Let’s start with what does a wild hamster eat as their primary diets. Obviously, there are many hamster species in the world and only 5 species are domesticated, Syrians, Russian Campbell’s Dwarves, Winter White Dwarves, Chinese Hamsters, and Roborovskis. These are basic guidelines for a healthy hamster and there will be separate posts for more in depth discussion about the differences between the species' diet.
What do hamsters eat:
We know that hamsters in the wild eat a large variety of foods as they are omnivorous. Their diet mainly consists of seeds, grains, grasses, vegetables, and insects, in varying degrees based on where they live. Hamsters are quite hardy and can sustain themselves on even poor diets for a long period of time. However, in captivity we do want to strive for the most optimal diet that we can provide. This will not be the same diet all over the world, as availability of mixes varies greatly from country to country.
Nutrition breakdown:
Pet food in most countries is given in macronutrients of Protein content, Fat content, and Fiber content. This is because most commercial pet foods use leftover ingredients from human foods, and they do not calculate micronutrients and nothing else is required by law. No one knows the exact perfect nutritional breakdown for a hamster or even if there is one. Currently, the generally accepted range is between 16%-20% protein, 6%-12% fat, and 10%-15% fiber in adult hamsters. With hamsters that have higher growth needs, such as young hamsters (under 6 months) or pregnant or nursing hamsters, the protein needs increase to a range of 18%-24%.
Guaranteed Analysis:
On commercial foods, this breakdown is called a GA (guaranteed analysis). However, keep in mind that while the Guaranteed Analysis might seem like a sure-fire way to ensure your hamster is getting everything he needs, the GA can vary up to 20% in either direction and the food manufacturer will still be in compliance. Meaning, what is listed on the bag can be 20% lower than what it claims or 20% higher and still be within regulations. While GAs can be a basic guideline, it’s not guarantee of a good diet and a healthy mix.
Quality of ingredients:
Since we know that most pet foods are just leftovers from food manufacturing, the quality of the food is likely to be very low. The best food harvested will be sold at expensive grocery stores at a premium. The next level of food will be sold to discount grocery stores. Then given to other manufacturers to make products for humans (oils, facial creams, etc). Then the lowest quality will be used as feed for farm animals, and after that, whatever is left will be broken down chemically and made into pet “cereal” or pellets as they call them. Dog food is often made of this as well as the pellets in your hamsters’ food. It’s best whenever possible to use human grade food since pet quality is much lower. The greater variety you have in your hamster’s food, the less harm you have from low quality. Often in low quality foods you will find added artificial vitamins and minerals to make up for the lack of nutrition in the food itself.
Variety:
As hamsters are omnivorous, variety is especially important in their diet. Ideally, you want to find a seed mix made up a large variety of seeds, grains, grasses, and a source of protein. 30-40 real food ingredients are what you want to see in a good seed mix. Unfortunately, most commercial mixes have less than 15 real ingredients (that are not artificial or added fillers).
Example:
Higgins Sunburst is a commonly used commercial seed mix and is considered a “decent” mix by most of the hamster community. However, when you look closely at the ingredients, you realize that it is low variety. Even though the ingredient list is long, there is not much variety of the seeds and grains in the mix. It has 22 food ingredients and some duplicates like corn and flaked corn/soybean hulls and meal. Those are really the same foods, in a different way. Some of them are not even digestible by hamsters, such as Timothy Hay and Alfalfa Hay and others are just by-products of other processing, such as Soybean Hulls and Soybean meal. Those ingredients take the leftover strands after the Soybeans have been harvested and using chemicals on them to break them down and mold them into pellets, to be edible. Sadly, this is one the “best” commercial mixes available in the US. The rest of the ingredients are added artificial vitamins because of the low quality of the food in the mix. Vitamins that would naturally be there, are not present because of the low quality of the food itself. Unfortunately, until the pet industry catches up, the commercial foods available are likely to be low quality.
Incomplete feeding methods:
There are many ways people have found to feed their hamsters over the years, some are very outdated and are no longer encouraged as we’ve learned more about hamster nutrition and upgraded our standards.
-Feeding only lab blocks, this was common in the beginning of hamster ownership because it was common in the scientific community to feed laboratory hamsters solid blocks of processed ingredients. This method is no longer recommended as many hamsters will refuse lab blocks completely if given a choice. Lab blocks are ideal for a scientific setting as it is a very consistent food that prevents change in diet to change the results of the study being conducted. The problem is it gives no variety to your hamster’s diet and most laboratory hamsters are killed within 6 months. Longevity is not a concern when the subjects of the study do not need to live very long.
-Feeding a commercial mix alone (with less than 20 unique food ingredients), most commercial mixes do not provide adequate nutrients by themselves. They are low in protein and fat and variety.
-Feeding a commercial mix with a lab block (with less than 20 unique food ingredients), while this does provide for most basic nutritional needs, it does not provide for the variety and hamsters will often start becoming picky and rejecting food.
-Feeding a commercial mix with a natural protein booster (with less than 20 unique food ingredients), such as mealworms or freeze dried chicken. While this does provide for most basic nutritional needs, it does not provide for the variety that a hamster needs.
Updated feeding methods:
There is a lot of debate whether you need a fortified mix or added vitamins and minerals in your homemade mixes. Some owners like the comfort of having a fortified mix to help cover the chance of a nutritional deficiency. However, in Germany (they have what is considered some of the highest standards of hamster care), no pellets or added vitamins and minerals are added to the commercial foods because the variety and quality are high. This has been replicated by individual hamster owners with their own homemade mixes. With a large variety of good quality seeds and grains, the chance of nutritional deficiencies is very low, and many owners have been using a properly balanced homemade mixes for years without issues. Lab blocks are no longer considered a MUST for hamster food so long as you provide a high quality, high variety mix.
-Feeding a commercial mix combined with a homemade mix, this has the benefit of providing a greater variety than a commercial mix alone with the comfort of a fortified mix.
-Feeding a fortified homemade mix, same as above.
-Feeding a properly balanced homemade mix, this has the benefits of providing a high quality, high variety mix that mimics the natural diet of a hamster. With a minimum of 30-40 ingredients including seeds, grains, and insects or another protein such as chicken, a homemade mix gives the highest variety and widest nutritional profile.
Other nutritional requirements:
Seed mixes are the best base for a hamster’s diet; however, fresh foods provide more nutrients than dried or preserved foods. It’s good to offer your hamster a variety of fresh vegetables at least 2-3 times a week.
Treats:
Occasionally, providing a treat of a hamster safe food once a week is perfectly fine. Here is a LIST of hamster safe food.
There will be other articles added later that will discuss how to create your own seed mix.
Here is a LIST of what to look for when buying a seed mix.
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