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Newsflash
I know as a new owner, I struggled to find a comprehensive list regarding what is safe for my hamsters to eat. So I did some research and decided to compile a list of safe foods for Syrian hamsters as well as dwarfs. There may be some errors, as I am not an expert or a veterinarian, so use this list with caution. New foods should be fed sparingly and in small quantities. You don’t want to upset your ham’s tummy!
A note about dwarf diets:
Many people will debate whether or not dwarf hamsters should have foods with sugar in them. Because dwarf hamsters are especially susceptible to diabetes, it is important to either extremely limit or completly remove sugary foods from their diet. Because of this, I have made a second list of the more sugary fruits and veg which *can* be fed to Syrians, but not to dwarfs!
Foods Safe for Both Syrians and Dwarfs:
Veggies:
Asparagus
Basil
Bean Sprouts
Bok Choy
Broccoli
Brussel Sprouts
Cabbage (in small amounts)
Cauliflower
Celery
Chard
Chestnuts
Chickweed
Chicory
Clover
Cucumbers
Dandelion flowers and leaves
Endive
Green Beans
Green Pepper
Kale
Orange Pepper
Parsnips
Potatoes (cooked)
Radicchio
Red Pepper
Romaine Lettuce
Spinach
Swiss chard
Turnip
Water Chestnuts
Water Cress
Yellow Pepper
Zucchini
Meat/Protein foods:
Cooked, unseasoned ground beef (lean preferred)
Baked/Steamed, unseasoned Turkey/Chicken
Low Fat Cottage Cheese
Grasshoppers (pet shop only!)
Mealworms (pet shop only!)
Crickets (pet shop only!)
Eggs (boiled/scrambled, plain!)
Plain Tofu
Plain Yogurt (no sugar added)
Dog Biscuits (make sure there is no garlic/onion in these!)
Other Foods:
Acorns
Alfalfa
Baby Food (no onion, garlic, low sugar, and containing NO preservatives)
Buckwheat
Bran or Wheat Germ
Brown rice (cooked, plain)
Cereals (low/no sugar)
Cheese (mild, lower fat, small quantities)
Dry Toast (whole wheat, NO white)
Flax seeds
Lentils
Nuts (except almonds)
Oatmeal (plain, dry, or soak in skim/soy/low fat milk)
Pasta (cooked, plain, wheat or spinach)
Peanuts (plain, unsalted)
Popcorn (plain, unsalted)
Pumpkin seeds
Sesame seeds
Soybeans (roasted, salt-free)
Squash Seeds
Sunflower Seeds
Additional Foods which should only be fed to Syrians:
Fruits:
Apple (seedless)
Banana
Blackberries
Blueberries
Cantaloupe
Cherry
Grape (seedless)
Honey Dew Melon
Lychee
Mango
Papaya
Peaches (remove pit)
Pear
Plums (remove pit)
Raspberries
Star Fruit
Strawberries
Veggies:
Carrots
Corn
Peas
Squash
Sweet Potatoes
Foods that never should be fed:
Buttercups (flower)
Chocolate (toxic)
Onion (possibly toxic in some animals)
Garlic (possibly toxic in some animals)
Peanut Butter (can get stuck in pouches)
Sandwich meats (contain too much salt, high nitrates)
Almonds (possibly toxic/ Cyanic acid)
Apple Seeds
Canned foods and other processed foods
Candy/ Junk Foods
Pork
Potatoes (raw)
Kidney Beans
Eggplant
Fool’s Parsley
Grape Seeds
Avocado
Raw Rhubarb
Tomato leaves
Citrus fruits (including orange, tangerine, lemon, lime, grapefruit, etc)
Watermelon
Fruit pits/ most fruit seeds
Jams/jellies
Salt
Spices/Seasonings
Leeks
Scallions
Chives
Pickles
Sources:
http://www.hamsterif...y/FoodList.html
http://www.geocities.../food_list.html
Thank you for reading this list. If you see any changes that should be made, or foods that need to be added, let me know!
This post has been edited by LunarFlame: 23 May 2008 - 11:59 PM
. I havent been sure what was safe to feed my new WW.
have to fix my hamster's diet... Thanks for this!
Posted 25 June 2008 - 11:43 PM
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