When a fluffy animal appears in the house, I want to do everything to make him comfortable. A cozy clean cage, good food, vitamins - these are just a small part of what you should get. When choosing food for hamsters, you need to know what foods they can include in the diet. Having looked through the forums, one cannot help but pay attention to popular questions: “Is it possible for hamsters to have a watermelon? What is the best food to buy? " We will try to find answers to all these questions.
We feed the hamster correctly. We use dry food
Before starting the issue of feed, it is worth noting that the nutrition of domestic animals is different from wild animals that live in natural conditions. Many people ask: “Can hamsters have watermelon or seeds from this berry?” Remember, food from the table is strictly prohibited. For rodents, spices, salt, sweets are deadly dangerous, although they can eat chips and cookies with pleasure. The health of the animal completely depends on its owners.
The optimal food for hamsters is dry, balanced, which is sold in pet stores. It is fortified, rich in trace elements necessary for the growth of the animal. This type of special food can only be purchased at a pet store or veterinary clinic. It undergoes thorough processing and is checked by leading experts. Remember, there are special feeds for hamsters. Food intended for guinea pigs, domestic rats, rabbits is not suitable.
Variety of food
Turning to the veterinarian, many ask the question: “Can a hamster have watermelon seeds?” The answer is categorical - no, they are included in the list of prohibited foods, like cones, nuts in the shell. By eating such food, the hamster can easily clog the bags that are on their cheeks and simply break their teeth. It is very difficult to treat the animal, it is better to observe safety measures. As for ordinary seeds, they can be given in the form of goodies no more than twice a week.
Dry food for hamsters must be alternated with other food products. Among them, vegetables must be present: carrots, pumpkins, beets. They need to be offered fresh, previously sliced with thin slices or straws. Do not forget to rinse them with boiled water. It is strictly forbidden to give potatoes and white cabbage to the animal.
You should also take care of the greenery for the hamster. You can buy special grass, which is sold in pet stores or grow it yourself. If this is not possible, dandelion stems, clover, which grow away from the freeway, will do.
As for dairy products, you can periodically treat the animal with cottage cheese and cheese of low fat content.
Summer is the time of berries and fruits
In the summer season, I want to please my little animal with something tasty. Is it possible for hamsters to watermelon, perhaps the most popular question. To answer it, you need to take into account the fact that the berry is very sweet, watery. At the same time it quickly deteriorates, winds. But this is not the most important argument. Pesticides and nitrates are the worst enemy of the animal. A few grams is enough, and a rodent can not only get sick, but also die.
Here you can give strawberries, and hamsters love this berry. The only thing is, keep track of the amount eaten so that the animal does not have digestive problems.
Cherries and cherries can be offered no more than 2-3 pieces per day. Grapes are heavy enough for the stomach. It has the properties of quickly deteriorating, so the unfinished berry must be immediately removed from the cage so that the process of decay does not begin.
Raspberry is very weak, so it should be given rarely and in limited quantities. Exotic fruits (pineapple, cannon, kiwi) will not bring any benefit to the animal. Do not offer him similar food.
I would like to say a few words about the seeds of apricots and cherries. They cannot be given to the hamster. They can lead to poor rodent health and even death. The whole reason is that the bones contain hydrocyanic acid - a poison for hamsters.
When can I give a watermelon?
If you are still interested in the question, is it possible to watermelon Dzungarian hamsters, the answer will be disappointing - no. It is not recommended to give striped berries to animals, regardless of the breed of the rodent. In a watermelon there is nothing useful except the sweetness that animals love so much. But excess fluid can lead to problems with the kidneys and the genitourinary system.
Watermelon is possible only when it is grown on your site. You are sure that there are no nitrates and pesticides, it is fully ripe and ready for use. But even in this case, the animal can be offered only a small part of the pulp, in no case a crust, in which all harmful substances accumulate.
When asking a question to the leading veterinarians of the country whether hamsters can have a watermelon, they unequivocally answer, which is not recommended.
What absolutely can not be given
There are products that are not allowed to be introduced to hamsters. Among them are:
- fresh bread;
- feed of other species of rodents and especially birds;
- acorns;
- bumps;
- salt and spices;
- sweet flour products;
- watermelon;
- fatty dairy products;
- citrus;
- sausages;
- smoked meats.
This list goes on. If the rodent first appeared in your house, it is better to visit a doctor and find out in detail what you can include in your pet’s diet.
In conclusion
I would like to note that hamsters living in the wild eat completely differently than domestic ones. They stockpile for several warm months, and actively eat them in winter. Therefore, it is typical for them to eat hay, dried fruits, grass, cereals.
In domestic hamsters, especially breeds such as the Dzungarian or Syrian, the digestive system has a slightly different structure. They need the right, balanced food. All this can be obtained from special dry food, which is sold in pet stores.
But do not forget about natural food. Frequently Asked Questions: “Can a Syrian Hamster Watermelon?” or "Should I give nuts to the Dzungarian rodent?" Meet constantly on forums. Experts say that these products are prohibited for animals.
Do not put experiments on hamsters, buy better proven food, give quality food, the right products - and then your rodent will live a long life.