Hamsters

Food and drink

What should I include in my hamster's menu?

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Hamsters are not vegetarian. Animal proteins are an absolute necessity!

hamster All species of hamster need animal proteins to stay healthy. In nature, they get these proteins from insects, for example. But a healthy mix also includes all the nutrients a hamster needs. Make sure your hamster always finishes its bowl of food too. This way it will definitely have ingested all the necessary nutrients, not just the tastiest seeds and nuts.

It's very important for a hamster to have unlimited fresh water to drink. Check regularly to make sure the mouthpiece is not blocked.

Hamsters must be able to gnaw, to keep their teeth sharp. A few willow twigs are perfect for this. In the wild, hamsters didn't always have enough to eat and that's why hamsters always create stores. Although hamsters in captivity always have enough to eat, they still instinctively create stores in its house. To carry food, they keep it in their cheek pouches and remove it again inside their house. This is called hoarding.

hamster eating

Important information!

Five useful tips!

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What should I definitely bear in mind when thinking about buying a hamster?

  1. hamsterNo specific experience is required to keep hamsters. Make sure you are well informed. Especially about their dietary patterns and homes.
  2. Hamsters are small pets. Children often like to hold them. They should first be taught how to handle a hamster gently and softly.
  3. A varied diet consists mainly of solid food and fresh vegetables. It's important to provide fresh drinking water at all times.
  4. Hamsters hoard. Make sure you don't give your hamster too much food. Its cheeks and house may already be full.
  5. Hamsters come out at twilight and night. During the day, they like to sleep and you usually don't see them much. At night they make a lot of noise and can run for hours in their hamster wheel!

Hamsters are not vegetarian. Animal proteins are an absolute necessity!

hamster All species of hamster need animal proteins to stay healthy. In nature, they get these proteins from insects, for example. But a healthy mix also includes all the nutrients a hamster needs. Make sure your hamster always finishes its bowl of food too. This way it will definitely have ingested all the necessary nutrients, not just the tastiest seeds and nuts.

It's very important for a hamster to have unlimited fresh water to drink. Check regularly to make sure the mouthpiece is not blocked.

Hamsters must be able to gnaw, to keep their teeth sharp. A few willow twigs are perfect for this. In the wild, hamsters didn't always have enough to eat and that's why hamsters always create stores. Although hamsters in captivity always have enough to eat, they still instinctively create stores in its house. To carry food, they keep it in their cheek pouches and remove it again inside their house. This is called hoarding.

hamster eating

What should I definitely bear in mind when thinking about buying a hamster?

  1. hamsterNo specific experience is required to keep hamsters. Make sure you are well informed. Especially about their dietary patterns and homes.
  2. Hamsters are small pets. Children often like to hold them. They should first be taught how to handle a hamster gently and softly.
  3. A varied diet consists mainly of solid food and fresh vegetables. It's important to provide fresh drinking water at all times.
  4. Hamsters hoard. Make sure you don't give your hamster too much food. Its cheeks and house may already be full.
  5. Hamsters come out at twilight and night. During the day, they like to sleep and you usually don't see them much. At night they make a lot of noise and can run for hours in their hamster wheel!

Fun facts!

Five fun facts about hamsters

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Did you know…Five fun and important facts about hamsters!

  1. hamsterThere are about twenty different species of hamster. The two largest groups are common hamsters and dwarf hamsters. Common hamsters can grow up to 20 cm. Dwarf hamsters are only half the size.
  2. Most hamsters can't blink both their eyes at once. They always blink one eye at a time.
  3. The most popular hamster names are Mr Jingles, Hammy and Nibbles.
  4. A new-born hamster weighs just 2 grams and is 1 cm long!
  5. A hamster collects food in its cheek pouches. Up to four times as much as it would actually eat. This is called hoarding.

Housing

Tips for a comfortable home!

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How do I make my hamster as comfortable as possible?

hamster wheelA hamster's home should be at least 30 x 24 x 30. Preferably with horizontal bars and a deep bottom tray. The bottom tray should be filled with a good layer of bedding material and some hay, so that your hamster can dig and climb to its heart's content!

Make sure that somewhere in it's home there is a is a dark spot, there are a lot of types of these in stores, where the hamster can sleep and shelter.

Hamsters find a sand bath very nice, a little chinchilla sand in a low scale is essential in a hamsters home. Also an exercise wheel can not be missed in his residence. Make sure you have a safe version so he never gets stuck with his legs Hamsters love to dig for hiding spots. Provide them a little hay and make them instant happy with a nice own made hiding spot.

Did you know…Five fun and important facts about hamsters!

  1. hamsterThere are about twenty different species of hamster. The two largest groups are common hamsters and dwarf hamsters. Common hamsters can grow up to 20 cm. Dwarf hamsters are only half the size.
  2. Most hamsters can't blink both their eyes at once. They always blink one eye at a time.
  3. The most popular hamster names are Mr Jingles, Hammy and Nibbles.
  4. A new-born hamster weighs just 2 grams and is 1 cm long!
  5. A hamster collects food in its cheek pouches. Up to four times as much as it would actually eat. This is called hoarding.

How do I make my hamster as comfortable as possible?

hamster wheelA hamster's home should be at least 30 x 24 x 30. Preferably with horizontal bars and a deep bottom tray. The bottom tray should be filled with a good layer of bedding material and some hay, so that your hamster can dig and climb to its heart's content!

Make sure that somewhere in it's home there is a is a dark spot, there are a lot of types of these in stores, where the hamster can sleep and shelter.

Hamsters find a sand bath very nice, a little chinchilla sand in a low scale is essential in a hamsters home. Also an exercise wheel can not be missed in his residence. Make sure you have a safe version so he never gets stuck with his legs Hamsters love to dig for hiding spots. Provide them a little hay and make them instant happy with a nice own made hiding spot.

For the professionals!

Ambition to breed?

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Are you already familiar with breeding hamsters? 

When you consciously decide to breed, always make sure you have plenty of new homes for the young. It is best to breed a female hamster when she is at least four months old. Hamsters naturally live alone. They only come together to mate. Place the male and female together in an environment that is not familiar to either and watch how the female reacts. If she stays completely still, she is ready to mate. If she fights the male off, she is not. Separate them and try again the next day. She will be fertile once every four days. Hamsters have a gestation period of around two weeks and then give birth to one to twelve young. Leave the new mother alone as much as possible so that she is not stressed.

The young are born blind, deaf and bald, developing to independent hamsters in four weeks. Don't pick the young up during the first week and don't clean the cage either. If the mother becomes too stressed, she will kill her young with her teeth. Don't place the father with the young.

hamster baby

Rewards & treats

I like a snack sometimes too!

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A snack won't do any harm, but always use moderation.

Everyone likes to treat their pet sometimes but for pets that live in a restricted space, it's important not to just constantly provide snacks. Witte Molen's snacks for rodents are formulated with care. So it's no problem to treat your hamsters to something tasty now and then when they've been good, could do with a little something extra or to reward them when you're training them.

Witte Molen for hamsters

Food, bedding and sticks!

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Are you already familiar with breeding hamsters? 

When you consciously decide to breed, always make sure you have plenty of new homes for the young. It is best to breed a female hamster when she is at least four months old. Hamsters naturally live alone. They only come together to mate. Place the male and female together in an environment that is not familiar to either and watch how the female reacts. If she stays completely still, she is ready to mate. If she fights the male off, she is not. Separate them and try again the next day. She will be fertile once every four days. Hamsters have a gestation period of around two weeks and then give birth to one to twelve young. Leave the new mother alone as much as possible so that she is not stressed.

The young are born blind, deaf and bald, developing to independent hamsters in four weeks. Don't pick the young up during the first week and don't clean the cage either. If the mother becomes too stressed, she will kill her young with her teeth. Don't place the father with the young.

hamster baby

A snack won't do any harm, but always use moderation.

Everyone likes to treat their pet sometimes but for pets that live in a restricted space, it's important not to just constantly provide snacks. Witte Molen's snacks for rodents are formulated with care. So it's no problem to treat your hamsters to something tasty now and then when they've been good, could do with a little something extra or to reward them when you're training them.

Frequently asked questions

My hamster eats a lot of feed! Is that normal?

Hamsters only need a little feed, but they collect it up and take it to their den to hoard it. It might therefore look as though they are eating a lot, but in reality they are storing food for “later”. Throw away old feed when you clean the cage to prevent it from rotting.

Can my hamster eat vegetables?

Fresh, raw vegetables are an excellent supplement to a hamster’s diet. Keep in mind that your hamster is very small and so only needs a very small amount of vegetables. Try varying what you give them and don’t feed them potatoes, onions or leeks. Most hamsters will love a small slice of carrot, a broccoli floret or a piece of apple!

Can my hamster eat chew sticks?

Of course, most hamsters love them! Because hamsters are so small it’s best not to let them eat too much in one go, otherwise they won’t eat their feed.

Can my hamster eat human food?

Most of the food we eat is too fatty, salty, sweet or processed for hamsters. However, a small piece of fresh fruit or vegetable or even a piece of hardboiled egg is good for your hamster’s health. Consult the broad range of natural snacks available from PUUR to find other suitable treats for them.