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Domestic hamsters make great little pets that don’t take up much room and are fun to interact with. One of the most important things that you can do to keep your hamster happy and healthy is to provide a well-balanced diet that meets all their nutritional needs.
Pellets and seed mixtures are the cornerstones of hamster nutrition, but a well-balanced pelleted diet is now considered superior to the muesli-style mixes. If you are looking for ways to feed more healthy foods to your hamster as a treat, here are three delicious DIY organic hamster food recipes that your little furry friend is sure to love!
These recipes should be served as an occasional snack, and they are not suitable alternatives to a traditional pelleted hamster diet.
The 3 DIY Organic Hamster Food Recipes
1. Millet and Seed Mix
Millet and Seed Mix
Ingredients
- 1/8 cup Whole-kernel corn
- 1/8 cup Millet
- 1/8 cup Pumpkin seeds
- 1/8 cup Flax seeds
- 1/8 cup Sunflower seeds
Instructions
- All you have to do is mix the ingredients in a reusable container or Ziplock bag. You can give your hamster ¼ teaspoon a few times a week as a supplement to the pellets and fresh foods that you offer. Make sure all theseeds are raw and suitable for hamster consumption. Store the mix in a cool,dry place until it’s used up.
Notes
2. Fruit and Veggie Medley
This vitamin- and mineral-filled recipe features leafy, crunchy, and juicy textures that your hamster should enjoy munching on. When preparing these fruits and veggies for yourself, save scraps until you have enough to make the medley.
- 1/8 cup diced squash
- 1/8 cup diced cucumber
- 1/8 cup riced cauliflower
- 1/8 cup chopped apples (no seeds)
Instructions:
Chop and dice the produce, then combine all the ingredients in a small bowl and toss them around. Serve 1 to 2 tablespoons as part of a meal and keep the rest in the fridge for the next day. If you don’t have enough hamsters to finish this off within a few days, halve the quantity of ingredients next time so it doesn’t go bad between servings.
Notes:
Serving size: 1 to 2 tablespoons, three times per week (maximum)
3. Basic Mini Salad
If your hamster is like most, they appreciate having a salad with their meals a few times a week. This basic salad provides vitamins and proteins and can be paired with commercial pellets to create a filling meal.
- 1/8 cup finely chopped kale
- 1/8 cup shredded apple (no seeds)
- 1 tbsp. finely diced baby carrot
- 1 tbsp. seeds of choice
Instructions:
Once you have prepared all the fresh produce, place them in a reusable container and add the seeds. Then, shake the container to combine everything well. You can serve a teaspoon or two of the mixture at mealtimes and store leftovers in the fridge. The ingredients can be mixed and matched with other hamster-safe foods.
Notes:
Serving size: 1 to 2 teaspoons, no more than three times per week
Healthy Supplemental Foods to Offer Your Hamster
These recipes are just templates, so they can easily be customized based on the foods that you have on hand and what your hamster seems to appreciate the most. Consider swapping a few of the ingredients in the recipes for options like:
- Broccoli
- Spinach
- Collards
- Celery
- Dandelion greens
- Sweet potatoes
- Yams
- Bananas
- Berries
- Pears
- Cantaloupe
Contact your veterinarian to request a thorough list of foods that are safe to include in your hamster’s diet and a list of foods that should never be offered to them.
Conclusion
There are many foods that your little hamster can enjoy as part of a well-balanced diet. Hopefully, the homemade food recipe ideas outlined here will provide you with the inspiration necessary to keep your hamster’s meals tasty and exciting but are not designed as a replacement for pellet foods as they are not nutritionally complete.
Featured Image Credit: barinovalena, Shutterstock
