feeding

Question
hi, can you give hamsters fruit and veg that you
just buy from the supermarket and cut it up yourself , and if so what fruit and veg can you give them.
Thanks Sarah

Answer
Hi Sarah

It's fine to give fruit and veg from the supermarket.  Hamsters can eat most things, however, lettuce is best given in very small quantities if at all.  This is because it can have a very high water content (depending on the variety) and can cause diarrhoea. Also, it doesn't have any real nutrients.

Foods that seem to be popular are:  broccoli, peas (if fresh, let your hamster open up the pod to get the peas out). If you can't get these, you could cook up some frozen peas and give about a dozen of them at a time.  They also love corn on the cob - fresh is best as the ones you buy frozen go a bit sticky as they must contain various preservatives. However, the best thing is either to let your hamster have a piece off the end of yours if you are eating it, or cut a corn cob in 1" pieces then freeze the ones you don't want.  You can then defrost one every week.  They also love  french beans, mange tout, mini corn on the cob, cabbage, spinach, grapes and apple.  If you are not sure, you could try a very small piece and see if your hamster likes it.  I always avoid giving avocado as I read somewhere that it can poison them, but I also know of people who feed this and they are OK.  I also avoid really citrus fruits - such as grapefruit, oranges etc. but this is just my own view.  

If you can, give a small amount of fresh food every evening.  If you give too much, they will store it and it will go mouldy.  So the following evening when they are out exercising etc. have a look in their nest and remove any uneaten fruit/veg from the previous evening.

I tend to wash any vegetables before giving them just in case they have insecticides on them.

Hope this helps answer your question.

Regards
Sheila