Hamsters can eat various products that are eaten by humans. Not all items are suitable for them. But regarding yogurt, it can be said that this is a safe option for the hamsters. The amount of yogurt and the source of the food are important when it comes to feeding the pet with this.
Does a hamster eat yogurt?
Hamsters can eat yogurt though not all of them will like it. This rodent is not much choosy about their food and they would like to eat anything and everything that is served before them. Hamsters would prefer to eat small meals and that too should be varied for them.
When you give them yogurt they would happily eat that. The dwarf ones should have a small amount of yogurt and the Syrian ones can have more than that.
Why yogurt is helpful for hamsters?
Yogurt contains a lot of vitamins and good bacteria. This dairy product will take care of the gut health of the pet and also it will help the digestive system of the hamster in a good way. There are several types of yogurt like the Greek or the Icelandic type that comes in different kind of flavors.
Yogurt contains probiotics which are always good for the digestive system. The protein that the hamster would get from the yogurt is for their bodybuilding. Along with that, there is calcium to keep bone health in good condition. Vitamin B is there too, which makes your hamster active and energetic. Potassium present in yogurt will make regulate the blood pressure of the pet hamster.
All these varieties are quite tasty and relished by humans, thus they would like their pets to taste this yummy food too. Yogurt contains a lot of good things but also it comes with some risks.
How can you feed yogurt to the hamster?
Yogurt can be given to the hamster as a treat. They would like a change of taste from the regular hay meal when you will give them this. While giving yogurt to the hamster you must hold the pet close to your body. Try to feed the yogurt from a spoon with your own hand as that will help you to build the bond between you and your pet.
Do not offer a whole spoonful of yogurt to your hamster. It may not like the taste in the first instance. Give only a drop or two of yogurt to see how it likes tastes. Later you can give it more but do not give more than the recommended amount of yogurt as that can cause stomach upset for the pet.
Offering the yogurt on the finger is a good way to give it for the first time. As you will offer the hamster yogurt that is layered on your finger and it will lick it from there, it will also have a soft feeling towards you. This way you two can bond well with each other through the occasion of feeding the yogurt.
Can I put yogurt in the cage of my hamster?
Keeping the food inside the cage is often done by the owners of hamsters. They do it to provide food to the hamster as and when the pets will need it. Also, there is a chance that the pet may need the food at night time when they stay awake and active.
But keeping dry items, hay or other tidbits is okay for this purpose. When you provide yogurt in a bowl to the pet then it may stink after some time. Yogurt being a dairy product does not stay good after a certain time. If the hamster prefers not to eat it within an hour then it may get rotten and it will be harmful to the pet too. So offering yogurt should be done instantly and it cannot be kept for long.
How much yogurt is preferable for feeding the hamster?
The amount of yogurt appropriate for a particular breed of hamster may differ from the other one which is of another breed and of different sizes and ages. The digestion power of the hamster is much varied when it comes to different breeds. The largest one, the Syrian hamster always can digest more food, thus they can have more yogurt than compared to the Robo hamsters, and in the same way, Robo hamsters can digest more yogurt than the dwarf ones.
As yogurt is not the only treat that you will offer to them, the Syrian hamster should not get more than one spoonful of this item once a week. Only after you provide it with that much yogurt will you find it going healthy and hearty. The hamster will not be able to digest more than that. But before you start giving the hamster a full spoon of yogurt, you should give it a few drops at first. If the hamster can digest the yogurt in that small amount then you can give it some more amount of yogurt.
For a Robo hamster, the yogurt consumption would be in lesser amounts. You can give it one teaspoonful of yogurt every alternate week. Or else you can give it half a spoon of yogurt once a week. The hamster can eat that yogurt without getting into any health problems.
The dwarf hamsters like the Campbell dwarfs, Chinese hamsters, or the Winter White Russian hamsters all have small bodies and along with that, they have an adequate feeble digestive system. Only a quarter of a spoon of yogurt can be given to them and that too on every alternate week. The pet may crave more but giving them more than that will cause diarrhea. So you can just help them by giving them this small amount of yogurt and keeping their digestive system on track.
How yogurt can harm your hamster?
The high amount of good bacteria can sometimes cause bloating. So if you are giving yogurt to your hamster on daily basis, then it would surely not be okay. Too much yogurt will cause diarrhea in your small pet. A less amount of yogurt is only advised to be fed to the pet.
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