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10 Best Hamster Foods – Reviews & Top Picks

Choosing the right food for your guinea pig is very important to your animal's health and well-being.

Hamsters, despite being rodents, have very strict dietary requirements. The consequences of not doing so include gastrointestinal infections, diabetes, and even death.

As omnivores, hamsters need a varied diet that includes not only grains but also fruits, vegetables, and even some protein.

The tricky part is making sure everything fits on their small frame. Problems can arise when any one factor is exceeded.

Luckily for you, feeding your hamster won't require any homemade concoctions.

The nutritional needs of guinea pigs have been scrutinized in the production of many commercially available guinea pig foods.

But how can you find the best guinea pig food when there are so many on the market? Having too many alternatives can make decision making difficult.

But don't worry, BestForPets (bestforpets.org) has done the research and compiled a list of recommendations for the best hamster foods.

The perfect pick for you and your guinea pig can be found here.

Where to Buy the Finest Hamster Nutrients

Hamsters are notoriously difficult pets to shop for. Being rats, you’d think they’d eat everything. Nonetheless, the opposite is true.

They have a reputation for being choosy eaters. Your hamster may completely reject its meal if it isn’t the perfect size, shape, or flavor. Some people may even starve themselves doing this. If one hamster doesn’t like what they’re eating, they’ll toss it about with the rest.

The question then becomes how to choose which dish will be most appreciated. There is no one-size-fits-all diet for hamsters, and it can be difficult to determine what your particular pet needs. However, let’s examine the various options and see what makes for decent hamster chow.

For Hamsters, a Variety of Nutrient-Dense Treats

You should know that there are basically two kind of hamster food.

Pellets for Hamsters

Hamster pellets are a common choice for pet hamster food. These treats are shaped to fit your hamster’s hands and have different textures to tempt them to eat. However, many hamsters prefer a more varied diet, which these foods do not provide. Hamsters may get dissuaded from eating them as a result.

However, pellets might be your best bet for providing your hamster with all the nourishment it needs. Hamsters can’t pick and choose which parts of the meal mix they want because they all come in one pellet. And that ensures that they will obtain the nutrition they require.

Blended Seeds

People who are pickier eaters may find these to be excellent choices. They often provide a large selection of treats for your hamster, such as seeds, nuts, hays, and more. The seed mix should include at least one item that your little guy enjoys eating.

Unfortunately, this is a common issue with combining different kinds of seeds. Whole seed mixtures may be a fantastic source of nutrition for your hamster.

Your hamster will not get the recommended daily allowance if it picks through the food and consumes only some of the parts. Indeed, they could over- or under-consume certain nutrients. You may be giving your hamster a diet that is high in fats but is deficient in protein.

Tips on Choosing the Right Hamster Food

The qualities of a high-quality hamster diet. Well, while looking for new hamster chow, there are a few things to keep in mind.

Protein

This is the most important consideration for buying hamster food. It’s also the most important factor in determining whether or not your hamster will eat.

Protein intake of 16-17% is considered optimal for hamsters. But there’s a catch—hamsters are more likely to reject food with a greater protein content, so you’ll need to figure out how to sneak it into their diet.

Fat

Fat is also important for hamsters’ diets. It’s likely that these will be the hamster’s favorite foods, especially if you’ve had trouble getting it to consume proteins.

Nuts and seeds, which your hamster probably prefers, are a good source of fat. As much as possible, try to restrict their food consumption. Hamsters are susceptible to the same health issues as humans if they get overweight.

Fiber

Your hamster needs a good quantity of fiber to assist maintain digestive tract health. An elderly hamster will benefit greatly from this. Hay, alfalfa, and oats are major sources of fiber in the human diet.

Salt

It’s possible you’ve heard that hamsters’ salt consumption should be reduced. But a healthy amount of salt in their diet every day is necessary. Choosing a meal with salt in it can assist your hamster keep water in its body. If you feed your hamster a salt-free diet, you should provide a salt lick in its cage to ensure its proper nutrition.

Sugar

As it turns out, some hamster breeds are more predisposed to developing diabetes than others. That’s why it’s crucial to keep a close eye on their sugar intake.

Fruit is the main source of excess sugar in the diet. While it’s true that fruit has many health benefits, you should still limit your hamster’s exposure to it.

Variety

Hamsters may survive on a wide variety of foods when living in the wild. As omnivores, they are quite content to consume both plant and animal products.

A wide variety of foods is preferred by most hamsters. It’s similar to how they would forage in the wild. Your hamster may eat more if you give it a meal that offers a wide variety of flavors and textures, rather than a bland combination.

Conclusion

BestForPets (bestforpets.org) hopes this article has helped you better understand your pet’s nutritional needs.

Best Value: Kaytee Forti-Diet Pro Health Hamster Food; Overall Best: Higgins Sunburst Gourmet Blend Hamster Food; Best Nutritional Value: Higgins Sunburst Gourmet Blend Hamster Food

Both may or may not be well received by your hamster. The joys of having a hamster are just such moments. Each individual has their own personality and temperament.

The problem comes up when you have to meet their nutritional needs as well as their individual tastes.

The reviews and buying tips here will serve as a starting point for finding your ideal travel companion. It can take a lot of experimentation to figure out what your hamster likes to eat.

However, if you have a deep understanding of the guinea pig’s personality, you should have no trouble finding the best hamster foods for your little terrier.

Reviews

Overall, the Best Hamster Food Is Higgins Sunburst Gourmet Blend

You may have faith that Higgins Sunburst Gourmet Blend Hamster Food will meet all of your hamster’s nutritional needs.

There are several reasons why it’s at the top of our list. To begin with, it’s a plant-based combination that includes a wide variety of flaked fruits and vegetables, seeds, hay, and canned beans.

Your hamster will get the benefits of the DHA omega-3 fatty acids provided by this.

Second, it’s all natural and free of any synthetic additives. That way, you’ll have no qualms about feeding this to your hamster on a regular basis.

Furthermore, the combination of pellets and seeds provides a nice variation in texture to keep your hamster interested. Hamsters are notoriously fussy eaters, but this blend appears to address that problem head-on.

Last but not least, this blend is inexpensive. A single hamster may enjoy this 2.5-pound bag for quite some time.

The greatest hamster chow we’ve seen so far this year.

Pros

  • Formulated for hamsters, this meal is a special blend.
  • Made with actual all-natural ingredients
  • There are no additives of any kind.
  • Cut up produce and fruit for hamsters.
  • Rich in the omega-3 fatty acid DHA that can only be found in plants.
  • Affordable

Cons

  • Some packages may include an excessive number of seeds.

 

The Most Economical Forti-Diet Pro Health Hamster Food by Kaytee

Kaytee Forti-Diet Pro Health Hamster Food is the premium choice for affordable hamster nutrition. You may save money by purchasing a single 3-pound bag instead of many smaller bags of different meal mixes.

Alternatively, if you’re caring for a big number of hamsters, you may save money by purchasing in bulk with a 25-pound bag.

It’s fantastic that your hamsters may get a balanced diet with this food. Omega-3 fatty acids, which are added to the meal, have been shown to have beneficial effects on brain function, cardiovascular health, and vision.

the items in the bag are hamster-friendly and have a texture that’s simple to chew.

Pros

  • We provide bulk discounts and low prices.
  • Offerings of omega-3 fatty acids
  • Hamster-specific diet

Cons

  • Containing synthetic dyestuffs

 

Hamster Food of the Highest Quality from Oxbow Garden

The hamsters should get the greatest care possible. It’s not a bad idea to offer them a more expensive choice once in a while. When that time comes, we reach for Oxbow Garden’s Select Hamster Food.

Your hamsters will get a full, balanced diet thanks to our carefully made hamster chow. To recreate the conditions of a foraging expedition, we hand-select each flavor. Certified as non-genetically modified and created in the USA from the ground up.

But there are a few reasons why this dish is reserved for special events exclusively.

The first problem is the cost. Our recommended option comes in a 2.5-pound bag, although a 1.5-pound bag costs more. Second, Timothy hay is the main component.

Filler ingredients like timothy hay are common. In addition, we think there should be less fluff given the price.

Pros

  • Non-GMO
  • Contains bananas, spinach, yellow peas, and carrots
  • Full and well-rounded combination

Cons

  • Substantial enlargement of superfluous material
  • Expensive

 

Hamster food from the Kaytee Fiesta Gourmet Variety Diet

This might be the finest choice if your hamster is finicky. Even the most finicky hamster eaters are sure to enjoy the wide range of flavors and textures offered by Kaytee’s Fiesta Gourmet Variety Diet.

In the wild, hamsters eat a wide variety of foods. That is true even when animals are brought inside for the night.

There are a wide variety of ingredients in this mixture, including sunflower seeds, peanuts, bananas, maize, and many more.

All of it is organically maintained and loaded with the omega-3 fatty acids vital to a hamster’s nervous system and cardiovascular health.

This intriguing mixture, however, isn’t limited to hamsters. This is a terrific, all-around blend for any rodent.

Pros

  • Generous in diversity
  • Omega-3 fatty acid-rich.

Cons

  • The meal’s composition is quite similar to that of rat food.

 

Hamster treats made with Hazel from the Tiny Friends’ Farm

If your hamster is finicky, you may also use Tiny Friends Farm Hazel Hamster Food. Its combination consists of an exceptionally broad spectrum of individual ingredients. Dried corn, peanuts, seeds, peas, and pumpkin are all part of this category.

As there is no sugar added, it is also safe for hamsters with diabetes. Even hamsters with weight problems can benefit from this.

However, some nutritional enhancement is necessary for this mix. In order to provide your hamster a complete diet, you need add protein blocks to their regular meal.

Pros

  • Excellent selection for those who prefer not to experiment with new foods.
  • Absolutely no added sugars

Cons

  • Deficient in nourishment

Author Image

Dr. Barry Buttler

Dr. Barry Buttler, DVM, MS, DACVIM, is an experienced veterinarian who specializes in the care of small animals, specifically dogs. Dr. Barry K. Buttler is a member of the American Veterinary Medical Association and holds multiple certifications in small animal emergency medicine and geriatric pet health.

Veterinarian (DVM) Dr. Barry Buttler

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