Do you have a cute, cuddly, flappy, little hamster that plays all day and sleeps all night? Hamsters are little rodents that are often known as home pets. They are well known for their distinctive characteristics including short tails, charming petite legs, and little ears.
They also come in a variety of colors and 24 species, so it’s no surprise that we adore them. It’s the cuteness overload they bring into our lives that makes us care about their health.
Is cheese safe for hamsters to eat?
Do you recall seeing a hamster eating cheese from that cartoon on your Sala’s television when you were a child? If you remember, that’s great.
But is it possible to feed cheese to your hamster? Yes, it is possible. A hamster can be given cheese. There’s nothing wrong with feeding cheese to your hamsters. Although this does not imply you should feed them straight away, there are a few circumstances in which your hamster’s health may be jeopardized.
Expert Tip: Your hamster’s diet should not include a lot of cheese. They can eat cheese, although excessive amounts are harmful to your hamsters.
What are the benefits of cheese to hamsters?
A cheese snack for your hamsters is totally ok, in fact, cheese could be beneficial to your hamsters because cheese is full of protein, vitamins, and minerals.
The reason they shouldn’t consume a lot of cheese is that it includes a lot of fat, oil, and calories, which might lead to overall cholesterol or obesity in your hamsters. However, giving your hamster cheese as a nice treat occasionally will not be a problem since they could enjoy a little snack once in a while.
Instead of giving them cheese, you can give them some of their favorite snacks.
- Apples
- Strawberries
- Bananas
What kind of cheese can hamsters eat?
There are many varieties of cheese for your hamster that you can choose from, but the type of cheese you should be looking for is the low-fat type of cheese (cottage cheese). The reason that this is the best choice is that the cheese is not loaded with calories and oil that could be harmful to their health.
Another variety of cheese you can choose is Mozzarella, Ricotta, and Mild Cheddar. This type of cheese doesn’t have much fat on it meaning, this could be good for your hamsters’ health.
What type of cheese my hamster should avoid?
You shouldn’t feed your hamsters; Parmesan, Hard cheddars, Blue cheese, or processed cheese products this type of cheese is high in saturated fat and salt which is toxic to hamsters that could lead to a serious illness. I’m sure you don’t want that to your hamsters.
A hamster’s food should contain 16 percent protein, but pregnant hamsters require 24 percent protein to maintain their vigor since they have a kid within their belly. And because cheese is frequently found in everyone’s refrigerator, it’s the simplest method to provide protein to your pets.
Does the breed of hamsters impact their cheese consumption?
Yes, all hamsters can consume cheese, however, dwarf hamsters are at a higher risk of getting hamster diabetes and should be given less cheese. Dwarf hamsters are more likely to acquire hamster diabetes, hence the amount of cheese fed should be minimized.
Expert Tip: A high-sodium diet can raise a hamster’s blood pressure, making them vulnerable to a heart attack or stroke. It can also increase your hamster’s chances of developing a renal illness.
How should I feed my hamster cheese?
If you wish to give your hamsters cheese, you must first ensure that they do not have an allergic response to it. But, you might wonder, how could you accomplish that? As a test, you feed your hamster a small amount of cheese.
If your hamster doesn’t exhibit any signs of sickness for a few days after eating the cheese, then it’s the go signal that you can add cheese into their diet.
Another common blunder is mistakenly giving your hamster outdated cheese. Giving your hamster outdated cheese is harmful to their health and can result in a bacterium infection, vomiting, and diarrhea, which can lead to death. So, in order to avoid making that error, make sure your cheese is fresh and not expired.
How often should you feed your hamster a cheese?
With the low-fat cheese, you can feed your hamsters once a week or twice per month will do since you can’t feed them every day, why make it occasionally or give your hamsters a cheese when you celebrate something like their birthday, your birthday, even Christmas so you can celebrate with your hamster.
What should you do if your hamsters ate a lot of cheese by accident?
Bring them to a local veterinarian if they exhibit symptoms such as diarrhea, vomiting, refusal to eat, or a rapid weight increase.
How can I tell whether my hamsters enjoy cheese?
Some hamsters dislike cheese, much like people, we all have varied dietary preferences, the only way to tell if your hamster likes cheese is if they eat it. However, if your hamster refuses to eat the cheese, he is either not hungry or does not enjoy cheese. What size of cheese should you give to my hamster?
Expert Tip: Hamsters tend to store their food in their cheeks so they can carry food from place to place, so do not give them too big or too much so they won’t choke, the preferred size is the size of a raisin since a hamster’s body is small.
Conclusion
You can feed your Hamster cheese, but be careful how much you feed them because too much can be harmful to their health. However, there is an alternative you can choose from, which is “cottage cheese”. Cottage cheese is lower in fat, which means it is much healthier and safer for your hamster.
However, there is no guarantee that the cheese is safe for your hamster, which is why there are methods and tests you should try first before adding cheese to your diet.
However, it is not suggested that you give your hamster cheese because they can consume other foods besides cheese and there is no assurance that they would appreciate cheese.
