Do Hamsters Eat Mealworms?

Do Hamsters Eat Mealworms?. In the wild, hamsters eat an omnivorous diet, enjoying a variety of nuts, seeds, plants, fruits and, yes, insects. They forage for food at ground level, under rocks and leaves. Pet hamsters need a varied diet and most will happily accept mealworms in their food dish.

Types

Pet stores sell mealworms in two forms: freeze dried or live. Most hamsters will eat either, but the live worms have more nutritional value. Often, mealworms come in a variety of sizes. Hamsters are more likely to accept smaller worms because they may be frightened or intimidated by large "super-worms."

Feeding

"Gutloading" mealworms before feeding them to your hamster gives your rodent extra nutrition. To gutload the mealworms, feed them carrots, yams or apples in the hours before offering them to your pet. Mealworms can pinch, so if you plan to give your hamster large worms, you should crush the worm's head with a pair of tweezers to kill the worm so it won't harm your pet.

Quantity

Hamster-Zone suggests mealworms be fed as a treat food only, not as a staple of the hamster's diet, because mealworms contain a great deal of fat. A couple of mealworms once or twice a week provides ample protein for a small rodent.

References

• Hamster-Zone: Hamster Treats