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Hamsters, one of America's most popular pets, are members of the rodent family. These little furry creatures have been a favorite pet of countless children over the years. Hamster comes from a German word that means loosely to hoard, which is exactly what rodents like to do most.
Hamsters are by nature nocturnal creatures. If you have one that shares a room with you, there's no doubt you have awoken many times to the sound of a hamster wheel going at full speed. This nocturnal instinct also carries over to their eating habits. It's best to give them something to snack on just before you retire for the night so they'll have the energy to get a full night of exercise.
Hamsters are not overly picky when it comes to eating. The best choice however is a quality hamster food designed specifically for the species. A good mix will contain a variety of seeds and grains such as cracked wheat. In nature, hamsters and other rodents feed mainly on these types of things so it makes sense to continue the diet in captivity.
Just because hamsters eat mainly seeds and grains does not mean they're not willing to feast on other high protein sources. Nuts and even the occasional piece of meat or cheese will not harm the animal and will spice up their diet. Just make sure that these foods are the exception rather than the rule and make hamster food the main staple.
Many of the hamster foods on the market today are supplemented with fruits and vegetables such as carrots, raisins, apples and other common plants. Any new food should be introduced slowly in very small portions to make sure the animal can handle it. Remember, a hamster is very small and even a tiny amount of the wrong food can harm or even kill them. If you supplement with fresh fruit and vegetables, make sure the food is washed first to remove pesticides
Life in a cage can get boring and every hamster enjoys a fun game to break the monotony. One of their favorites is hide the treat. Take the animal out of the cage and bury treat in various spots around the cage. This will occupy the hamster and stimulate their natural instinct to forage for food. Remember where you placed the trips and make sure the hamster either eats them or they are removed the next day in order to avoid food borne contamination of the cage.
Be careful to not over feed the hamster. A hamster will eat long after its full, not knowing when the next meal will come. This can quickly lead to an obese hamster and no one wants that. On the other hand, if your hamster eats too many treasures and becomes too picky to eat his normal food, back off the treats until he starts to eat normally again.
Hamsters do not require a lot of water, but a fresh supply should always be on hand. Change the water daily to avoid fecal contamination.
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Source by Collin Walker
