

Given the habitat of Syrian hamsters in the meadows and forest-steppes, they love grain and seeds most of all. The easiest way to provide your pet with analogues of such food is to buy ready-made mixtures. When compiling them at enterprises, experts mix:

• alfalfa;
• wheat
• corn grains;
• oats;
• sunflower seeds;
• red millet.

But mixtures may include other components.For example, walnuts, buckwheat, shelled peas, flax grains, peanuts and sesame are added there.

With the independent preparation of the seed mixture for the pet, you can be exactly sure of the quality of all components. It is recommended to add pumpkin, melon and watermelon seeds. Thanks to them, you can make food more diverse and deliver many useful substances. But all supplements should be consumed in limited quantities. In addition, you should refrain from unnecessary experiments and consult with a specialist in front of them.

The volume of ready-made mixtures of cereal grains may be up to 0.06 kg per day. It is important to know that grain is occasionally exchanged for white bread. Since the animal is among the rodents, the dried corn grains and seeds will become a treat for it.

We must not forget about the supply of animal protein. Two or three times a week are added to food:

• skim cheese;
• hard boiled egg;
• boiled chicken;
• low fat fish.

Plant foods can also be a valuable source of protein. Give boiled or dried peas, beans or chickpeas. The animal will be happy and kefir. Hamsters should be fed in the mornings and evenings, given that Syrian individuals often eat at night.

Uniform food is categorically unacceptable. A variety of cereals, dried fruits can be added to the composition of dry food. Carrots and pumpkins, zucchini, cucumbers, radishes, bell peppers can be added both raw and slightly boiled. Be sure to put in the feeder:

• a pear;
• persimmon;
• mango;
• beets;
• Strawberries
• raspberries;
• other forest and garden berries;
• lettuce;
• scalded leaves of young nettles.

Young Syrian individuals are characterized by an underdeveloped, still very delicate digestive system. For this reason, the nutrition of small hamsters should be built according to a special scheme. Animals should receive food often, but in small portions. A dry grain mixture should be continuously placed in the feeder. It is important to note that not all small hamsters love such a product.

When issuing fresh greens and fruits, it is necessary to add no more than one type of product during the day, otherwise digestion can be harmed. For a similar reason, avoid eating exotic fruits. Good results can give germination at home:

• wheat;
• lettuce;
• pea;
• beans.

To ensure the normal development of pets, young plant shoots are necessarily added - they will allow saturating the body with microelements. In a month and even at an earlier age, many hamsters feed human baby food. The motive is simple - it contains meat, cereal and vegetable components.

The topic of nutrition for adult hamsters is also quite relevant. This group includes all animals from 2 years old and older. Typical signs are apathy, decreased appetite. But, without even observing the animal closely, it is easy to notice that his teeth are almost sharpened. For this reason, rough food will have to be abandoned completely.

Nuts, hard grains are ground to a mushy state. It is better to grate all vegetables and fruits - this is best done even with a banana, tomato, dill. Ready-made dry formulations can still be consumed - with their help it is possible to stabilize the digestion.

Food in the diet of this group of individuals should deliver a maximum of trace elements. It is better if once a day a lot of food containing protein is provided. Fresh greens and cereal seedlings are also needed. Complain about the lack of appetite at this time is not necessary. Not only that, the animal will worry if its feeder is empty.

It is advisable to lay there a little chalk or mineral stones. Both are sold at all pet stores. When gnawing into these breeds, the hamster will receive a maximum of salts and minerals, which is very important for the development of embryos, otherwise the lack of trace elements will be compensated for by the main organism.

But the impressive variety of products that the Syrian hamster needs does not mean that it is omnivorous. Inept or illiterate nutrition can cause significant damage to health. Categorically you can’t feed him:

• fat cottage cheese;
• sour cream and cheese;
• sugar (sand and refined);
• cow butter;
• cream
• common salt;
• herbs and spices;
• chocolate
• sweets;
• ice cream;
• pastries (especially butter);
• dry feed intended for other animals.

The danger is mushrooms and acorns, Brazil nuts, almonds. The seeds contained in pomegranate, cherry, apricot, plum or cherry, as well as in other fruits and citrus fruits, can deform the cheek pouches. You should not rely on the instincts of the animal. It will willingly eat fat, red meat, fatty fish. And as a result, the body will receive excess fat.

Potatoes and cabbage of any kind fall under the ban. Garlic and onions, sorrel leaves, needles, tree branches and shrubs can pose a threat. It is undesirable to introduce into the diet any juices (vegetable, fruit or berry).

The only acceptable type of bread is home-made crackers. A factory product of this kind may contain hazardous components of synthetic origin. Often, preservatives, flavors, colorants and flavor enhancers are mixed there. Grapes should be given only without seeds. In order not to clean the berries manually, it is better to choose a raisin.

Boiled beef liver should be used with great care. This organ absorbs all the toxic substances that were previously ingested by the cow. And culinary processing is unlikely to be able to remove them sufficiently. If you give the liver, then only in a limited amount and without salt. All foods in which fat accounts for more than 3% are strictly prohibited.

By feeding the hamster white cabbage, you can even kill him. Exotic fruits should be used with caution. It is fundamentally unacceptable to use:

• canned food;
• stewed foods;
• fried food.

To sharpen your teeth, you can occasionally feed your hamster hard pasta or crackers. The animal must have continuous access to clean fresh water. Having noticed a digestion disorder, sunflower oil or boiled crushed rice is introduced into the diet. It is important to know that if such techniques do not immediately help, then you should immediately contact your veterinarian. From field and other plants, it is appropriate to add:

• knotweed;
• burdock;
• to dream;
• parsley.

Tarragon, dandelion or wormwood should be used much more carefully. All herbs can be collected only in ecologically clean places, that is, away from roads, factories and boiler houses, from power plants. The herbs must be thoroughly washed with running water and gently dried. For sharpening teeth, only branches from fruit plants are used.

Only pumpkin pulp should be taken from the pumpkin. Of course, the use of plants grown with the addition of nitrates and pesticides is unacceptable. Root crops must be thoroughly washed.Hamsters should not be given potato peels. All additives are cut into pieces that the animal can eat.

About what vegetables you can give a hamster, see the video below.