Carrots in the diet of Djungarian and Syrian hamsters

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07.04.2018

Hamsters are very cute rodents. Often people buy them as a pet. At such moments, the question arises about the baby’s diet. Is it better to feed the animal, dry food or diversify the diet with some vegetables, for example, carrots? This root vegetable is in every apartment and some people cannot imagine life without it. Can hamsters eat carrots?

Of course, carrots are possible and even desirable. But do not forget that the hamster needs to eat other food. Dry food designed specifically for him and rich in various nutrients.

Is it possible to give hamsters carrots?

Rodents need to be given carrots regularly. Allowed for daily consumption. In addition, the pet will receive additional moisture from this vegetable.

Small hamsters can be given carrots as soon as they begin to eat dry food on their own. And for a pregnant hamster, this is a must-have product in the diet.

Hamster eats carrots

In what quantity: cut a circle from the carrot, 1-1.5 cm thick, and give it to the animal. Do not try to give more, the hamster will begin to stockpile, and the vegetable may quickly rot or dry out. In any case, such a product is unsuitable for food, and midges may also appear in the house.

Baby fruit puree

Many breeders are considering feeding baby puree to their hamsters. The main justification is that they contain many useful vitamins and microelements that have a positive effect on the animal’s body and well-being, especially if it is young. In addition, it is believed that if fruit puree can be given to children, then there are no chemicals in it, which means Syrians and Djungarians can be fed even more so. While this may be true, this article will not touch on the benefits of baby purees. The whole point is that baby food is puree. It is contraindicated for children to chew anything at an early age; they need soft food. For hamsters it's the other way around. They need solid food. Soft food in excess is dangerous for them.

You can also give baby fruit puree as a unique treat. But you shouldn’t get carried away with it.

Useful properties of carrots for a hamster

How to properly include it in your diet

The optimal amount of fresh root vegetables for daily nutrition is a circle 1 cm thick.

You should not give your hamster carrots in large quantities - the baby will not finish it, but will hide it in his bins. Subsequently, the treat will begin to rot and spoil other food in the cage.

This should not be allowed, because eating stale food is fraught with severe poisoning.

To feed small animals, it is better to use vegetables grown in your own garden. If this is not possible, and you have to give your hamster carrots from the store, you must rinse them thoroughly, peel off the top layer and soak the pieces of root vegetables in water for 3-4 hours. During this time, all harmful substances that entered the vegetable during cultivation and storage (when treated with pesticides or preservatives) will dissolve in the water.

Some owners are interested in whether hamsters can have cooked carrots. Yes, such vegetables can be given to an animal (only if they are cooked without salt), but he will not receive any benefit from them. During cooking, most of the beneficial substances will be destroyed.

Raw or boiled: what kind of carrots should you give your hamsters?

Overall there is not much difference. Raw contains more nutrients and vitamins. But it needs to be washed and cleaned well. It is preferable to give vegetables from your own garden. In the warm season, you can try growing some carrots on the balcony.

Store-bought carrots can be treated with pesticides and other harmful substances that will not harm humans, but may harm the health of a tiny animal.

If you have no choice, then store-bought carrots must be soaked in cold water for at least 3 hours to remove most of the harmful substances.

Hamsters can also be given boiled carrots, but do not do it often, because when cooked, there is practically no benefit from the vegetable. Raw carrots are dense and help to wear down the animal’s teeth, which grow throughout its life.

Delicious carrots for a hamster

If you still decide to give a piece of boiled vegetable, then you should not do it from your soup or other dishes. It is necessary to cook without salt and spices.

If you have an electric dryer, you can prepare root vegetables for the winter and add them to your main grain feed throughout the year.

Carrots for Djungarian and Syrian hamsters

It is useful for all types of hamsters, including Djungarian and Syrian. Djungarians need it because their blood sugar levels often rise and they have problems with excess weight. Carrots help keep this breed healthy.

It is also important for the Syrian breed to replenish the supply of nutrients in the body. Offer the product more often.

How to feed your pets correctly

It is recommended to buy fresh carrots from reliable traders or grow them at home. If the vegetable was brought from the supermarket, then in addition to soaking, it must then be thoroughly washed under running water, the top layer scraped off, dried and only then given to the domestic rodent.

You should feed your pets this way:

• For almost all breeds of hamsters, cut slices 1–1.5 cm wide;
• do not give the animals a lot of carrots at a time, because they will hide it, making supplies, which will lead to rotting of the product and the appearance of midges in its home;
• dwarf hamsters, breed - Djungarian or Roborovsky, should consume the root vegetable 3 g (1/2 circle) at a time, preferably not every day, before lunch;
• It is recommended to feed large hamsters (for example, Syrian) 1-2 slices per day, dividing them into two doses.

The main condition for preventing indigestion is to include root vegetables in the menu in small quantities.

Did you know? Hamsters swim well and do not drown thanks to their air-filled cheeks, which act as floats.

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Properties of the root vegetable

This root vegetable, exceptional in composition, has a lot of positive properties:

• beta-carotene, which is transformed in the body into vitamin A, helps maintain normal vision, promotes growth, prevents diseases of the liver, joints, stomach, and endocrine system (which is especially good for the Djungarian breed of rodents);
• phytoncides have a bactericidal effect;
• Potassium and dietary fiber normalize kidney and intestinal function.

The benefits of this vegetable for small rodents are undeniable and are not limited only to nutritional value. Giving hamsters carrots is a must. Solid treats help babies avoid overgrowth of their incisors. When a hamster chews a carrot, it wears down its ever-growing teeth.

Can hamsters eat carrot tops?

Many hamster care websites list carrots as a safe and healthy treat for hamsters. However, little veterinary advice has been written about carrot tops.

It seems that hamster owners regularly feed carrot tops to their hamsters without any problems. This suggests that it is probably safe to feed hamsters a small amount of carrots from time to time. Some owners want to feed their hamsters carrot tops because they don't want the carrot tops to go to waste.

Do not give your hamster the whole carrot top. This is too much food and it will most likely rot in your hamster's cage. Instead, feed a small amount of carrot tops to see if your hamster likes them. Some hamsters find carrot tops not as attractive as the carrots themselves.

Tasty alternative

Don't be upset if for some reason you can't provide your pet with carrots. As for vegetables, there is a complete variety for rodents! They can eat peppers, zucchini, eggplant, cucumbers, radishes, beans, pumpkin, squash, cauliflower, broccoli, radish, and corn. The list of permitted products can be very long, so it’s easier to concentrate on the dangerous ones.

It is not advisable to feed rodents white or red cabbage, potatoes, sorrel, and garlic. Also dangerous can be pits from food and any plants grown in environmentally polluted conditions, such as cities, near roads.

What are the benefits of a vegetable?

The vitamins and minerals contained in the orange root vegetable have a beneficial effect on the development and functioning of pets.

Important! Carrots purchased in retail stores contain a large amount of nitrates, which are quite toxic to the body of hamsters. Therefore, it is recommended to first soak the root vegetable slices in cold water for several hours to remove toxic substances from the pulp.

They include:

• vitamins: A, C, K, B1, B2, B6, PP, E, P - increase immunity, normalize vision, counteract colds, have a positive effect on the circulatory system of rodents;
• minerals: calcium, phosphorus, iodine, iron, chromium, etc. - normalize the functioning of the gastrointestinal tract;
• other substances: dietary fiber, protein, carotene, etc. - support the normal functioning of the body.

In addition, the solid structure of the vegetable helps maintain the physiological norm of tooth enamel and uniform grinding of the incisors during the process of chewing food, and the juice contained in the pulp helps quench thirst.

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Cucumbers and tomatoes

Both vegetables are beneficial for hamsters, but there are nuances to their introduction into the diet.

Cucumber

Allowed fresh 1 time per day, daily intake – up to 50 grams. Store-bought cucumbers are peeled and pre-soaked. Give it to young animals up to 2 months with caution, observing the reaction of the still immature gastrointestinal tract.

Young cucumbers are 90% water, helping to cope with excess weight and normalize digestion. The minerals in them strengthen bones, teeth, B vitamins – the nervous system, but most importantly, they remove toxins and heavy metal salts.

Tomatoes and cherry tomatoes

Tomatoes are useful for digestion, respiratory function, cleansing blood vessels and capillaries. They protect the hamster from cancer due to the content of lycopene and antioxidants. Strengthen nerve fibers and have a beneficial effect on the hematopoietic organs. They contain a lot of iodine for the thyroid gland and magnesium for the heart. They are given fresh without peel 1-2 times a week; preference is given to tomatoes from your own plot, grown without the use of chemicals.

In Syrian hamsters, tomatoes can provoke or aggravate arthritis; it is better not to give these rodents tomatoes.

Why is it useful?

Carrots contain many vitamins. These are both very well-known (B1, C, B2) and less common, but also necessary (K, B6, PP, E, P). In addition to them, the product includes phosphorus, iodine, protein, chromium, calcium, iron, carotene, and other elements so necessary for the hamster’s body.

Carrots are also hard; they help animals sharpen and train their incisor teeth for chewing food. By nature, the pet loves to chew on everything that comes to hand. A piece of carrot can be a good alternative to cage bars. And this will not only protect him, but also provide you with peace and quiet.

In addition, carrot juice also contains beneficial substances. It also helps animals quench their thirst. If you give it to animals regularly, they will never have problems with a lack of moisture in the body.

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Let's sum it up

Carrots are healthy and harmless for hamsters. It provides the body with many useful elements and minerals, quenches thirst, and grinds down incisors. In its raw form it is much more beneficial than in boiled form. It is important to take it from trusted places so that the vegetable is free of chemicals and is not contaminated by the environment. It is advised to thoroughly rinse your purchase before giving it to your beloved baby. It should not replace his main diet, but only be a supplement. It is better to alternate the vegetable with other healthy goodies: vegetables, fruits, herbs, nuts, berries. Overall, this is a very important product for your hamsters' diet and is easy to obtain. That is why he is so popular among breeders.