Best Hamster Food

December 18, 2017

15132

Welcome To Your Guide To The Best Hamster Food For Syrian Or Dwarf Hamsters.

Including Tips For Feeding Diabetic Hamsters, And Finding The Healthiest Hamster Food For Your Furry Friend.

Hamsters may be small, but don’t be fooled. These tiny fur balls love to eat!

When it comes to hamster food, it’s important that your pet gets something tasty that he likes to nibble.

But it’s also important that you give him the nutrition he needs to live a long, healthy and happy life.

All of these products were carefully and independently selected by the Squeaks & Nibbles team. If you decide to make a purchase from one of the links marked by an asterisk, we may earn a small commission on that sale. This is at no extra cost to you.

Top dinners for top hamsters

The best hamster food is both nutritious and delicious!

Here are five of our top choices for the best hamster food for Syrians or Dwarf hamsters:

	BEST HAMSTER FOOD	OUR RATING
(paid link)	Kaytee Forti Diet Pro Health (paid link)
(paid link)	Oxbow Animal Health Fortified Food(paid link)
(paid link)	Supreme Petfoods Tiny Friends Farm (paid link)
(paid link)	Kaytee FiestaGourmet Variety(paid link)
(paid link)	Hartz BonanzaGourmet Diet(paid link)

You can find out more about these and several other brands in the article below.

If you’re wondering what the best option is for your tiny friend, don’t worry. We have plenty of suggestions in this ultimate hamster food list.

Whether you’re looking at hamster food pellets, or hamster food mix. Or simply searching for good hamster food at a good price, we can help.

The guide below tells you everything you need to know about the best hamster food diet.

What is the best hamster food?

Hamsters have a lot of energy, and a high metabolism.

This means the small rodents need plenty of food to fuel their playing, digging, burrowing and other activities.

However, hamsters will eat everything put in front of them so don’t continually refill their bowl.

Thanks to their keen appetite, hamsters can easily get overweight which may lead to further health problems.

The Humane Society of the United States advises feeding your hamster just one tablespoon of pellets or seed mix a day, in addition to sporadic treats.

The best hamster food is one that your hamster enjoys, and that provides all the vitamins and minerals he needs. It should contain a balance of protein, fat and carbohydrate.

In the wild, hamsters eat a mix of seeds, cereal grains and insects. But thankfully you won’t have to forage for these to make sure your hamster gets what he needs!

There are many hamster food brands out there that will fit the bill, but be aware that your hamster’s feeding requirements may differ depending on his size and species.

There are around 24 different species of hamster, but the most common pets are Dwarf hamsters and Syrian Hamsters.

Dwarf Hamster food

As their name suggests, Dwarf hamsters are among the smallest type of hamsters.

These tiny rodents measure just 2 to 3 inches in length.

Despite their small size, Dwarf hamsters require just as much food as their Syrian cousins. This is because they are extremely active and burn through their food quickly.

There are several different types of Dwarf hamster, including the Russian Dwarf hamster and the Roborovski Dwarf hamster (also known as the Robo Dwarf).

Dwarf hamsters are more prone to diabetes than Syrian hamsters, because they cannot break down sugars as easily.

As a result, their diet requires careful monitoring. The best dwarf hamster food is low in refined sugars. It should also be low in fat and high in protein.

Dwarf hamsters especially love small bird seeds such as millet, linseed and budgie tonic seeds so it might be worth seeing if your local pet store carries these.

Oxbow Hamster Food

If you’re looking for Robo dwarf hamster food, Oxbow hamster food*(paid link) is a popular choice.

(paid link)

Its Animal Health brand contains timothy hay, oats and barley so your pet can nibble happily.

Unlike many other brands, it does not contain dried fruit so your hamster’s blood sugar won’t be affected.

Check it out on Amazon here*.(paid link)

Hazel Hamster Food

Russian dwarf hamsters are sure to love Hazel hamster food. The Tiny Friends Farm Tasty Mix*(paid link) has no added sugar.

(paid link)

It is also high in protein and low in fat, containing sunflower seeds and peanuts.

If you’re in the UK or elsewhere in Europe, this product is known as Harry hamster food, rather than Hazel.

Squeaks and Nibbles’ own Chinese hamster, Princess, is a big fan of this brand!

Check it out on Amazon here*.(paid link)

Vitakraft Hamster Food

Vitakraft*(paid link) makes a formula specifically for dwarf hamsters.

(paid link)

This hamster food includes vitamins A and E and calcium to make sure your furry friend gets a balanced diet.

Check it out on Amazon here*.(paid link)

Syrian Hamster food

Syrian hamsters, or Golden hamsters, originated from Turkey and Syria.

They are commonly between 5 and 7 inches long.

Like all hamsters, they love to gnaw and do best with a dry food diet that keeps their teeth and digestion in great shape.

Kaytee Hamster Food

Kaytee hamster food*(paid link) is another great choice for Syrian hamsters, especially their Fiesta product.

(paid link)

It is a mix of healthy fruits, vegetables and seeds.

Check it out on Amazon here*.(paid link)

Higgins Sunburst Gourmet Hamster Food

Higgins Sunburst Gourmet Food Mix*(paid link) is made in the USA, and has no artificial colors or preservatives.

(paid link)

It contains dried fruit, seeds, nuts and legumes.

It is also fortified with a range of vitamins and minerals.

Check it out on Amazon here*.(paid link)

Tropical Carnival Gourmet Hamster Food

Tropical Carnival Gourmet Food*(paid link) has beneficial bacteria to boost your hamster’s digestion.

It is specially formulated for all types of hamsters and is a mixture of fruit, veggies and seeds.

Check it out on Amazon here*.(paid link)

Healthy Hamster food

Hamsters generally live for around two years.

The best food and care can help keep them active and healthy throughout all stages of their life.

Kaytee Forti-Diet Pro Health

Kaytee Forti-Diet Pro Health mix*(paid link) is a complete hamster food that contains everything your hamster needs as it develops.

(paid link)

Rich in antioxidants and fibre, it aims to improve your pet’s brain and heart health, as well as his immune system and coat.

Check it out on Amazon here*.(paid link)

Hart Bonzanza Gourmet Food

Hartz Bonzanza Gourmet food*(paid link) comes in a ‘Healthy and Vitality’ blend that features some unusual ingredients.

(paid link)

This mix contains a number of exotic fruits such as papaya and banana.

It also includes peanuts, peas and hard pellets, to keep your pet’s teeth healthy.

Check it out on Amazon here*.(paid link)

Carefresh Complete Hamster Food

Ten different varieties of real fruits and vegetables are found in Carefresh’s Complete Menu mix*.(paid link)

(paid link)

Apples, carrots, spinach and peas are combined with crunchy pellets to provide your hamster with fresh, natural ingredients.

Check it out on Amazon here*.(paid link)

Diabetic hamster food

Diabetes is unfortunately a common problem among hamsters. Chinese hamsters can have diabetes symptoms ranging from mild to severe.

Hamsters suffering from this disease do not produce enough insulin to break down glucose, meaning that they have trouble stabilising their blood sugar.

This can lead to heart problems, kidney failure and blindness.

Symptoms of diabetes in hamsters include frequent urination, excessive thirst, lethargy and hyperactivity.

Always take your hamster to your vet if you are concerned about his health. Diabetes can be easily tested and treated.

It’s important to keep sugar out of your diabetic hamster’s diet.

While there are no commercial foods specifically formulated for diabetic hamsters, some brands do have low-sugar options.

Brown’s Tropical Carnival

Brown’s Tropical Carnival Select Seeds*(paid link) contains no added sugar.

(paid link)

However it is just seeds so you may need to supplement other foods to make sure your hamster is getting a balanced diet.

Feeding Your Diabetic Hamster

One study has demonstrated that diabetes in a group of Chinese hamsters was significantly reduced in terms of onset and severity when they were fed a limited diet.

To really ensure you control your diabetic hamster’s diet, try feeding them whole foods.

They can eat a range of vegetables including cauliflower, kale and peas.

Just be sure to avoid fruits and vegetables high in natural sugar such as carrots, potatoes and corn.

For protein, you can feed your hamster cooked chicken or turkey, mealworms or scrambled eggs.

You might also like to try giving hamsters dog biscuits for something to gnaw on, as well as walnuts, hazelnuts and brazil nuts.

They will also need fibre, in the form of seeds, grains and grass.

If your hamster is diabetic and you want to develop your own feeding plan using whole foods, be sure to discuss it with your vet first to ensure your hamster gets optimal nutrition.

How much is hamster food?

To get the best price for your hamster food, it’s best to buy in bulk.

Pet stores generally offer better value if you buy in quantity. And, if stored correctly, there’s no reason why your hamster’s food can’t last a long time.

For further savings, you can also consider supplementing your hamster’s diet with scraps from your own cupboards.

Hamsters enjoy many ‘human’ foods such as cucumber, broccoli and celery.

But never feed them citrus fruit, chocolate, uncooked beans or onions, as this can upset their stomachs.

Give your hamster his food in a flat or shallow dish, and also provide plenty of fresh, clean water.

Introduce any new foods slowly as it may take your cute critter time to adjust to a new diet.

Best Hamster Food

Hamsters do best on a varied diet that not only meets their nutritional needs, but also satisfies their natural tendency to gnaw and nibble.

The best hamster food will provide this in one packet, with you just adding in extra treats and chew toys for added fun and stimulation.

Choose a dry food that suits your pet’s dietary needs and taste buds.

Affiliate link disclosure: Links in this article marked with an * are affiliate links, and we may receive a small commission if you purchase these products. However, we selected them for inclusion independently, and all of the views expressed in this article are our own.