What Djungarian hamsters can and cannot eat. Diet of Djungarian hamsters: feeding features What do Djungarian hamsters like to eat

The Djungarian hamster is probably the most popular species among pets. It is significantly smaller in size than the Syrian one. But it requires less care. His cage should be spacious, since these rodents are very active. Djungarians can be quickly taught a lesson and appreciate all the benefits of a tame pet. But once you have tamed it, don’t stop playing with it, maintain contact, because it can just as quickly wean itself off your hands.

This species is prone to diabetes, so it is better to exclude sweet foods rich in saccharides from its main diet.
What hamsters can definitely eat is special food. It is sold at pet stores and contains almost all the essential nutrients. As a rule, it is dry and hard, in order to simultaneously provide the hamster with vitamins and its need for grinding down the incisor teeth, which grow throughout its life. Like all other products, Russian food for rodents is seriously inferior in quality to imported food, although its price is one of the lowest on the market.
The cost of the animal can be found here: how much does a Djungarian hamster cost?
If you buy an imported one, it already contains everything you need. Russian food is worth buying as a last resort if the financial situation is difficult. The fact is that it does not contain enough nutrients and it is imperative to purchase additional vitamins and microelements. In general, it will cost the same price for both imported ones for 400-600 rubles and domestic ones for 100-200 rubles + vitamin complex.
But despite the dry food, you need to add other foods to the diet. In the wild, the diet is based on cereals and grains: corn, seeds, oats, nuts, wheat, etc. Every day you need to give him vegetables and fruits that are not on the list.

What can Djungarian hamsters eat?

You can eat most fruits and vegetables in moderation. On our website you can find in the “Nutrition” section the most popular products offered to hamsters. What, how often and in what quantities to give. In general, they can eat apples, cucumbers, carrots, raisins, bananas, pears, etc. Make sure your pet eats everything. He will drag everything that remains into his pantry where it will successfully deteriorate. A rodent will eat this, but poisoning will be difficult to avoid. If the product shows noticeable signs of rotting, then feeding it to the animal is prohibited.
The list of what the Djungarian hamster eats also includes greens.. They love her very much. This includes parsley, dill, various salads made especially for your pet, even dandelion leaves. But in everything you need to know when to stop. Don't feed too many greens at one time. It is better to give less, but more often, once every few days. Attention: hamsters should not eat food that has grown close to roads or used chemicals during cultivation. If greens or other foods absorb chemicals, as they most likely will, your pet’s health may suffer. A hamster should absolutely not have anything containing chemicals. Their body cannot digest it. Also .
Be sure to add cottage cheese to your Djungarian hamster's diet. It is rich in protein and calcium, which a small body really needs.

Water for a hamster

The list of things that Djungarian hamsters can eat should definitely include water. If you've heard that they can't drink water, forget it.. Like other living organisms, water is vital for them, especially if the main diet consists of dry food. If the diet is full of fresh, juicy fruits and vegetables, this does NOT mean that the hamster does not need water. In any case, you need to put a drinking bowl in the cage. To prevent him from turning it over, there are special drinking bowls attached to the wall of the cage. When the animal licks the ball at the end of the tube, water flows. It needs to be changed every day for a fresh one so that it does not stagnate. Even if the rodent does not drink it or drinks it in small quantities.
What to do, if ? Most likely he just doesn’t know where to find her. It is necessary to accustom him to the drinking bowl, even if he was accustomed to it in the store. Now he has a new life and a new apartment, he needs to get used to many things first.

What not to feed

What Djungarians cannot eat: fried, fatty, sweet, salty, smoked, watermelon, melon, onion, garlic, sorrel, nipples, sausage, cherry, pomegranate, kiwi and even bread. Of course, each product may contain sugar or salt. This means that such quantities as we consume in our diet will harm the animal.
Even if you have already given your pet something from prohibited products and nothing bad happened, everything can affect him over time. In particular, on future health and life expectancy. Do not risk the life of your pet, do not experiment on it.

Your child has grown up and looks with envy at children who have a cat, dog or other pet. The Djungarian hamster can be a good option for a first pet for your growing child. But you shouldn’t run to the pet store and buy a cute fluffy one; first you need to learn everything about Djungarian hamsters.

Description

Djungarian hamsters are small animals of the hamster family, the genus Hairy-footed. The body is covered with short, light gray fur. A darker stripe runs along the back; this is how Djungarian hamsters are usually recognized.

The paws are also covered with hair, but white. In clean pets they are a pleasant white-pink color. The ears are small and round. The beady eyes are slightly protruding. The body is small. The body length of an adult dwarf is 10 cm.

Sexual characteristics

It is quite difficult to examine sexual characteristics in a pet store if you have no experience communicating with such small animals. The seller can help. He can hold the animal so that it is comfortable to watch.

If the hamster is a boy, there is a gap of 0.5 cm between the genitals and the anus and there is a formation on the tummy that resembles a navel. If it is a girl, then the gap is almost invisible, and two stripes of papillae run along the tummy.

Where does the Djungarian hamster live?

Information about where dzhungariks live in the wild will help you better understand their lifestyle and habits. This species can be found in the steppe zone of Western Siberia, in the northeast of Kazakhstan, and in Asia. They live in areas undeveloped by humans.

Lifestyle

There is no hibernation period in winter. On the eve of winter, the hamster grows fat and stores food for future use. This small rodent digs long and deep burrows, which allows it to spend the winter warm. The active time of day is evening and night. They sleep during the day.

What Djungarian hamsters eat in natural conditions determines their diet when kept at home. In the steppe conditions where the Djungarian hamster lives, the food supply is quite simple. It consists of seeds and green parts of plants. The source of protein is small insects and their larvae.

It becomes clear what you need to feed your Djungarian hamster at home. There are subcutaneous pouches located on the sides of the body; they serve for storing and transporting food. Rodents spend most of their lives preparing food.

Gray hamster (Cricetulus migratorius) against a natural background
Author: Gray Hamster

The correct choice of cage will determine how many years a Djungarian hamster lives at home. You need to provide your pet with maximum comfort. The size of the cell is important. The hamster will feel great in a cage with the following overall dimensions:

• height – 47 cm;
• width – 36 cm;
• length – 50 cm.

How to arrange a cage

Does how long the Djungarian hamsters live in the house depend on how the cage is equipped? The dependence is direct. For a full life, a cage must have a house. There the pet will hide food and build a nest.

A wheel is required. Choose a less noisy one, otherwise it will be difficult to sleep at night. As soon as it gets dark outside, Djungarian hamsters at home begin to actively spin the wheel.

Ladders and multi-colored plastic tunnels are a must. The animal runs up the stairs, and the tunnel serves as a substitute for an earthen hole.

What do you need for feeding?

The Djungarian hamster receives food in dry form. To prevent food from scattering throughout the cage, you need a plastic or ceramic feeder. Size is important as hamsters fit into the food container and fill their cheek pouches.

A drinking bowl is required; it can be included in the kit that comes with the cage, but you can buy it separately. The volume of the drinking bowl is enough for several days. If the family spends the weekend away from home, there is no reason to worry about what to feed and water the Djungarian hamster at home. There will be enough water in the drinking bowl for several days, as well as food.

Which drinker is better

The choice is clear - you need an automatic drinker, which includes:

• plastic container;
• metal spout with a ball;
• fasteners (for fixing the sippy cup to the bars of the cage);
• tight-fitting tire.

Cage care

Caring for the cage will not take much time. The tray must be filled with sawdust. Pet stores sell compressed sawdust. One pack lasts a long time. The sawdust will need to be renewed periodically.

You don't need to wash the cage very often. The animals are small and the bars of the cage remain clean for a long time. You need to remove and wash the wheel, house, drinking bowl, stairs, tunnels. You will have to vacuum the floor around the cage frequently. Djungarians actively stir up sawdust, building nests, and scatter food if there are family squabbles or they don’t like the food.

What to feed your Djungarian hamster?

Organizing a nutritious meal is quite simple. You need to go to the nearest pet supply store and find out the range of food for small rodents. You need to feed your Djungarian hamster at home with a feed mixture that includes:

• oat grain;
• sunflower seeds;
• peas;
• nuts;
• corn.

The most interesting thing is that with the same composition of the mixture, the animal eats food from one manufacturer, but not another.

Djungarian hamsters do not live long at home (2.5-3 years) and you can brighten up their life in captivity with a treat. You can find sweet sticks (drops) in any pet store. Drops are made from natural grains and nuts. It is useful to pamper your pet with fresh vegetables and fruits:

• carrots;
• zucchini;
• cucumber;
• apple;
• banana.

What Djungarian hamsters eat fresh should not accumulate in the feeder. Complementary foods should be given by hand and in small quantities.

chicken's meat;

There is an opinion that cheese is harmful to hamsters, but in practice, a small piece of mozzarella cheese does not adversely affect health. The fluffy ball usually flies from all its hamster legs to get its favorite delicacy.

There must be a mineral stone hanging in the cage. As many years as a Djungarian hamster lives, its teeth grow. By gnawing on a mineral stone, the hamster solves a dental problem - grinds down its incisors. In addition, the stone is needed for:

• for normal digestion;
• obtaining necessary microelements and vitamins;
• for a good mood.

Does a Djungarian hamster need to bathe?

To keep the animal's fur in good condition, traditional bathing with water is not required. Usually, Djungarians cope on their own; they actively clean their fur with their paws before and after eating. For variety, you can place a container of sand in the cage. Sand for bathing chinchillas is available for sale. One jar will last a long time.

There is an opinion that hamsters should be bought in pairs. It's a delusion. Hamsters prefer a solitary life. A partner is needed only for the mating period, and the rest of the time the female and male can live happily alone.

You must be prepared for daily fights if you decide to purchase two or more hamsters and keep them in the same cage. The battle for territory is usually accompanied by a loud squeak.

We can conclude that how many years Djungarian hamsters live at home absolutely does not depend on the presence of a partner. In most cases, the dwarf lives happily in its cage alone, and it doesn’t matter whether it’s a male or a female.

If under natural conditions hamsters mate from March to September, then reproduction in captivity occurs all year round. Naturally, when individuals of different sexes come into contact.

Properly organized care and maintenance of hamsters at home requires the presence of several cages. The female and male live in different cages. The male is placed in a cage with the female for a short period of time. It only takes a few days for a female to become pregnant.

It is necessary to know how long pregnancy lasts in Djungarian hamsters in order to place the male in another cage in advance. Pregnancy lasts about 3 weeks. During this period, the female's behavior changes. She sets up a nest, fusses, stores food. If at this time the male is in the same cage with her, family scandals are inevitable. The squeak will be heard throughout the apartment.

A pregnant female needs to be given rest. Tell the children about her interesting situation and ask them not to pick her up.

How long does pregnancy last for a Djungarian hamster?

Females become sexually mature at 1.5 months. During the warm season (March-September) they mate several times and produce 3-4 litters. Pregnancy lasts 3 weeks.

For full reproduction, the Djungarian hamster (female) must receive food as usual, plus additional protein supplements in the form of meat, egg white and cottage cheese. This diet is maintained for the entire period of feeding the cubs.

Offspring

The maximum number of cubs is 10-11, but may be less. The cubs will be born blind, pink, and without fur. After just 10 days they become independent individuals and can serve themselves.

We must remember: you must not touch blind cubs. The female can eat such a baby. They also eat sick offspring, intuitively feeling that the cub is not able to live fully. When purchasing hamsters, you need to be prepared for such unpleasant moments.

A hamster, like any living creature, can have health problems. You need to find out in advance what diseases can lie in wait for Djungarian hamsters. Signs your pet's health is deteriorating:

• dull or shiny coat;
• lack of appetite;
• reduced motor activity - the hamster runs a little, sits more.

Hamsters have different diseases. The animal may simply have a cold. A cold is accompanied by heavy breathing and wheezing. You can offer the dzhungarik fresh fruit. They improve immunity.

Mechanical injuries are possible. Hamsters are very mobile and can dislocate a paw if they fall badly. Suspicion of injury is a reason to take your hamster to the veterinarian for examination and consultation.

Weak spot of the eye. Hamsters have common conjunctivitis, which is treated with rinsing (chamomile tea, calendula). Age-related problems with the eyes that are not treated.

Djungarians sometimes have tumors, not to be confused with pregnancy and swollen sides due to cheek pouches stuffed with food. For any serious health problems, you should visit a veterinarian. How long Djungarian hamsters live depends on the owner.

How to choose and buy a Djungarian hamster?

Having learned everything about the care and maintenance of the Djungarian hamster, go to the pet store to buy one. What should you be interested in at this time, besides how much a Djungarian hamster costs? You need to decide for yourself how many animals you want to buy and whether you will breed.

Considering that hamsters do not live long, a maximum of 3 years, very rarely 4, you need to choose young hamsters. A good age for purchase is 3-4 months. Young hamsters get used to being handled more easily and become full-fledged partners for the child.

Dr. Elliott, BVMS, MRCVS is a veterinarian with over 30 years of experience in veterinary surgery and the care of companion animals. She graduated from the University of Glasgow in 1987 with a degree in Veterinary Medicine and Surgery. He has been working at the same animal clinic in his hometown for over 20 years.

Number of sources used in this article: . You will find a list of them at the bottom of the page.

Djungarian hamsters are adorable miniature animals measuring only 5-10 cm in length. They are relatively low maintenance, making them excellent family pets. Djungarian hamsters are little furry balls of boundless energy with a very fast metabolism, so it is important to feed them a well-balanced diet that will keep them happy, healthy and active.

Steps

Part 1

Feed your Djungarian hamster with ready-made commercial food for hamsters. Djungarian hamsters have a similar diet to other hamsters. The main part of your Djungarian hamster's diet should be ready-made commercial food for hamsters, which you can purchase at your nearest pet store. Prepared foods for hamsters can come in the form of granules and grain mixtures, usually consisting of seeds, grains and pieces of ground corn.

Give your hamster fresh fruits and vegetables. Vegetables and fruits provide additional nutrients and variety to your hamster's diet. Remember to wash fruits and vegetables thoroughly with fresh water to remove any traces of pesticides and other chemicals. Examples of foods that you can feed your Djungarian hamster include asparagus, broccoli, bananas and blueberries.

Include a good source of protein in your Djungarian hamster's diet. Protein is an important nutrient for Djungarian hamsters. Luckily, there are several excellent protein sources you can choose from. For example, fresh, unprocessed sunflower, flax and sesame seeds are quite rich in protein. Another good source of protein is lentils.

Supplement your Djungarian hamster's diet with fiber. Good natural sources of fiber include timothy and alfalfa hay. Your Djungarian hamster may not particularly like hay, but you can offer it in small quantities to test this fact.

Give your hamster solid treats once a week. Hard treats will allow your hamster to wear down his teeth, which is generally good for his oral hygiene. You can provide your hamster with small dog biscuits, ready-made hamster treats, or small branches from fruit trees.

Provide your Djungarian hamster with fresh water. Water for the Djungarian hamster is as important as food. Purchase a drinking bowl for hamsters with a drinking spout in the form of a tube and a ball from your nearest pet store. The ball of such a bowl regulates the flow of water when the hamster drinks from it.

Remember what you should not feed your Djungarian hamster. While there are many types of human food you can feed your hamster, there are some foods that can make your hamster sick and should be excluded from his diet. For example, you should not give your Djungarian hamster certain vegetables and fruits, including tomato greens, raw potatoes and onions. You should also avoid citrus fruits (oranges, lemons) as these fruits are too rich in acid.

Part 2

Feeding the Djungarian hamster

1. Choose a suitable food bowl for your Djungarian hamster. A small ceramic food bowl is ideal for your Junkar hamster. If you buy a large bowl, you will increase the likelihood of overfeeding your pet. In addition, large bowls take up a lot of space in the cage. Ceramic bowls are not afraid of being chewed and thus have an advantage over plastic bowls. Scratches on a plastic bowl can encourage bacteria to grow, so using a ceramic bowl reduces the chance of bacteria growing in or on the bowl.

   Feed your hamster at the same time every day. There is currently some debate about when is the best time to feed hamsters: in the morning or in the evening. The advantage of evening feedings is that the hamster will be awake at this time, since he is a nocturnal animal. On the other hand, morning feeding will mean that food will be present in the cage when the hamster periodically wakes up during the day.

   Monitor your hamster's eating habits. The Djungarian hamster's diet should contain a variety of types of food so that it can get all the nutrients it needs in the right amount. However, your hamster may not like everything you give him. If you notice that he constantly refuses a certain type of food, replace it with something else.

   Don't overfeed your hamster. He only needs one tablespoon of food per day, as well as occasional treats and fresh fruits and vegetables. Although a tablespoon of food may seem like a lot of food for such tiny creatures, Djungarian hamsters have a very fast metabolism, so they can eat as much as larger regular Syrian hamsters.

A simple truth for those who have a Djungarian hamster at home: nutrition is the basis of its health and longevity. Those who believe that a hamster eats everything are mistaken. The rodent is unreasonable, and it will indeed eat everything that its owner offers it, but this can end in disaster. If the owner is interested in maintaining the health of the pet, it is better to find out in advance what can be fed to the Djungarian hamster at home.

Biology

The homeland of these animals is dry steppes and semi-deserts. Their digestive tract is not adapted to fatty, high-calorie, sweet foods. What dungarians eat in nature is a guideline for proper feeding of ornamental pets.

Wild hamsters feed mainly on grains and seeds. In the fall, the thrifty rodent seals the entrance to the hole, so in winter they only have access to dry food from reserves. In the spring they feed on green grass; in the summer, if possible, they feast on berries and insects.

The diet of a Djungarian hamster should consist of 65% carbohydrates, 16% protein, and 4-5% fat.

Like other rodents, Djungarians grow teeth throughout their lives. It is necessary to give the animal the opportunity to grind them down.

Metabolism

The main distinguishing feature of dzhungariks is their tiny size. This explains the high metabolic rate. Dwarf hamsters have a very fast metabolism and cannot go hungry. Compared to its larger counterparts, the dzhungarik is very gluttonous - it eats up to 70% of its own weight per day.

Predisposition to diseases:

• diabetes;
• obesity.

Overeating is the most common cause of metabolic disorders in hamsters. You should not feed your pet just for fun or because he is standing on his hind legs. Animals already choose the most delicious components from the food, which are also the most high-calorie. In confined spaces, care and feeding should be aimed at preventing excess weight.

The animal must be allowed out for a walk, active games are encouraged, and a running wheel is placed in the cage. Djungarian hamsters are fed a maximum of twice a day.

Diabetes mellitus is a consequence of obesity and genetic predisposition. People often suffer from this disease, but the difficulty is that in pet stores they uncontrollably interbreed with Djungarians. An owner who does not purchase a rodent from professional breeders cannot be sure that it is not a hybrid.

Purposefully excluding foods rich in sugar from the Djungarian hamster's menu will only benefit the pet.

Diet composition

Here's what Djungarian hamsters eat at home:

• grain mixture (dry food);
• succulent food (greens, grass, fruits, vegetables, berries);
• protein feed (dietary meat, eggs, insects);
• vitamin supplements;
• , branches of fruit trees.

The basis of nutrition is industrial food for dwarf hamsters, a mixture of grain crops and freely available fresh drinking water. On such a diet, a hamster can live for a very long time, even without additional treats.

It is important to observe the measure: fruits should not make up more than 5% of the dzhungarik’s diet, even the permitted ones give a piece no more than 1 cm. Vegetables are given every other day, and berries - no more than once a week.

Any new product is introduced into the diet in a tiny portion, with caution. Change dry food to a mixture from another manufacturer too need to be done gradually, for a week to avoid digestive upset.

Product table: what Djungarian hamsters can and cannot eat

Important! Even permitted products must be given with special frequency; to find out more, read the article to the end.

Common sense will tell you what to feed your dwarf hamster at home.

Food should not contain SALT, SUGAR, SPICES, be too fatty or fried.

Any food from the human table is prohibited, but especially confectionery (cookies, ice cream, chocolate, kozinaki, honey, muesli).

Prohibited foods can be deadly

The list of what is prohibited is very extensive; in fact, there are much more prohibited products than can be covered in one article. But the list of what can be given to Djungarian hamsters from food is also impressive, so there is no point in experimenting with unsafe products. The ban may seem unreasonable, but there is always a reason.

Risk of poisoning

Some food that we are used to is real poison for the Dzungarians. Almonds and apricot kernels contain hydrocyanic acid, watermelon accumulates nitrates, honeysuckle and elderberry cause suffocation and cramps. Potatoes may contain solanine. The problem is the small size of the animal and its sensitive body. Even a microscopic dose of a dangerous substance can cause intoxication.

Cause constipation

Any astringent products (persimmon) slow down intestinal motility due to the high content of tannins. very dangerous for rodents.

Causes diarrhea

Foods that irritate the digestive tract or have a laxative effect should not be given to dwarfs. This is hot ginger and any spices that are found in human food (paprika, salt).

Cause fermentation

Intestinal bloating leads to the death of the rodent in a matter of hours. Foods that cause gas include cabbage, brown bread, and beans.

Too fat

The rodent's liver is not able to cope with foods that are too fatty. Even seeds, which are what Djungarians can eat, are given in moderation, and foods such as oil and fried foods are completely excluded. Avocado contains too much fat.

Cheek pouches hurt

Sometimes the product itself is not dangerous. But given the small size and habits of the pet, it causes problems. Dry pasta should not be given to your dwarf hamster, not because wheat is dangerous, but because it can injure its cheek pouches by stuffing spaghetti there.

And inflammation of the sac is a serious problem that requires treatment. Owners, faced with such a nuisance, even first peel the seeds from the husks before feeding the jungarians.

Allergy risk

Essential oils, brightly colored fruits, vegetables and berries can cause allergies. If after eating strawberries your hamster’s eyes run, the skin turns red and itches, it should be excluded.

Sometimes a product is prohibited for several reasons: cheese is both salty, fatty and rich in lactose, which is very difficult to digest.

Rules for feeding permitted products

The diet of Djungarian hamsters should be varied: the same foods should not be given day after day (except for dry food). It is optimal if the hamster receives dry, juicy and protein food every day. You cannot have a “vegetable” or “meat” day.

Djungarians love to stock up, so it is not recommended to give treats in large pieces: the product will deteriorate and rot if buried in the house. Inventory audits are carried out regularly. A piece of 1 cm in size will be optimal for a dwarf hamster.

How often can you feed your dwarf with additions to dry food?

• fruits and berries – once every 2 weeks;
• – every other day, preferably dried;
• vegetables - white or green every day (zucchini, Jerusalem artichoke, cucumber, turnip) others (pumpkin, carrots) - 2 times a week;
• nuts and seeds – rarely, as a delicacy;
• , eggs – 1 time per week.

All products must be fresh and of high quality.

When feeding, preference is given to seasonal products. All succulent food is not only washed thoroughly, but they try to get rid of the “chemical” component (nitrates, pesticides). The greens are soaked, the apple is peeled.

In winter, you can’t help but think about what to feed the dzhungarik: overseas ones are tasteless and it’s scary to eat yourself. A good alternative to greenhouse vegetables would be oat, wheat, sunflower sprouts, and greens frozen from the summer.

Choosing dry food

The diet of jungarians consists of 80-90% dry food. The hamster should receive it every day, this is the basis of the diet. Djungarian hamsters eat little (about a tablespoon of food per day), which means you shouldn’t skimp on store-bought formulas. Let's consider several brands of proven products:

Food for dwarfs

Versele-Laga "Prestige Mini Hamster Nature"

The completely balanced composition, in addition to grains and seeds, contains dried vegetables, fruits and nuts, a protein component and yeast as a source of vitamins. If your pet is prone to obesity, you need to manually select pineapple and raisins.

Chika-Bio "Food for Djungarian hamsters"

Domestic food, not inferior in quality to imported analogues, but more affordable. The size of the food particles and the ratio of ingredients are selected specifically for feeding jungarians.

Food for hamsters of any type of excellent quality

JR Farm Hamster

It has high palatability: dungarians feed by eating the entire food, rather than choosing individual tasty components. The “chips” of the food are a variety of protein sources (mealworms, chicken, tiny fish), the prebiotic inulin, which improves digestion, and yucca extract, which reduces rodent odor.

Vitakraft Menu Vital

Usually used for Syrians. The downside is that honey is added to the mixture to improve the taste. The diet of Djungarian hamsters involves limiting sugars.

Fiory Criceti

For dzhungariks, this food does not contain enough protein, and you will have to manually select appetizing, but harmful honey granules.

Cunipic

This food is characterized by a relatively poor composition.

Vitapol And Lolo pets

It is better to store hamster food not in a bag, but pour it into a glass jar with a tight lid. The mixtures are complete: you can give your Djungarian hamster only dry food for a long time. The reason to diversify the diet is the special physiological status of the animal: growth period, pregnancy and lactation, mating time for the male.

On our website you can find out about the correct one. These are important rules that can protect your pet from obesity and poisoning.

Conclusion

What Djungarian hamsters eat at home depends entirely on the owner. You should not rely on the instincts of the animal, allowing it to choose what to eat. Nature does not have such an ability, because in the steppe the dzhungarik does not encounter caramel popcorn. Under no circumstances should you experiment and give your hamster prohibited foods. If the desire to treat your hamster to something “special” is very strong, they can help, but it is not at all necessary to feed your pet with them.

All rodents are true sugaraholics, besides, they are not even able to recognize poisonous plants. Your pet will be healthy and live a long time only if you feed it correctly. Before purchasing, it is important to find out in advance how to feed the Djungarian hamster, and explain these rules to children, if the rodent is intended for them.

Nutrition of Djungarian hamsters: what can and cannot be given to Djungarian hamsters

It is not always possible to have a large animal at home. But you really want to have a furry pet! Djungarian hamsters are an excellent alternative - they are easy to care for and eat regular foods at home. However, the furry cat’s diet still needs to be carefully monitored.

Description

The Djungarian hamster belongs to the genus of Hairy-footed hamsters. Under natural conditions, it lives in dry steppes and semi-deserts in Western Siberia and Khakassia. The animal can also be found in the mountains of Kazakhstan and China at an altitude of 2500 meters above sea level.

Dzungariki belong to the dwarf breeds. Their body length does not exceed 10 cm. The height of the animals is 5-6 cm, and their weight is 35-65 grams. When viewed from above, the animal's body shape resembles an egg.

Domesticated animals differ from wild relatives in color. There are several varieties of pet colors:

• standard (taupe);
• sapphire (gray-blue);
• tangerine (orange-cream);
• pearls (matte white with gray splashes).

Djungarian hamsters have a dark gray or black stripe on their back. It smoothly flows onto the animal’s head, forming a diamond shape on the top of the muzzle. This is clearly visible in the photo. The animals have lighter or white hair on their abdomen. The line between the dark and light colors on the sides of the animal resembles connected arches. Hamsters have thick and fluffy fur.

The paws of the animals are covered with white fur. They look like hands. When animals eat, they hold food in their front paws. Djungarian hamsters have a pointed muzzle. Their small ears are covered with white fur inside. The eyes of jungarians are black, resembling beads. The tail is so small that it is not visible under the fur.

Dwarf hamsters have a calm disposition. They give the impression of good-natured bumpkins. Some animals make contact immediately after meeting their owner for the first time. They jump onto the owner's palm, shoulders or head. However, most pets treat their new owner with distrust.

Important! The animals are in good health. But they can get sick due to poor diet, poor hygiene or stress.

The Djungarian hamster is afraid of drafts. Hypothermia quickly causes the animal to catch a cold. The pet begins to sniffle and sneeze loudly. His fur becomes dull and his ears flatten against his head. To cure a hamster, you need to disinfect the cage and its contents with a special solution.

Babies are also predisposed to diabetes. Therefore, you should try to include foods rich in monosaccharides (raspberries, strawberries, bananas, melon, watermelon, beets, pumpkin, tomatoes, persimmons, dried fruits) less often in their diet.

Peculiarities

If before purchasing a hamster you want to create the most optimal living conditions for him, then you should take note of the following rules:

1. The animals very quickly get used to human hands, but just as quickly they lose the habit. They need constant attention and love to be played with. Small hamsters especially love to run around on people's hands.
2. We do not recommend that you keep a hamster in an aquarium, as they quickly become wild there and will rush and bite at the sight of human hands. Hamsters feel much more comfortable in cages.
3. Immediately upon being brought home, the hamster must be placed in ready-made housing. When moving, the animal is guaranteed to be stressed, since everything it knew has disappeared.
4. In most cases, if a female and a male live together, after forty days they are completely ready to create offspring. Therefore, in such cases it is necessary to be extremely careful.
5. It is better not to purchase and house same-sex Djungarian hamsters together, as this will certainly lead to enmity between them.
6. Don't forget that hamsters are shy animals and can experience stress. In order not to harm your pet, do not treat it as a toy, but treat it with care and love. It is best not to give the dzhungarika to small children and not to try to forcefully tame it in the first days of acquaintance.

Many people consider Djungarian hamsters to be ideal pets. Miniature animals do not take much time and do not require large maintenance costs. They have almost no smell. Hamsters are easily tamed and willingly play with children. Pets are active during the daytime, so you can watch them play during the day.

Cell selection

For a comfortable existence, an animal first needs a cage. It is best to give preference to galvanized frames, since a hamster can easily chew through wooden or plastic ones.

Also, when buying a home for your pet, you should pay attention to the following points:

1. The cage should be spacious, because Djungarian hamsters love movement, they do not sit still and are constantly moving.
2. If you are planning to have one animal, then it is advisable that the minimum size be 40x40 cm. If the hamsters live in pairs, choose a larger cage.
3. The cage can be two-story, but you should not choose one that is too high. Djungarians love to climb everywhere, but often break down and fall. If you fall from a height, your legs or tail may break.
4. The distance between the rods is minimal. Hamsters are very small and nimble, they can escape. Finding a fugitive is not always possible even in a small apartment.
5. The cage door should fit snugly and close securely. Curious animals will try to open it.
6. It is advisable that the base of the cage be a low tray. It will prevent litter and debris from flying outside.

Home equipment

Animal burrows in the wild usually have passages, labyrinths and storage areas. For a pantry, you can purchase a ceramic house or make it yourself from wood or plywood. A box made of thick cardboard is suitable for these purposes. It is installed upside down, and a passage is cut in the wall. After some time, the wooden or cardboard shelter will be damaged by the teeth of the dwarf, and then it will have to be replaced.

The passage at the house should be such that the animal can easily enter it with full cheeks.

Important! The hamster can sleep in the same house, or it can build itself a separate nest from pieces of paper. This is individual for each pet.

The hamster needs to expend its energy and move a lot.

To do this, you need to install in the cage:

• ladder;
• artificial labyrinth;
• spinning wheel.

Choose a wheel taking into account the fact that the dzhungarik is very small in size. The spinner should be small and spin easily so that the animal does not damage its spine.

At the bottom of the cage you need to pour sawdust, wood shavings or a special filler made of corn and cellulose. You can put some paper, torn into small pieces (hamsters love to build a nest out of paper).

You cannot put cotton wool or synthetic filler (sintepon or holofiber) into the cage. The animal's paws become entangled in them, and when swallowed, the intestines become clogged.

A small bowl is used for food, and a nipple drinker is best for water. Djungarians drink very little. If you pour water into a bowl, they will knock it over and there will be dirt in the cage.

Cleaning

Due to their cleanliness, jungarians do not relieve their natural needs throughout the cage, but organize a toilet area in one of the corners.

There are a few simple rules that will help keep the cage clean:

1. General cleaning with a complete replacement of the bedding causes a lot of stress for the hamster, so wash the cage no more than once a week. To do this, use a sponge, simple laundry soap and hot water. You need to wash all accessories: bowl, wheel, toys - everything that is in the cage.
2. Clean the cage without waiting for a strong odor to appear. Even with severe contamination, toxic chemicals such as bleach should not be used. If necessary, use vinegar to remove urine stains and odor, but rinse thoroughly after treatment.
3. Hamsters have a very sensitive psyche. Cleaning with rearrangement makes them nervous, especially with regard to food reserves, which, obeying instinct, the animal creates. If you constantly plunder the “closet”, the dwarf will experience stress, unsuccessfully trying to find a more secluded place in the cage. Therefore, remove only spoiled food.
4. To reduce the stress of spring cleaning, leave some old litter and tissues from the nest in the cage. Also, during cleaning, transfer the hamster to a small container so that the animal is less worried.

Nutrition

When the cage is equipped, the next thing that needs to be coordinated is the dzhungarik’s nutrition.

The basis of the diet is a grain mixture. The finished food contains the necessary nutrients, vitamins and microelements, thanks to which the Djungarian hamster's nutrition will be balanced and healthy.

Popular feed manufacturers:

• JR Farm;
• Little One;
• Fiory;
• Padovan;
• Lolo Pets;
• Vitapol.

Important! When purchasing special food in pet stores, you need to pay attention that it is not intended for large rodents, since they have a completely different composition. If you choose the wrong food, you can cause irreparable harm to your pet.

In addition, Djungarian hamsters eat vegetables, fruits, green shoots and even protein foods of animal origin.

Therefore, a small pet’s diet should consist of the following components:

1. Grain mixtures
   The main food is a mixture of various grain crops: millet, wheat, oats, buckwheat. Grain should be given in significant quantities, about a spoon at a time. It is necessary to observe how much the animal eats, since the grain should be left uneaten so that the hamster can snack when he is hungry before you give him the next portion of food.
2. Vegetables
   It is necessary to feed the dwarf with vegetables so that he eats everything and the wet food does not decompose in the cage. If fresh vegetables remain uneaten, they must be removed from the cage. You can safely give: carrots, bell peppers, tomatoes, cucumber, pumpkin, zucchini, beets, radishes, lettuce.
3. Legumes
   Green peas and other legumes can be given after first dousing them with boiling water, or boil them a little and give them pureed. Asparagus sprouts are very beneficial for a hamster.
4. Greenery
   Djungarians can eat greens: dill, parsley, celery, dandelion, clover, and plantain, which is very healthy for the body.

Some fruits can be given as a treat, but not all and in limited quantities. Cherries, plums, sweet cherries, and apricots are real delicacies for your furry pet; hamsters often love them the most.

Important! Sometimes, once or twice a week, animal protein must be included in the diet: chicken, lean beef, egg yolk, small crustaceans. The fat content of protein products should be less than 10%.

To protect your animal from undesirable consequences, the following foods should be excluded from the diet:

1. Cabbage. It leads to bloating in the hamster, is very difficult for digestion, and the animal can die after tasting such food.
2. Tomatoes. They can be given to Djungarian hamsters in small quantities; it is better to give them lettuce peppers, as they are more easily absorbed by the body.
3. Potato. Starch is poison for the dwarf, so don’t take the risk.
4. Beet. It is harmless, but does not bring any tangible benefit.
5. Raw legumes. This is also not a suitable food for hamsters; it is better to boil them.
6. Cucumber. Cucumbers can be given if you are sure that they were grown in environmentally friendly conditions; it is better to peel them before “serving.”
7. Apple. Due to the risk of abdominal dropsy (ascites), animals should not eat apples.
8. Pear. This fruit is weak and can cause stomach upset in your hamster.
9. Peach. Too sweet, so you shouldn't treat your pet to it.
10. Sea buckthorn and barberry. Too sour, it is better not to feed these foods.
11. Watermelon and melon. They absorb harmful substances very well, therefore, they should absolutely not be eaten by dzhungarikas.
12. Tropical fruits. All exotic and tropical fruits (oranges, tangerines, kiwis) are prohibited, with the exception of bananas. After drying them, you can make food for your hamster in the form of chips, which they love.
13. Greenery. Do not feed your pet sorrel, green sprouts of onions and garlic. In small quantities, you can give celery (too juicy) and parsley (has a laxative effect).
14. Bread. It is strictly forbidden to feed your pet fresh bread and other bakery products. But sometimes you can offer your pet a small piece of dry white bread.
15. Dairy products. Cheese is also contraindicated for hamsters; it is better to give low-fat cottage cheese.

Important! At home, hamsters eat whatever is given to them. Domesticated animals have lost all their natural skills, so responsibility for the life and health of small pets lies entirely with their owner.

Reproduction

In their natural habitat, Djungarian hamsters breed from March to September; in captivity, they breed all year round. A month after birth, they must be separated and separated by gender.

Important! Puberty occurs at 4-6 weeks, but there are opinions that such an early pregnancy can be dangerous for the female. It is recommended to start mating at 4 months.

In order for mating to be successful, it is necessary to purchase “spare” males and females, because it often happens that one of the selected sires turns out to be unsuitable for mating: it does not allow an individual of the opposite sex to approach itself, does not mate for a long time, and ruins the nest. In such cases, a “spare” hamster comes in handy.

Under favorable conditions, hamsters can bear offspring at any time of the year. To exclude unscheduled reproduction when keeping one pair of animals, they are placed in different cages, placing the female with the male only for mating.

Interesting to know! The female may not become pregnant after the first mating, so sometimes mating has to be repeated more than once.

Obvious signs of pregnancy in a female usually appear on the 10th–12th day. The activity of the female bearing the cubs is noticeably reduced. She tries to move carefully, without making sudden movements. Gestation period is 18-22 days.

A pregnant female should be provided with calm, comfortable living conditions, since in case of stress, the female can kill and eat her offspring. The female can also show aggression towards the male.

Before giving birth, it is recommended to completely disinfect the cage, and use a one-story house for childbirth. Newborn young animals are prohibited from stroking, touching or touching with hands, because the female hamster, sensing a foreign odor, may eat her offspring.

During pregnancy, as well as feeding young animals, it is necessary to separately and in small quantities include protein foods in the female’s diet, which may include boiled chicken, boiled egg yolk, and low-fat cottage cheese.

Diseases

Tiny pets have relatively strong immunity, but are still susceptible to some diseases.