How Do I Get My Hamster to Eat Pellets?

How do I get my hamster to eat pellets? 

How do I get my hamster to eat pellets? Some people give their hamsters food other than pellets and want to move to pellets at some time. Not all hamsters are happy with that change so the questions I receive every so often is ‘How do I get my hamster to eat pellets?’

To help your hamster with this transition, you can mix pellets with your hamster’s current food. Use variations to make sure she gets used to different things. You could mix the pellets with nuts, seeds, vegetables and other food you give your hamster as treats at the moment. This is better than going straight to purely pellets, as your hamster is likely to be upset! 

Why is my hamster not eating pellets? 

Some hamsters are known to be picky. When given a seed mix, they often just pick out their favorite foods and leave the rest. Pellets are put together in a way so your hamster will get a balanced diet, with all important vitamins and minerals included, but your hamster may refuse them if they are used to a different diet as the pellets will have all kinds of different foods mixed together.

This will give it a taste of its own which your hamster is not used to. You can try varying your hamster’s food and including a couple of pellets to try to get them to eat it. Some hamsters simply refuse to eat them though, and that can’t always be changed. Hamsters do have a mind of their own sometimes. But being persistent can often help. In the worst case, make sure you give your hamster a balanced diet which you were probably already doing.

Lastly it could be that your hamster doesn’t like the particular pellets you are giving so changing brands can do the trick. Starting with the smallest bags when introducing new pellets will help you keep the cost down should your hamster disapproves of them! 

Can I feed my hamster just pellets? 

Pellets are very good for hamsters’ teeth and have good all-round nutrients which is perfect for having a balanced diet. While manufactures will tell you that you can feed your hamster only pellets, it’s good to have variations so they don’t get bored, and they get fresh foods as well. The pellets don’t have any water content and depending on the brand, they might contain a lot of ‘filling foods’ like corn. So always make sure you buy the best quality pellets for your budget. Try seed mixes mixed with pellets and include vegetables and fruit to make their diet more interesting and diverse.  

Why do hamsters eat pellets? 

They are a good all-round food for your hamster as all vitamins and minerals your hamster needs are included in the pellets. Most hamsters are happy to have pellets as the main part of their diet, however some hamsters are pickier and don’t thrive on it. If that’s your hamster you could try a different brand or give your hamster a variety of different foods every day, so all minerals and vitamins are included in their daily diet.

As pellets are good for your hamsters’ teeth (which will grow for life and should therefore have a chance to get grinded down by the food your hamster eats), so if you don’t include pellets in their diet, make sure you include enough hard vegetables to nibble on and that you place chewing toys in their cage.  

Are pellets bad for hamsters? 

No, pellets are not bad for hamsters, as they contain nutrients and vitamins needed for a healthy and balanced diet. However, there are different brands on the market and with that comes a difference in quality. It’s therefore important that you read the back of the pack and make sure the food does not mainly include filling foods like corn or wheat.

This might affect the price of the food. You can keep an eye on your hamster and see how they are on the food. Check their poop looks like it should, their fur is shiny, their face is clear, especially their nose and eyes and whether your hamster is energetic. Besides pellets your hamster should have other foods as well, such as seeds, fruit and veggies to mix it up and make sure your hamster gets the best of everything. 

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Do hamsters need pellets? 

No, your hamster doesn’t necessarily need pellets. Let’s be honest, your hamster wouldn’t be popping over to the pet shop for some pellets in the wild, right? They are convenient for us as we can simply give them a bowl of pellets and your hamster is good to go. It’s much harder to think about your hamsters diet every day. If your hamster is picky and only eats its favorite nuts and seeds from its current diet, then they might not be getting the right amount of nutrients for best heath, so in this case, pellet may be a good idea to introduce  

What can I feed my hamster instead of pellets? 

If you don’t feed your hamster pellets, make sure to give your hamster a very mixed diet with all the things a hamster will need to stay healthy. Pellets tend to have all minerals and vitamins your hamster needs. For you to do the same, you will need to give your hamster a wide range of different foods. This includes different vegetables, fruits, seeds, nuts, grains as well as some meat.

The majority of your hamster’s diet should consist of grains and seeds. You then add different vegetables and fruits and some mealworms or chicken as well. (Hamsters are omnivores). Little hamster salads are a great way to ensure your hamster gets a lot of different nutrients and vitamins in their diet without thinking too much about what you should give your hamster for dinner today! 

My dwarf will not eat his food pellets 

Some hamsters are naturally picky and won’t touch pellets. Try getting a mixed bag of food, which has pellets and other food good for hamsters such as seeds. The best way to try to solve this issue is mixing up and varying the diet from day to day to make your hamster more used to different foods. Your hamster doesn’t have to eat pellets by the way.

They have survived for eons in the wild without ever eating one pellet in their lives! While pellets are easy, so we don’t have to think about what to feed our hamster, putting a healthy diet together for your little pet is really not that hard! Make sure you give lots of dark greens, other vegetables, fruits and some meat. Then add various seeds and some nuts as well as grains to the mix.

While many say hamsters will just eat what they like, maybe they will, but if you notice they pick out certain seeds first and leave the rest, then don’t always add them to the mix and if you do, just in very small amounts. 

Pelleted diet vs seed mix 

The main difference between the pelleted mix and mixed seed food will be that in a pellet diet, your hamster will get enough of everything, while in a strictly seed mix diet, they will pick through their favorite ones, which can lead to an unbalanced mix of nutrients. A good way to resolve this issue is to buy a food with a mix of pellets and seeds. Your hamster then gets a more varied diet without becoming deficient in certain vitamins or minerals. Of course, add fruit and vegetable either in hamster salads or on their own so your hamster has fresh food as well.  

Hamster won’t eat new food, what do I do? 

As hamsters can be very picky and are routine based, having their food changed can put them in a bad mood to say the least. Your hamster might not accept the new food at all if you all of a sudden change their diet. Mixing in a new pellet with old ones, will help you hamster get used to new food. If he always leaves the new food, then it could just be the wrong food for your hamster. Maybe the smell or the taste doesn’t get the approval. Then it doesn’t matter how many times you try to feed it to your hamster, you’re best off to try a different pellet or stick to the old food.  

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Hamster not eating dry food 

If your hamster isn’t eating dry food, it could be pure pickiness, or it could be that your hamster really doesn’t like the brand of food you are trying to feed to them.  

have a horde somewhere that it is still eating from. It’s worth trying a mix to get them used to it that way. If it is an extended thing, get a mixed pellet/seed bag to see if that works 

Hamster only eating treats 

If your hamster refuses any food other than treats, it’d likely spoiled and feels it doesn’t need to eat its normal food. The best way to solve this is reducing the number of treats so your hamster is forced to eat and try the normal food and doesn’t become reliant on treats as its diet. 

What are the best hamster foods? 

There is no one right answer, as food preference changes from hamster to hamster. The best things to look for in finding the best hamster food for your friend is trying to include a mix of commercial food, fresh food, and nuts and seeds. The occasional treat is also ok, but not so much that your hamster becomes reliant on them.  

Can hamsters have carrots? 

Yes, carrots are a good food for hamsters to snack on as part of a balanced diet. Although they, as all other foods, should be given in moderation to make sure there is enough nutrients being consumed by your hamster. 

What food can you give to hamsters? 

As hamsters are omnivores, there are many foods you can offer your hamster. It will be down to personal taste whether your hamster will eat it, but you will find out soon which the favorites are! You can give your hamster fruits, vegetables, seeds, nuts, meat and some ‘human foods’ as well. Besides that, you can give your hamster commercial foods (pellets).

You can forage for some of their vegetable intake – dandelions, wild clover, Within the range of nuts & seeds such as pumpkin seeds, commercial foods such as pellets, vegetables such as dandelion greens, and even human food/treats like a boiled egg. Make sure they don’t only have their favorite foods as this isn’t healthy. 

How often should I feed hamster? 

You should refill your hamster’s food bowl once a day, making such to take away any spoiled food to make sure the hamster eats it. They should finish the food before the next feeding, but if not give it fresh food to eat. 

While you need to make sure your hamster has enough food, you don’t need to always have food on display. Feeding once a day is enough and only about 1-2 tablespoons, a bit less for dwarf hamsters.  Snacks can be added when you handle and pet your hamster or be put in the cage for your hamster to find. When you fill your hamsters bowl, chances are that the bowl is empty in no time.

That doesn’t mean your hamster has eaten all the food, more likely he has taken it in his cheek pouches and put it in its store for later snacking. Hamsters don’t have large meals; they snack throughout the day and night. If the store is full, then reduce the daily food for a while until the store is running low.   

What do you do if your hamster doesn’t eat? 

You will need to observe your hamster for a bit to find out what is going on. Does your hamster act differently? Is he more or less active than normal? Is he drinking water? Is he sleeping more or less than normal? Is he biting the cage more than normal? Are there any signs of sickness? Check for wet tail and for any mucus or fluids around their body.

Have you change food lately? All these questions can give you a clue as to what is going on. Don’t forget to check their store. It could be that there is so much food stored it seems he’s not eating, while in reality the food just comes from a different source. If your hamster seems unwell in any way, always contact your vet to have him checked out! 

How many pellets does a hamster eat? 

A hamster will need less pellets per day than you might expect. The average hamster eats about 2 tablespoons a day while a smaller hamster like the dwarf varieties might eat 1 to 1.5 tablespoons of pellets daily. Of course, this will not be their only food as treats are an important part of their diet. Try to give your hamster fresh vegetables and fruit as their treats as well as some seeds and nuts every so often.  

Why is my hamster picky? 

Sometimes it can be hard to get your hamsters diet right. You give them pellets and they put their nose up. You give them seed mixes and they only pick out their favorites, leading to an unbalanced diet. Hamsters don’t need a lot of food and any hamster having lots of options and food available means they can afford to be picky.

Sometimes the pellet food just isn’t that nice so another brand should be tried to see if that cheers your little friend up. And Seed mixes are best as part of the overall diet rather than the main part of the diet. I suppose hamsters are just like us, they have their favorite foods and foods they don’t care for much. And interestingly this is different for every hamster.

Work with your hamster and try to give healthy food which your hamster likes. If your hamster refuses to eat pellets, even after trying different brands, then try to be as balanced as possible. Use different vegetables and fruit as well as different nuts and seeds. 

How do I know if my hamster is hungry? 

There are many signs which will show you that you are not feeding your hamster enough food. While they don’t need a lot and many people actually overfeed their hamster, it could be that you are not giving your hamster quite as much food as it needs. A telltale sign that you need to feed more is when you don’t find a stash of food when you are cleaning out their cage.

When their bowl is always empty (and the food is not stockpiled) or your hamster is scratching around the cage during the day are also signs. More long-term signs are weight loss and lack of energy. 

Are oxbow pellets good for hamsters 

Oxbow pellets are high quality and are a good pellet brand for your hamster, especially older hamsters. They are slightly low in protein though, so mixing them with a seed mix is a good idea if you plan to give your hamsters this brand of food, especially for hamsters. 

Are alfalfa good for hamsters 

Alfalfa hay is a very suitable food for hamsters, as they tend to enjoy the flavor, along with Timothy’s being the two best types of hay to give hamsters. It is also used for bedding for the hamsters, which is a plus and provides entertainment for the hamster. It contains a lot of fiber which is essential for your hamsters health.

Is chicken pellets good for hamsters 

It’s not a good idea to give your hamsters chicken pellets, as they could contain grit which can cause serious digestive problems for your hamster. Birds and hamster are very different and have very different needs, so you’re better off feeding your hamster something specifically designed for him.  

What pellets are best for hamsters 

The brand that is best for hamster varies considerably considering every hamster is different and ay have different nutritional needs. Generally speaking, hamster should have pellets with a protein content of 15-20% and should be fed this in 10g batches twice per day. The reviewed best hamster food right now is Kaytee Fiesta Hamster Food so that may be a good brand to try for your hamster