With the ability to store up to 20% of their body weight inside their mouths, hamsters are capable of stockpiling food in large quantities and bringing them back to their dens. Their cheeks are designed to be both highly durable and highly flexible, able to expand outward like a balloon as the hamster stuffs its mouth. This helps them avoid predators, but it also keeps them insulated against the frequently frigid desert nights. Most species will only journey out for about an hour after daylight and keep their time spent out in the wild as limited as possible.įortunately, hamsters have developed a unique quirk that helps them dramatically minimize their time spent outdoors. For the most part, hamsters look to minimize their time spent outside. These dens keep them cool during the hottest parts of the day, and they venture out only when it grows darker and cooler outside. Most hamster species prefer desert environments where they build elaborate burrows. Some rare hamsters in Africa have been observed hunting insects in packs, but most species are solitary foragers more likely to end up with a piece of meat by happenstance more than from an active attempt at hunting. Though their diets may be roughly the same, the hunting and foraging habits of hamsters can actually vary wildly. In captivity, some owners will help these omnivores achieve their protein needs by providing them with pieces of boiled egg. And while all of these are omnivores who eat fruits and vegetables in addition to rare pieces of meat, the specific foods that make up their diet can vary depending on their environment. Syrian and dwarf hamsters are the two most popular choices for pets, but they’re just two of 18 species found in the wild.
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But hamsters in the wild can help fulfill those requirements through protein-heavy meat sources like mealworms and insects. The ideal hamster diet consists of 16% protein and 5% fat, and many nuts and seeds offer both. While most hamster owners aren’t in the habit of feeding their pets live animals, hamsters in the wild are actually omnivores, although meat isn’t a major part of their diet. Both Syrian and dwarf hamsters should be fed timothy hay for the health of their teeth rather than for its nutritional value.ĭiet is a bit more complicated for hamsters in the wild.
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Dwarf hamsters require less food than the common Syrian hamster.
![how animal s eat how animal s eat](https://www.eslprintables.com/previews/531359_1-What_do_animals_eat_.jpg)
If you feed your hamster dry food rather than human food, they should generally be fine with a tablespoon or two of feed a day. Processed hamster feed and blocks are available that help finds a nutritional balance, but many owners choose to feed their pets human food like fresh fruits and vegetables. Human food like sugar, caffeine, and alcohol should be avoided. Hamsters enjoy fruit but should enjoy them in moderation as they’re prone to diabetes. Grains, seeds, and nuts are the cornerstone of the hamster’s diet both in the wild and in captivity - but dark greens and other vegetables should be a part of the diet as well. When kept as pets in captivity, hamsters can be raised as gentle herbivores with relatively simple nutritional needs. Hamsters are one of the most popular rodent species to keep as pets throughout the world, and that has a lot to do with how low maintenance their diet is.