Disclaimer: Earlier than altering your hamster’s food regimen or introducing new substances or dietary supplements that they haven’t eaten earlier than, particularly on the subject of human meals, make sure that to seek the advice of your veterinarian first. Each animal is completely different and requires a person strategy to vitamin, relying on their age, well being, degree of exercise, and medical historical past. The rules provided in our article have been fact-checked and authorised by a veterinarian however needs to be used as a mere information on meals security, relatively than a person vitamin plan.
In case you’re used to purchasing your hamster a premade bag of business meals, you won’t perceive the thrilling number of gadgets you might placed on their menu. Along with vegetables and fruit, how about bugs comparable to crickets?
Hamsters are omnivorous little creatures that enjoyment of animal and plant merchandise. Crickets aren’t any exception. Hamsters can completely take pleasure in crickets. Actually, in the event you haven’t added crickets to your record of hammy snacks, it’s an ideal time to begin!
Hamsters Are Omnivores
One factor you won’t learn about a hamster is that they’re omnivores. In spite of everything, you’re merely allotting a few premade pellets of their dish each day and never stay animals or bugs—so, it’s straightforward to neglect!
Being omnivorous signifies that hamsters depend on a food regimen supplemented with protein sources. You may add some bugs, together with crickets, to your rotation of hamster treats however remember, as at all times, an excessive amount of could be a drawback. Retailer purchased bugs are most popular over wild ones to keep away from contaminants.
Do Hamsters Like Crickets?
Hamsters will typically like crickets very a lot, however this may range primarily based on the person. Some will come operating as much as their cage for a cricket whereas others might not just like the style.
Advantages of Crickets for Hamsters
Crickets are stuffed with nutritious goodness to your hammy. Listed here are the perks of including these little hopping bugs to the menu.
Protein
Crickets have fairly a plentiful bounty of protein, which may add to your hamster’s well being. On common, 15-25% of your hamster’s food regimen ought to include protein. It really works to advertise muscle mass and wholesome physique capabilities.
Vitality
Your hamster will get a lift of power from consuming high-protein snacks like crickets. Crickets include amino, monounsaturated, and polyunsaturated fatty acids for an genuine meal!
Fiber
Crickets include a considerable amount of fiber which helps your hamster’s system run easily. It aids in digestion, guaranteeing the intestine flora stays balanced, and your little hammy is passing sufficient waste.
Nutritional vitamins and Minerals
Crickets include invaluable nutritional vitamins and minerals like potassium, magnesium, copper, folic acid, riboflavin, and biotin.
Downfalls of Crickets for Hamsters
Regardless that hamsters are nutritious and fascinating to your hamster, there are some issues to think about. Listed here are a number of dangers or negatives, however fortunately, they’re preventable.
Stay Crickets Can Chunk
Stay crickets can harm your hamster in the event that they actually wish to. Whereas your hammy definitely has the higher hand within the state of affairs, that doesn’t imply the cricket gained’t attempt to defend themselves.
Since hamsters can shove a lot meals inside their cheeks, a stay cricket wouldn’t actually be one thing you’d need them to stow there.
Potential Choking Hazard
Crickets may be fairly massive generally. Relying on the scale of your hamster, a cricket might simply be an enormous choking hazard. In case you really feel the cricket is massive to your hammy, attempt to piece it aside earlier than serving.
Learn how to Serve Crickets to Your Hamster
You may serve a hamster crickets in a number of other ways. Your hamster might need a desire, or you might have some considerations about feeding them stay bugs. Right here’s a bit bit about every technique of serving crickets to your hamster.
Dried Crickets
Dried crickets are already lifeless, so not solely can the cricket not chew your hammy or wrestle, however you gained’t should do any of the work to organize them.
Your hamster might love munching down on them, however they may simply get lodged within the cheek pouches due to the dryness. This might result in cheek pouch impaction and infections.
Rehydrated Crickets
As a substitute of feeding your hamster dried crickets, you possibly can at all times add a bit water to allow them to take in some further moisture. This enables the cricket to melt, which makes it simpler to swallow.
Stay Crickets
Stay crickets are one of many healthiest methods to serve crickets to your hamster. That’s as a result of all the vitamins are nonetheless intact.
Nonetheless, crickets can chew hamsters, which may result in damage. It’s at all times finest to finish the cricket’s life earlier than you place it within the cage along with your hamster. This manner, no hurt can come to your hamster, and the cricket gained’t die gruesomely. It’s a win for everyone.
How Many Crickets Can Hamsters Eat?
The variety of crickets you feed your hamster needs to be rigorously decided primarily based on their dimension and dietary wants. It’s most acceptable to ask a veterinarian or different skilled for steering primarily based in your private circumstances.
Nonetheless, a dwarf hamster, for instance, will eat fewer crickets than a teddy bear hamster.
Too many crickets can result in weight achieve and weight problems as a result of their excessive protein and fats content material.
It will be finest to do not forget that crickets are a supplemental meals so as to add to their common food regimen. Hamster pellets are explicitly designed with all of the vitamins your hamster wants to remain wholesome.
In case you give a hamster a buffet of choices, they’ll possible select the meals that enchantment most to them, leaving the remaining to sit down or spoil. In case your hamster is overeating one factor, it may upset their digestive system or trigger dietary imbalances.
Preserving/Breeding Crickets
Shopping for crickets on the pet retailer can get costly after some time. As a substitute of regularly shopping for time and again, you possibly can breed crickets your self. Many sources are on-line to information you thru the steps to make your personal cricket breeding farm.
You probably have the time, house, and power to take action, it could be a extra financially helpful choice in the event you plan to maintain up common feedings. Additionally, when you have different animals within the residence, comparable to a reptile or an amphibian that eat bugs, it may be a double reward!
Conclusion
You may add some yummy, juicy crickets to your hamster’s food regimen in the event you haven’t already. Keep in mind, hamsters can get pleasure from extra than simply crickets! Check out different widespread bugs like mealworms, dubia roaches, and different pet retailer favorites.
If you wish to preserve or breed crickets, you possibly can arrange a mini cricket farm to save cash. If not, the pet retailer at all times has a few of these bugs out there. Keep away from wild caught bugs simply in case they’ve come into contact with one thing dangerous to your hamster.
Featured Picture Credit score: Sophie Sparks Images, Shutterstock
