If you are interested in cages for hamsters, you can find more info here. In case you are preparing to get a hamster as a pet, you will need to search for a lot of information, not just about the right cage.
Knowing the pet’s dietary requirements is essential in providing him or her a healthy and happy lifestyle. Let’s be honest: if your pet is happy, you are happy! That is why owners usually try to provide the best to their companions.
Nutritional Requirements
Hamsters are omnivores, so they require a mix of proteins and vegetables. Most food you will need to provide your small pet will be in the form of pellets and sometimes muesli. You can find this food at any pet store.
Besides dry food, hamsters also love fruits and vegetables. Among the ones that are safe for them are apples, pears, peaches, bananas, cucumbers, chicory, or carrots.
It is not enough to simply know what type of food you need for your pet, but also the right quantities. If you overfeed your hamster, he or she can become overly fat. This can lead to various health issues. Also, certain foods, provided in larger quantities may provoke diarrhea. For example, a cucumber is 95% water, so only a small piece is recommended, and only twice a week. Also, carrots have a high sugar content, so you need to be cautious and offer some to your hamster rarely.
Celery
Concerned and caring owners look for information everywhere. Celery is healthy, so it is natural to want to know if you can also feed it to your small friend. We should look at what celery provides, from a nutritional point of view.
First of all, this veggie offers antioxidant and anti-inflammatory support. It is an important source of antioxidant nutrients including Vitamin C, beta carotene, and manganese. Celery also contains phytonutrients which play a vital role in providing many anti-inflammatory advantages.
Based on an animal study, these phytonutrients are able to reduce the scope of oxidative damage to the blood vessels’ walls and to the body’s fat. Also, the impacts of this vegetable’s juice on the human body are multiple. Studies have shown that celery juice can lower the risk of tumors among people.
This veggie helps protect the digestive tract as well. The polysaccharides contained by celery offer relief to the stomach’s digestive issues for both humans and animals.
A recent study revealed that both polysaccharides and apiuman can help in controlling the secretion of the stomach, and therefore reducing the scope of ulcers. This super-combination also helps improve the integrity of the stomach lining.
Moreover, research has shown that the phytonutrient compounds of celery help to relax the heart muscle through the release of phthalides and Phenolic substances. The two compounds facilitate a normal flow of calcium and potassium inside the heart, also regulating normal heart function. Moreover, this helps reduce the risk of abnormal blood pressure.
You were actually right when you selected this particular vegetable for your hamster. Still, you need to make sure you cut the celery into small pieces before giving it to your little rodent.
As healthy as this option might be, keep in mind that celery should not become an everyday food. Your hammy still needs pellets and water. Small amounts of Timothy Hay can be also provided several times a week.
How to Select the Right Celery
Even if it is meant for your pet, you still need to be careful what kind of food you offer and what state the fruits and vegetables are in. You should always look for the celery that seems to be crispy and snappy while pulling apart. Also, the veggie should be tight and compact and it should not contain extended stalks.
Furthermore, you should definitely avoid buying blackheart celery due to the presence of insects. Once you decide on the celery you are about to buy, check on the seed stem; otherwise, it will taste bitter.
When you place the vegetable in the fridge, you should also squeeze the excess air from the bag. You should know that storing celery for more than seven days can spoil it and it can become harmful to your pet’s health.
A Healthy Diet
If you want to keep your hamster as healthy as possible and keep him or her happy, we can help you out with some ideas on a good diet.
As a general rule, you should provide your pet only with high-quality, store-bought food that is designed specifically for hamsters, not for mice, rats, or cats. Believe us when we say that you have a lot of options, and good hamster food can be found in any pet store.
Pellets provide a completely balanced diet in every bite, and that is why they are mostly recommended for hamsters. There are many shapes in which pelleted diets can come in. Usually, they look like very small biscuits, cereals, or cookies. Keep in mind that hamsters can be picky with loose seed mixes, and eat only their favorite items.
This may result in an unbalanced diet. Generally, pelleted diets prevent such events from happening. However, they are a little boring and some pets might refuse them. Still, a pelleted mix can be supplemented with a wide range of other items, as long as the pelleted food makes up most of the diet.
When it comes to seed diets, it is essential to select a loose seed mix which consists of a variety of grains and dried vegetables along with the seeds. There are loose seed mixed foods that contain a balanced pellet food as part of the mix. This is the ideal option.
If you feed your hamster a loose seed mix, only after he or she empties the bowl can you add more. Therefore, you will not be allowing your pet to eat only his or her favorite items.
Moving on, you can feed your little rodent friend a variety of human foods. It is very important to limit these treats to no more than 10% of the hamster’s diet. You should definitely skip the junk food, and stick to healthy items such as fresh vegetables and fruits, or whole grains. Store-bought treats like honey or seed sticks and yogurt drops have too much sugar and should be avoided. There are species such as dwarf hamsters who are slightly prone to diabetes. In such cases, it is wise to avoid any sugar in their diet, including fruits.
There are some safe foods that you can offer your cute friend: apples, bananas, blueberries, broccoli, cauliflower, cucumber, grapes, spinach, hay, whole grain bread or toast, cooked brown rice, or hard-boiled eggs. However, the list is longer, so you definitely have enough options when it comes to offering your pet healthy treats.
Whatever you decide to offer your hamster, just remember to do it in moderation. You will notice that certain foods will become his or her favorite, but it is always appreciated to introduce something new into the diet from time to time. If you follow all these simple rules, you and your pet will live happy and healthy lives together.
