What do Djungarian hamsters eat? What do Djungarian hamsters eat at home: rules for creating a complete diet. What is a Djungarian hamster prohibited from eating?

Djungarian hamsters are one of the most beloved good-natured charming animals for home care. They quickly get used to being handled and almost never bite. Very tiny, no more than 7-10 centimeters in length, they are significantly smaller in size than Syrians, unpretentious, and do not require special attention.

Important to remember: proper care, feeding is the key good health, long life of a rodent. Under natural conditions, the animals do not live long, barely reaching one and a half years. The reason for this is disease, poor nutrition, and predators that hunt hamsters. Calm home furnishings, the absence of stress and illness prolongs life to 3 years or more.

The opinion that dzhungarikas can eat anything is wrong. Although they look like mice, they are not nearly as strong. Fat girls constantly gnaw, not refusing any food offered. But only quality food correct menu will help ensure a good mood for hamsters and maintain health. When getting a small rodent, owners need to familiarize themselves with the rules for keeping dwarf hamsters and find out what to feed dwarf hamsters at home.

Basic rules for keeping Djungarian hamsters

When composing a diet for animals, you should focus on their natural nutritional needs. Life in steppe conditions adapted them to low-calorie food. Nutritious, fatty, it will create damage to the digestive system: the Djungarian hamster is prone to obesity, and sweets are the cause of the development of diabetes. In a confined space, when the animal does not have the opportunity to move a lot, the diet of the Djungarian hamster should be prepared correctly, preventing the appearance of excess weight. A dzhungarik needs only a tablespoon of food per day. The activity of the rodent is increased by frequent walks, outdoor games, and, of course, the wheel on which the animals love to run.

Wild individuals feed on seeds and grain. Gathering supplies into a hole, they seal themselves in it, feeding cold period dry products. In spring and summer, the diet is more varied: berries, fruits, vegetables, herbs, insects, and smaller animals are used. The Djungarian hamster's teeth grow throughout its life, so it is necessary to give them the opportunity to grind them down.

The Djungarian hamster's teeth grow throughout its life, so it is necessary to give them the opportunity to grind them down.

The metabolism of the little glutton is fast, hamsters eat constantly. The Djungarian hamster should not be allowed to starve, as this will cause its health to deteriorate. But obesity will not bring anything good to the hamster.


What products are required and allowed?

Good maintenance and a carefully selected diet contribute to the well-being of your pet.

What should you give your Djungarian hamster at home? Food must contain:

  1. Dry food(grain mixtures).
  2. Juicy food: greens, vegetables, fruits, herbs, berries.
  3. Animal proteins(lean meat, fish, insects, eggs).
  4. Mineral stone, vitamins, branches of trees, shrubs.

Dry food

The basis of nutrition Djungarian hamsters make up grain mixtures.

What grains are needed:

  • corn,
  • oats,
  • barley,
  • wheat,
  • rye.

Shoots of cereal plants sprouted on the windowsill are useful.

You can give nuts and seeds:

  • walnuts,
  • cashews, hazelnuts,
  • peanut,
  • flax seeds, sunflower, sesame, pumpkin.

It is recommended to purchase ready-made industrial special grades at the pet store, including the necessary nutrients, required vitamins, mineral supplements. They are quite hard, which provides Djungarian hamsters with the opportunity to grind down their teeth, which grow throughout their lives. Pay attention to high-quality products from trusted manufacturers. As in any business, it is better not to buy cheap economy class dry food.

The composition of the ready-made mixtures includes peas, rolled oats, oats, corn, nuts, and seeds. This package lasts for two months. You can dilute with buckwheat, lentils, beans, mix in pumpkin and sunflower seeds.

Fruits, berries

Fresh fruits are given pitted, seeds should be removed - they contain poisonous, deadly substances. It's important to remember that most of juicy fruits include a lot of carbohydrates, often feed sweets pet unacceptable. The diet of a dwarf mammal should contain no more than 5% sugars.

Few fruits are allowed. From two weeks of age you can give, for example:

  • Apple - cut into small slices. Sour, unripe, spoiled fruits are not allowed for rodents.
  • Pears are given a couple of times a week. Frequent use causes a laxative effect.
  • Peaches, cherries, plums - once every 7-10 days.
  • Strawberries, grapes - limited quantities.
  • Tropical fruits (banana).

The presented list can be supplemented with dried fruits. In winter, it is difficult to provide nutritious, vitamin-rich food. It is worth preparing the fruits for future use by freezing or drying them. The menu includes dried banana, dried apricots, figs, raisins, dates, previously soaked for 3-4 hours in water. They are added to food in small quantities due to the increased glucose content.


Vegetables

A low percentage of sugar is favorable for feeding vegetables to your Djungarian hamster. Given twice a week.

What is allowed:

  • Cucumber, zucchini, pumpkin.
  • Cabbage (broccoli, cauliflower).
  • Radishes, carrots.
  • Tomato - occasionally.
  • Bulgarian (sweet) pepper - unlimited.
  • Green beans - young shoots of asparagus, green peas.

Green feed

Greenery is collected away from city limits (it has the ability to absorb harmful substances from the soil and air), highways, washed and dried.

Allowed:

  • Household herbs (dill, parsley (not for nursing or pregnant women), lettuce, coriander, basil). Celery - limited, it has a lot of liquid. Tops of carrots and beets will also be useful.
  • Wild plants (plantain, dandelion, nettle, clover, alfalfa, bamboo shoots).

Juicy foods often contain pesticides and are thoroughly soaked for several hours. It is better if the greens are grown by the owners themselves, without the use of chemicals that can cause poisoning or cause the death of the pet.

Alfalfa and timothy hay will be a good source of fiber necessary for intestinal motility.

tree branches

It is necessary to place branches of fruit and deciduous trees in the cage. They are required for grinding teeth. Before use, the branches are washed, boiled for about an hour, and dried. Coniferous trees cannot be used - they contain essential oils and resins.

What else should you give Djungarian hamsters?

For supporting Have a good mood and other products are important for your well-being. These include:

  • Mineral stone.
  • Hard treats (dog biscuits) are given once every seven days to wear down the incisors. If teeth become excessively long, they can damage the roof of your mouth.
  • Protein foods (low-fat cottage cheese, yogurt, kefir, boiled rabbit, turkey, chicken, eggs, low-fat boiled fish, earthworms, purchased at a pet store, butterflies, daphnia, gammarus, grasshoppers, peeled shrimp. The Turkmen cockroach is ideal). Insects caught in nature are often infected with microorganisms causing diseases rodents
  • Clean, daily changed water, even if the animal drinks little. The stagnant liquid is poured out. Filtered spring water is suitable. The drinking bowl should be protected from sun rays, provoking the growth of algae inside the container.

The feeder is washed regularly. Grain and dry food are poured every day. Accustoming to a new component is carried out gradually, starting with a small crumb. Uneaten leftovers are thrown away. The little glutton is inclined to stockpile; eating spoiled food is fraught with poisoning.

In case of indigestion, Djungarians are given rice water, which has an enveloping, fastening effect. They supplement the feeding of babies who find themselves without mother's milk, dairy-free formulas, regular cereals soaked in water, vegetable and meat baby purees without added salt or sugar.


What not to feed

Some foods consumed by humans are poisonous to animals. You cannot treat everyone without fear for the health of the rodent. The animal is small in size, a small crumb will cause suffocation, intoxication, and death.

What is prohibited to eat Djungarian hamster:

  • Cabbage, beans, bread - cause fermentation, trigger rotting processes in the intestines.
  • Potatoes - contains a large number of starch.
  • Spices - irritate the digestive tract.
  • Mint.
  • Mushrooms are a heavy food.
  • Onions, garlic, sorrel.
  • Honey, chocolate (rich in theobromine, which affects the cardiovascular system).
  • Sour berries: sea buckthorn, barberry.
  • Raspberry - weakens.
  • Almonds - contain toxic cyanic and hydrocyanic acid.
  • Melons and watermelons are often treated with nitrates.
  • Fatty food.
  • Bakery products, pasta. Black bread - has increased acidity, causes gas formation.
  • Milk, sour cream, cream, butter.
  • Sausages include prohibited soy, starch, and spices.
  • Muesli and breakfast cereals are rich in sugar and harmful flavoring additives.
  • Exotic fruits - persimmon - rich in astringents, tannins, causing constipation. Avocado (massive amount of fat), pineapple, pomegranate, mango, kiwi, orange, lemon (acids).
  • Apricot pits, peaches, cherries.
  • Unpeeled seeds and pasta injure the cheek pouches of animals.
  • Brightly colored berries, fruits - cause allergic reactions. Watery eyes, redness of the skin, itching are reasons to refuse the product.
  • Fatty cheeses contain an excess of salt, milk sugar - lactose, which is difficult for the stomach to digest.
  • Spices - rich essential oils causing allergies.

It is extremely undesirable to treat an animal with food from the table, sweet, spicy, salty, flour, fried, flavored with spices. Food from the refrigerator is prohibited; it must be at room temperature.

What do they give to weakened, elderly individuals?

As an animal ages, its teeth become weak and food is difficult to chew. Special, pureed, ground food is required. Chopped nuts, crushed peas, rye bread crumbs, rolled oats, baby food, porridge, and unseasoned purees are suitable. It is impossible to refuse the grain component - cereals contribute to activation and normal activity digestive organs. You can offer a ground fruit mixture, add medicines and vitamins to the feeder with the prepared product. Human drugs cannot be given - their dosage and composition are destructive.

The pet's menu needs to be diversified. You cannot feed the same foods over and over again. Mono-diets are unacceptable. It’s good if dry, juicy, protein foods are present in the diet every day.


It is useful to give chamomile decoction to water for sick and elderly pets. If the animal is weak and refuses to eat, the food is ground to a paste-like consistency, fed and watered warm from a syringe without a needle.

Feeding a small mammal at home is entirely up to you. When keeping an apartment, a pet needs a reasonably designed menu that includes vital components. Try to create a menu for your baby that includes a lot of fresh, healthy vegetables.

Treat your pet correctly, at the same time, without relying on his choice. The baby will eat poisonous plants placed in the feeder without a doubt; he is indiscriminate and omnivorous. He will like high-calorie foods. The pet will eat sweets with pleasure. Remember: in nature, rodents do not receive such nutrition, which means there is no benefit in it.

The bowl is selected in accordance with the nutritional needs of the animal; it should be small, not allowing overfeeding, made of ceramic. This will prevent you from chewing it or choking on parts of the dishes.

There is debate about the necessity of various products. We are talking, for example, about beets and radishes. If you have doubts about the usefulness, potential risk, or fears for the existence of your pet, it is better to refuse and not conduct experiments. There are many more necessary, useful products.

If the animal was bought for children, adults should immediately explain to the kids the rules of keeping, proper feeding pet. Play with the animal, maintain constant contact. Then the life of your tiny funny friend will be joyful, happy, and long.

Dr. Elliott, BVMS, MRCVS is a veterinarian with over 30 years of experience in veterinary surgery and the care of companion animals. She graduated from the University of Glasgow in 1987 with a degree in Veterinary Medicine and Surgery. Works at the same animal clinic in his hometown more than 20 years.

Number of sources used in this article: . You will find a list of them at the bottom of the page.

Djungarian hamsters are adorable miniature animals measuring only 5-10 cm in length. They are relatively low maintenance, making them excellent family pets. Djungarian hamsters are little furry balls of boundless energy with a very fast metabolism, so it is important to feed them a well-balanced diet that will keep them happy, healthy and active.

Steps

Part 1

Learning what to feed Djungarian hamsters

    Feed your Djungarian hamster with ready-made commercial food for hamsters. Djungarian hamsters have a similar diet to other hamsters. The main part of your Djungarian hamster's diet should be ready-made commercial food for hamsters, which you can purchase at your nearest pet store. Prepared foods for hamsters can come in the form of granules and grain mixtures, usually consisting of seeds, grains and pieces of ground corn.

    Give your hamster fresh fruits and vegetables. Vegetables and fruits provide additional nutrients and variety to your hamster's diet. Remember to wash fruits and vegetables thoroughly with fresh water to remove any traces of pesticides and other chemicals. Examples of foods that you can feed your Djungarian hamster include asparagus, broccoli, bananas and blueberries.

    Include a good source of protein in your Djungarian hamster's diet. Protein is an important nutrient for Djungarian hamsters. Luckily, there are several excellent protein sources you can choose from. For example, fresh, unprocessed sunflower, flax and sesame seeds are quite rich in protein. Another good source of protein is lentils.

    Supplement your Djungarian hamster's diet with fiber. Good natural sources of fiber include timothy and alfalfa hay. Your Djungarian hamster may not particularly like hay, but you can offer it in small quantities to test this fact.

    Give your hamster solid treats once a week. Hard treats will allow your hamster to wear down his teeth, which is generally good for his oral hygiene. You can provide your hamster with small dog biscuits, ready-made hamster treats, or small branches from fruit trees.

    Provide your Djungarian hamster with fresh water. Water for the Djungarian hamster is as important as food. Purchase a drinking bowl for hamsters with a drinking spout in the form of a tube and a ball from your nearest pet store. The ball of such a bowl regulates the flow of water when the hamster drinks from it.

    Remember what you should not feed your Djungarian hamster. While there are many types of human food you can feed your hamster, there are some foods that can make your hamster sick and should be excluded from his diet. For example, you should not give your Djungarian hamster certain vegetables and fruits, including tomato greens, raw potatoes and onions. You should also avoid citrus fruits (oranges, lemons) as these fruits are too rich in acid.

    Part 2

    Feeding the Djungarian hamster
    1. Choose a suitable food bowl for your Djungarian hamster. A small ceramic food bowl is ideal for your Junkar hamster. If you buy a large bowl, you will increase the likelihood of overfeeding your pet. In addition, large bowls take up a lot of space in the cage. Ceramic bowls are not afraid of being chewed and thus have an advantage over plastic bowls. Scratches on a plastic bowl can encourage bacteria to grow, so using a ceramic bowl reduces the chance of bacteria growing in or on the bowl.

      Feed your hamster at the same time every day. There is currently some debate about when is the best time to feed hamsters: in the morning or in the evening. The advantage of evening feedings is that the hamster will be awake at this time, since he is a nocturnal animal. On the other hand, morning feeding will mean that food will be present in the cage when the hamster periodically wakes up during the day.

      Monitor your hamster's eating habits. The Djungarian hamster's diet should contain a variety of types of food so that it can get all the nutrients it needs in the right amount. However, your hamster may not like everything you give him. If you notice that he constantly refuses certain type feed, replace it with something else.

      Don't overfeed your hamster. He only needs one tablespoon of food per day, as well as occasional treats and fresh fruits and vegetables. Although a tablespoon of food may seem like a lot of food for such tiny creatures, Djungarian hamsters have a very fast metabolism, so they can eat as much as larger regular Syrian hamsters.

Djungarian hamsters, like any other pets, require proper care, especially with regard to their diet. They are unpretentious in food, but not everything can be offered to them, since an incorrect diet can lead to significant health problems.

Djungarian hamster

Rules for eating at home

Hamsters eat many times throughout the day and are not picky compared to other pets. They will eat any product that is put in their bowl, but such food organization may entail various diseases and shorten the rodent's lifespan.

For full development and as a prevention of all kinds of diseases, the nutrition of hamsters must be built according to the following rules:

  1. Daily diet– this is 60% carbohydrates, 20% protein, the rest is greens, fruits, vegetables and other additives.
  2. Make the menu varied. It is necessary to give grain products, meat, vegetables, fruits, berries, herbs, and vitamins if necessary:
    1. grains are the foundation of the diet; be sure to feed them daily;
    2. vegetables come every day;
    3. greens, but slightly dried beforehand, 3-4 times a week;
    4. fruits - once a week;
    5. berries – once every 2-3 weeks;
    6. meat or fish – once every 5 days;
    7. vitamin supplements (if necessary) – 2 times a week. Tip: the seeds should be eaten as a treat and offered occasionally.
  3. Food should be washed, peeled and cut into cubes. Tip: the ideal size of the products offered is no more than one centimeter.
  4. Make sure that only fresh food is in the cage.
  5. Any new product must be introduced slowly, starting with a small piece.

Interesting fact: in one day, an adult hamster can eat about 70% of its own body weight.

What can a hamster eat?

It is necessary that the pet receives:

Grain mixture


This mixture includes:

  • oats;
  • wheat;
  • corn;
  • rye;
  • barley.

Note: rice is allowed, but in small quantities and occasionally.

Protein

  • meat, but only dietary: turkey, beef or rabbit. Meat should not be offered raw. Each product must be boiled or steamed. Note: chicken meat is allowed, but only breast;
  • chicken and quail eggs. Interesting fact: quail is healthier for hamsters;
  • dairy: yogurt and low-fat cottage cheese;
  • insects.

Note: the latter are sold in pet stores.

Juicy food

  • greenery: nettle, dandelions, plantain, apple, birch, alder or apricot leaves;
  • fruits: bananas, apples and pears. Advice: the most healthy fruit for hamsters a green apple is considered;
  • vegetables: eggplants, zucchini, carrots, broccoli, radishes, turnips, beets. Must be given every other day. Tip: cucumbers, radishes, celery and cauliflower may be included in the diet, but not more than twice a month and in the absence of individual contraindications, for example, digestive problems;
  • berries: rowan, raspberry, strawberry, currant (especially white or black), sea buckthorn, cherry, lingonberry, barberry. Such berries can be offered exclusively seasonal and maximum once a week. Advice: you shouldn’t give different types of berries, just stick to one or two, for example, raspberries and currants.

Other products

  1. Vitamins.
  2. Minerals.
  3. Nuts:
    1. hazelnut;
    2. walnut;
  4. Seeds:
    1. linen;
    2. pumpkin;
    3. sunflower.

Tip: if your hamster suffers from an upset stomach, you can cook him boiled rice.

Prohibited Products

Any Djungarian hamster should not be given the following foods:

  • caramel, ice cream, chocolate, cookies, waffles and other sweets;
  • sausages;
  • smoked meats;
  • any salty foods;
  • pasta;
  • muesli;
  • bread;
  • peas or beans;
  • cow's and goat's milk;
  • any type of cheese;
  • mushrooms;
  • shrimp, squid and other seafood;
  • pine or Brazil nuts, pistachios;
  • chestnuts and acorns;
  • any fruit pits, such as apricot, plum, peach;
  • some vegetables: potatoes, cabbage, garlic and onions;
  • melons, watermelons;
  • any citrus fruits;
  • persimmon;
  • exotic fruits, such as mango or pineapple;
  • elder;
  • buckwheat;
  • any grape variety;
  • dill, sorrel and parsley.

Tip: Avoid any high-calorie foods. The weight of Djungarian hamsters is small, so even a small piece of foods prohibited for them can lead to poisoning, including the death of the animal.

Important: Foods that cause gas, such as cabbage or beans, can lead to fatal outcome in 3-4 hours.

Water for Djungarian hamster

Such pets need to drink regularly, therefore, a bowl of water should be in the cage around the clock.

The main thing that:

  1. The water was clean. Advice: give only filtered or spring water. Boiled water contraindicated.
  2. Make sure that there are no foreign objects floating in the bowl with liquid.
  3. Change the water at least 3 times a day.
  4. Wash the bowl daily.

Any juices, fruit drinks or decoctions for drinking by hamsters are contraindicated.

Vitamins and minerals

In every pet store you can purchase the necessary vitamin supplements that are intended specifically for such hamsters. They must be given in accordance with general recommendations, which are always written on the package or as prescribed by the veterinarian. On average, they are added to food 2-3 times a week.

When choosing vitamin supplements, you need to make sure that:

  • They definitely contain vitamins E and D.
  • They are produced specifically for Djungarian hamsters.
  • It must be remembered that often all the required vitamins are included in many dry foods; the main thing is to carefully study what is indicated on the pack itself.

Advice: if such components are present in the food, then additional vitamins cannot be given to your pet. Otherwise, there will be an overdose, which will have a detrimental effect on the health of the rodent.

For good development and how to prevent diseases, your pet needs to consume minerals. They are also found in proper amounts in almost every dry food. If they are not there, then it is worth purchasing a mineral stone, it is not only useful, but also allows the hamster to sharpen his teeth on it.

Important: It is prohibited to give vitamins or minerals intended for humans. The risk of death for your pet is very high.

Special feed

There are many foods on sale, they all differ in composition, ratio of ingredients, and price.

The best food for Djungarian hamsters is:

It is balanced and contains all the required vitamins, proteins, fruits, etc. Note: This food contains a small amount of pineapple. If your pet has increased body weight, then it is advisable to remove such fruit from the packaging yourself. The average price of a pack of 400 grams is in the range of 250-300 rubles.


It is considered one of the most beloved among the Djungarians. Contains everything you need for proper development Ingredients. Its peculiarity is an increased amount of substances (prebiotics) that improve the functioning of digestive system. Interesting fact: consuming this food reduces specific odors from hamsters. The cost per package (400 grams) is about 350 rubles.


Feed Russian manufacturer, the composition is rich in grains and various vitamins. It is well absorbed even by newborn rodents; the main thing is to soak the grains before serving. The price of one pack (900 grams) is in the range of 150-200 rubles.


It is better not to store any purchased food in the manufacturer’s packaging, but to pour it into a glass container and close it with a lid.

  1. You cannot feed hamsters even a little with foods included in the list of prohibited foods.
  2. If your pet is obese, then completely eliminate bananas, apricots and other high-calorie foods.
  3. All greens need to be washed.
  4. Branches or grass picked near roads are unsuitable for food.
  5. It is necessary to gradually transfer your pet to another type of food.
  6. Consult your veterinarian about the correct food choice.

Why not? These questions come to the mind of everyone who has become the owner of this cute fluffy bundle. The animals are so cute, small and defenseless, and I wouldn’t want to harm them... So what rules should you follow when creating a menu for a dwarf hamster at home? What can you feed a hamster, and what should you absolutely not give it? This will be discussed in our article.

Introduction

Violation of the feeding regime is the most common reason hamster diseases different types. Proper menu planning is extremely important for this animal, because it eats up to 70% of its body weight per day! Therefore, it is necessary to carefully select food for dwarfs and calculate their diet.

Overeating poses a significant danger to hamsters, so you should also pay attention to portion sizes. Djungarians should be fed no more than twice a day. In addition, it is necessary to provide them with the opportunity to actively move. The cage should be spacious enough. It is advisable to install a running wheel in it.

It is especially important to comply with these conditions if the dwarf hamster was purchased not from a breeder, but from a pet store. Breeders monitor the purity of the breed, but in other conditions Djungarians can be kept together and interbreed uncontrollably, for example, with Campbell hamsters, which are prone to overeating and becoming even more obese.

What can you feed a dwarf hamster? Basic diet

The main part of the menu of these funny kids should be seeds and grains in different combinations. They also love legumes. So, what can you feed dzungarians? The list of required foods in the diet is presented below:

  1. Sunflower seeds.

    Corn.

    Oats (can be rolled, rolled oats).

    Peas, beans.

    Buckwheat grain.

It is also possible to add pumpkin, melon, and zucchini seeds to the diet. You can independently enrich the purchased mixture for your pet by adding hamster “delicacies” to it - chickpeas and hazelnuts. The animals willingly eat sesame seeds.

Precautions when feeding grains

It should be noted that it was not by chance that we mentioned enriching the mixture. Indeed, often the question of what to feed a dwarf hamster becomes especially acute, since the pet simply refuses to eat what it does not like. Some owners have to buy several packages before the hamster finds a treat to his liking. At the same time, you should remember: only mixtures for hamsters are suitable for dwarfs! No others can be used. You should not experiment with food for decorative rats or guinea pigs, hoping that the pet will like the treat. Such a diet can seriously harm his health. Special mixtures with oatmeal for people - muesli - are also extremely harmful to them.

What can you feed dungarians from fruits and vegetables?

When compiling a diet for dzhungarik, one should proceed from the fact that in nature these animals feed mainly on cereals. However, vegetables and fruits can also be beneficial for them. But not all - we must be careful. First of all, you can give dzhungarika cucumbers and tomatoes. But not greenhouse ones, which do not bring much benefit even to people, but seasonal ones.

Secondly, they will benefit from corn, as well as fresh peas and beans (possibly in pods). They can be given cauliflower or broccoli, Peking cabbage, but white cabbage, Brussels sprouts and red cabbage are extremely undesirable. Pumpkin, zucchini, eggplant, squash, as well as carrots, turnips, radishes and radishes, despite the bitterness, celery, sweet peppers, and beets will bring benefits. As you can see, the choice is quite large.

From fruits, these furry babies can be given apples, bananas, plums, peaches, apricots, and grapes. From berries - cherries, sweet cherries, strawberries, gooseberries, currants, blueberries. Pears should not be given to these animals because possible problems with indigestion. When figuring out what you can feed dzungarians at home, you need to remember this. Also, remember that fruit should make up no more than two percent of your hamsters' total diet. You can give them a piece with a diameter of no more than one centimeter at a time.

It is imperative to ensure that uneaten pieces of vegetables and fruits do not remain or linger for a long time in the cages. Hamsters tend to hoard food, and they will not miss this opportunity. But, of course, this does not affect fruits and vegetables. in the best possible way. They rot, and if a dzhungarik eats such a piece, it may have serious problems with health.

In addition, it should be remembered that any fruits and vegetables can be safely offered to an animal no earlier than he is two months old. Until this time, use traditional cereals in their raw form (porridge for feeding babies).

Protein food

IN wildlife The dzhungarik can eat carrion, and sometimes is even capable of attacking even smaller animals. Therefore, in captivity he needs to be provided with additional proteins. How can this be done?

Firstly, you can give your hamster lean boiled chicken, preferably white meat (breast). Secondly, answering the question of what you can feed Djungarians from childhood, experts recommend giving them hard-boiled eggs. You can start with quail, then add chicken. Protein needs are also well met by dairy products. What can and cannot be fed to dzungarians from their list? Low-fat kefir and cottage cheese are suitable for animals. You can also use natural yogurt, but without any aromatic and flavoring additives and also no more than 1% fat content. From seafood, hamsters are allowed to give shrimp. They should first be boiled and cleaned.

Special delicacies bought in the store will help diversify the protein menu: earthworms, grasshoppers. You can also use the gammarus crustacean, which is usually purchased by aquarists for feeding fish. It is necessary to understand that worms dug out of the ground with your own hands will not work - only from a pet store. This is a guarantee that the pet will be healthy.

A little about greenery

For normal development and functioning, djungarian hamsters definitely need this. These can be herbs, both familiar to humans and ordinary herbaceous plants that are inedible for us. Thus, animals happily eat nettle and plantain leaves, clover, lettuce, dill and parsley. It is not recommended to give them, as mentioned above, spinach. At the same time, bamboo sprouts, alfalfa, sprouted wheat and oat seeds with green sprouts will be a real delicacy and delicacy for them.

Before giving it to your pet, any suitable greens should be thoroughly washed in running water and dried thoroughly.

Boiled dishes

What should you feed the dzhungarik from ordinary “human” food? The list (it is possible and not possible - the main criteria for its compilation) will be as follows.

    Boiled porridge without milk.

    Cereals soaked overnight in water.

    Broths and porridges, soups on them.

    Butter, sour cream, milk, cream.

    Milk porridge.

    Sausages, frankfurters, sausages.

    Chocolate and other sweets (such as cookies).

    Sugar, salt.

    Various citrus fruits.

  1. Onion and garlic.

    Nuts: almonds.

    Greens: sorrel, mint leaves.

    Potatoes in any form - raw, boiled, and even more so fried. It has too much starch and may contain large amounts of pesticides.

    Black bread (at the same time White bread and it is also not recommended to give various diet breads, but this prohibition is not so categorical).

    Any types of cheese.

  2. Fruit tree seeds and seeds. Before feeding the dwarf with fruits, you need to check that there are no seeds or tree bones left in them.
  3. Acorns.

Leaves and tree branches

What can you feed dzhungariks, besides food? Veterinarians and experienced breeders recommend using tree branches with leaves to feed animals. It must be remembered that using coniferous branches for this purpose is strictly prohibited! You can only grow deciduous trees, and especially fruit trees.

A thoughtless selection of diet components can cause not only illness in your pet, but also its death. You can offer him twigs of apple, plum, cherry, oak, maple, linden, poplar or other trees only if they grew in an ecologically clean area, and not next to landfills and roads.

Twigs that were collected in advance or purchased in pet stores should first be scalded with boiling water. It is worth noting that the treat not only saturates the animals’ bodies useful substances, but also helps to clean teeth and wear them down, which is very important for rodents.

How to get out of the situation in autumn and winter? Vitamin supplements to the diet

In late autumn and winter, experts recommend using dried fruits to feed animals. As veterinarians assure, this will bring nothing but benefit to your baby. Another thing is that you need to choose dried fruits that have not been treated with harmful substances for more long-term storage. For example, dried apricots can be treated with sulfur. It is also harmful for an adult, but due to the large body weight, poisoning most likely will not happen to him. The baby jungarik may suffer irreparable damage.

What dried fruits can and should be included in the diet of adorable Djungarian babies? What else can and cannot be fed to them?

Dried pears and apples, dried apricots, raisins, as well as bananas (more precisely, chips made from them) will definitely benefit furry babies, of course, provided that all the above conditions are met.

How to feed newborn dwarfs

When feeding newborn babies, experts recommend using baby food for the first months of life. It should be without salt and sugar. Djungarians who lack mother's milk can additionally be given milk-free porridge. So, what can you feed jungarians since childhood? The list here, unfortunately, is small, but it’s definitely not worth expanding it to avoid troubles.

Subtleties of diet planning

Djungarian babies, according to experts, are prone to diabetes. Therefore, fruits containing large amounts of glucose should not be given to them often. In this case, vegetables will be much healthier, since they contain a large amount of fiber, but they have practically no sugar. If you want your pet to enjoy something sweet, it’s better to give him a piece of carrot.

When preparing a diet for a baby dwarf, you should remember that these animals are, in general, omnivores. They can happily eat whatever comes into their bowl, even if these foods are harmful to them in the first place. Therefore, when planning to get such an animal, learn all the intricacies of caring for it. You should not assume that a hamster will not eat food that is not suitable for it. On the contrary, he will gobble it up with pleasure, and then get sick. If there is even the slightest doubt about the value and harmlessness of this or that product for the dzhungarik, it is better to be careful and not give it to him. After all, the list of permitted healthy products Big enough for these hamsters.

Finally

It is necessary to understand that most “human” dishes are completely unsuitable for feeding Djungarian hamsters. This primarily applies to fatty, fried and overly spicy or salty foods. Next rule: all plants, vegetables and fruits, as mentioned above, must be grown or collected under certain conditions, not contain herbicides, pesticides or other harmful substances. Otherwise, it will only get worse, and, wanting to give your furry pet the most necessary things, you can undermine his health. If troubles do occur, and the dwarf hamster gets sick from malnutrition, veterinarians recommend treating it with rice water. This is a very effective remedy.

It is no secret that Djungarian hamsters often eat everything that comes under their nose. At the same time, the pet will not always be able to understand whether the chosen treat is harmful to it or not. Therefore, responsibility for the nutrition of the Djungarian hamster lies, of course, with its owner, who must know what to pamper his beloved rodent with and what should be completely excluded from his diet. I hope this list will help you with this.

CAN :
1. Dry feed mixture- the main food for the Djungarian hamster.
2. Groats:

  • beans;
  • Hercules;
  • peas;
  • buckwheat;
  • oats;
  • wheat;
  • beans;
  • lentils;
  • barley.

3. Seeds:

  • melon;
  • sunflower;
  • pumpkin

4. Nuts:

  • peanut;
  • walnut;
  • cashew nuts;
  • sesame (seeds);
  • chickpeas;
  • hazelnut.

5. Sprouts:

  • bamboo;
  • alfalfa;
  • oats;
  • wheat.

6. Greenery:

  • clover;
  • nettle;
  • dandelion leaves;
  • plantain leaves;
  • parsley;
  • salad;
  • dill.

7. Vegetables:

  • eggplant;
  • bell pepper;
  • broccoli;
  • peas (young in pods);
  • zucchini;
  • Chinese cabbage;
  • corn (fresh or dried);
  • carrot;
  • cucumber;
  • squash;
  • tomato (not winter);
  • radish;
  • radish;
  • turnip;
  • beet;
  • celery;
  • green beans;
  • pumpkin;
  • cauliflower;
  • zucchini.

8. Fruits and berries:

  • apricot;
  • banana;
  • grape;
  • cherry;
  • pear;
  • strawberry;
  • gooseberry;
  • peach;
  • plum;
  • currant;
  • cherries;
  • blueberry;
  • rose hip;
  • apples.

9. Dried fruits:

  • banana chips;
  • raisin;
  • dried apricots;
  • dried pears;
  • dried apples.

10. Branches of deciduous and fruit trees:

  • birch;
  • beech;
  • cherry;
  • pear;
  • oak;
  • willow;
  • maple;
  • poplar;
  • Apple tree;
  • ash.

Do not forget that Djungarian hamsters should eat protein food several times a week.

11. Chicken meat(boiled without salt and spices).
12. Boiled egg:

  • chicken;
  • quail

13. Yogurt without additives and sugar(no more than 1% fat content).
14. Kefir(no more than 1% fat content).
15. Cottage cheese(no more than 1% fat content).
16. Shrimps(boiled and peeled).
17. Earthworms, mealworms, grasshoppers, dried gammarus(only purchased at a pet store).

For feeding newborn jungarians .

18. Meat or vegetable baby food(no additives, sugar, salt or soy).
19. Dairy-free porridge (without salt and soy), as well as regular cereals soaked in water.
20. Boiled rice(recommended for diarrhea).

Agree that the list of what you can feed Djungarian hamsters looks quite impressive. Next, let's talk about what is considered controversial issues. However, the foods listed below can cause serious harm to the health of jungarians. Therefore, we classify them as “not recommended.”

1. Food mixtures for other rodents or birds.
2. Drops for rodents(often contain harmful components).
3. Brazilian nut.
4. Acorns.
5. Potato.
6. Cheese.
7. Bread (white) And bread.

IT IS FORBIDDEN:

1. Salt.
2. Spices.
3. Sugar.
4. Honey.
5. Cookie.
6. Chocolate(and any sweets).
7. Milk.
8. Cream.
9. Butter.
10. Sour cream.
11. Citrus fruits.
12. Apricot and cherry pits.
13. Avocado.
14. A pineapple.
15. Watermelon.
16. Pomegranate.
17. Kiwi.
18. Cabbage:

  • white cabbage;
  • red cabbage;
  • Brussels sprouts

19. Onion.
20. Garlic.
21. Mint.
22. Sorrel.
23. Mushrooms.
24. Almond.
25. Twigs of coniferous trees:

  • larch;
  • pine.

26. Muesli.
27. Sausages.
28. Sausages.
29. Pasta.
30. Bread(black).

It is important to remember that fried, fatty and sweet foods are not suitable for Djungarian hamsters. Also, do not forget that any herbs, plants and branches of fruit trees collected within the city will not be beneficial for your pet’s health due to poor environmental conditions. In addition, due to the tendency of dwarf hamsters to diabetes, it is not recommended to frequently feed them fruits (apples, pears, apricots, peaches, etc.). Try to shape your pets' diet in such a way that your Djungarian hamsters eat more fresh and healthy vegetables.

Always keep the presented list in front of your eyes and do not hesitate to use the tips. Ultimately, the health and life expectancy of your beloved pet depends on you.