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How to Introduce New Foods to Your Hamster

Three Parts:Deciding What to Feed Your HamsterLetting Your Hamster Sample New FoodsDeciding What to Keep in the Feeding RoutineCommunity Q&A

Hamsters enjoy a diverse variety of foods, especially different kinds of fruits and vegetables. These foods aren’t good for hamsters to indulge in every day, but it is beneficial to subject them to new varieties every now and then so that they can have a more complete, balanced diet. Try introducing your hamster to strawberries and other "treats."

Part 1
Deciding What to Feed Your Hamster

  1. 1
    Give your hamster pellet food. The most common staple of a hamster’s diet should be the food pellets that you can buy at pet stores specifically intended for hamsters. These pellets contain a variety of seeds and grains that will help give your hamster most of the protein and nutrients it needs on a daily basis.[1]
    • You should provide approximately one tablespoon of pellet or seed mixture food to your hamster each day, supplemented with treats for variety.[2]
  2. 2
    Feed your hamster a variety of foods. For your hamster to achieve maximum health, it is important that you give it a diverse selection of food. In addition to the food pellets/seed mixtures, you can also feed your hamster various fruits, vegetables, dog biscuits, or a small branch from a fruit-bearing tree.[3]
    • Harder treats like dog biscuits and fruit branches should be offered only once a week. But they will also help wear down your hamster’s teeth, which will be good for your pet as it ages.
    • Don’t feed your hamster citrus fruits or onions. These food items will give your hamster an upset stomach.[4]
  3. 3
    Keep the fruits and vegetables to a minimum. Giving your hamster fruits and vegetables occasionally (even small daily amounts) is a good idea to help them maintain a balanced diet.[5] However, too many fruits and vegetables can lead to diarrhea and other physical problems, so be sure to limit the amount that you give them. Think of it as more of a treat, rather than a main part of their diet.[6]
    • Some good fruits/vegetables to try out with your hamster are peas, carrots, banana, broccoli, grapes, cucumber, apple, and celery.[7]

Part 2
Letting Your Hamster Sample New Foods

  1. 1
    Start young. Hamsters are more likely to grow accustomed to new foods if you start introducing them to new things when they are very young (even just a few weeks old). The older you let your hamster get before trying new foods, the more likely it will be to prefer what it is used to and refuse the new items.[8]
  2. 2
    Place a new food item in their food dish. The best way to see if your hamster will accept a new kind of food is to give them a small portion and see how they react. Give your hamster access to the new food type by placing a tiny piece of it in your hamster’s food bowl alongside its regular food. [9]
  3. 3
    Introduce the food gradually over a period of days. Give your hamster the food you normally would, but add a tiny bit of a new food gradually for several days. This will allow your pet to become accustomed to the new food while still having access to the food you already know it will eat.[10]
    • Introducing the new food slowly will also give your hamster time to adjust to the new food and avoid any potential negative side effects like an upset stomach.
  4. 4
    Feed your hamster smaller portions. If your hamster seems resistant to trying new foods, start feeding it several times a day in smaller portions. But don’t refill your pet’s food bowl until it has eaten most of the contents from the previous feeding.[11]

Part 3
Deciding What to Keep in the Feeding Routine

  1. 1
    Stick with the staples. While it is important to provide a healthy, balanced diet for your hamster, don’t get too caught up in the extras. Your hamster’s diet should consist mostly of pellet/seed mixture food with smaller amounts of additional items (as discussed above).[12]
  2. 2
    Cater to your pet’s preferences. If your hamster seems to like broccoli, but you’re always throwing away the bits of celery you offer it, then take that as a sign that your hamster doesn’t like celery. Pay attention to what is left over in the hamster’s cage when you clean it every week. If you see the same foods end up as waste repeatedly, it might be time to try a different food. [13]
  3. 3
    Don’t overfeed your hamster. Hamsters are notorious for filling their cheeks with food and continuing to beg for more. However, hamsters won’t eat everything you give them, so be mindful. They will hoard the extra food in their bedding, which may begin to rot and become unhealthy for the hamster to be around. Only feed your hamster as much food as it needs to live comfortably.[14]

Community Q&A

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  • Any food that is not in a hamster's daily diet should be given in very small amounts. Don't provide new foods daily, but consider it an occasional "treat" – like once a week.


  • Always confirm with a veterinarian about the kinds of foods you are allowed to give hamsters.

Article Info

Categories: Feeding Hamsters


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