What can hamsters eat? Filipino foods, safe or not
"Pwede ba sa hamster ang kanin?" We hear this one a lot. Hamsters love people food, but not all of it is good for them. This guide shows what to feed every day, which Filipino kitchen foods are OK as a small treat, and which ones to never give.
MomoCooking, with two hungry fans
DangoWinter White. Small, but always hungry.
KinakoGolden Syrian. Stuffs his cheeks.
The everyday food: a seed mix made for hamsters
Most of what a hamster eats should be a hamster food mix: grains, seeds and pellets in one bowl. Our own Little Pets mixes are made at our shop for this.
Little Pets Power-UpGrains, seeds, protein and fortified pellets for active and growing hamsters. 550 g jar or 1 kg refill.
Little Pets Basic BentoAn everyday seed mix at a lower price. 500 g pack.
Little Pets BSF treatDried black soldier fly larvae, a crunchy protein treat. 25 g jar.
About 10 grams of mix a day. Top it up once a day, in the evening when your hamster wakes up.
Filipino foods: safe or not?
Always plain: no salt, oil, sugar, soy sauce or garlic. Give a piece about the size of their paw.
π’ Malunggay
A few fresh leaves, now and then.
π’ Boiled egg
A small piece of plain egg, once or twice a week.
π’ Cucumber, carrot
A thin slice. Remove leftovers so it doesn't rot.
π‘ Rice
A few grains of plain cooked rice. Never fried or with ulam.
π‘ Bread
A tiny piece of plain bread, rarely. No pandesal with butter or filling.
π‘ Grapes, fruit
Sweet, so only a tiny piece for Syrians. Skip for dwarfs like Winter Whites.
π΄ Chocolate, sweets
Never.
π΄ Onion, garlic
Never. Watch out for ulam leftovers.
π΄ Citrus (calamansi, dalandan)
Never. Too sour.
π΄ Chips, junk food
Never. Too salty and oily.
Check the hoardhamsters hide food in their nest
Hamsters carry food in their cheeks and store it in a corner. Fresh food can go bad there, so check the nest and take out old pieces of vegetable or egg.
I'm tiny, so my treat is tiny too. A piece as big as my paw is plenty.
More safe treats to try
Plain, washed and cut small. Give one at a time, a few times a week, and tick off what your hamster likes.
- β Broccoli
- β Bell pepper (no seeds)
- β Peas
- β Spinach (a small leaf)
- β Apple (no core or seeds)
- β Pear (no core)
- β Banana (a tiny piece)
- β Melon (no seeds or rind)
- β Mealworms or our BSF treat
Fruit is sweet, so keep it tiny and rare, especially for dwarf hamsters like Winter Whites.
Clean water, every day
- Refill with fresh water every day.
- Check that the bottle or bowl isn't empty or blocked.
- Never put water in the cage for bathing. Hamsters clean themselves in a sand bath, not water.
Questions customers ask us
Can hamsters eat rice?
A few grains of plain cooked rice now and then. Never fried rice or rice with ulam or sauce.
Is malunggay safe for hamsters?
A few fresh leaves are fine as a treat.
Can hamsters eat boiled egg?
Yes, a small piece of plain boiled egg once or twice a week.
Can hamsters drink milk?
No. Give fresh, clean water only.
What should a hamster eat every day?
About 10 grams of a hamster seed mix, like our Little Pets Power-Up, plus fresh water.
The cartoons show our characters Momo, Dango and Kinako.