Photo Credit: jpockele
Updated on 15 September 2014
Hamster treats can be used as a reward for your hamster when taming it or when you just want to spoil your pet. They should be given sparingly and never be used to replace a regular hamster food mix or pellet
Table of Contents
- What treats can I give my hamster?
- Recommended treats
- Dog treats for hamsters?
- What about yogurt drops?
- More commercial treats and reviews
- Homemade hamster treats
- What’s your hamster’s favorite treat?
What treats can I give my hamster?
Here’s a list of fresh food that you can give to your hamster as a treat
Treats made specially for hamsters are also sold in pet stores and online. While these commercial snacks come in many fun shapes and sizes, many of them are high in sugar or contain coloring and unhealthy additives. The added sugar may also be unhealthy for your pet hamster, especially Russian dwarf hamsters and Chinese hamsters since they are prone to diabetes.
When buying a commercial treat, always read the ingredient label to check what it contains. Although treats are only given to hamsters once in a while, you still do not want something that is full of junk ingredients.
Recommended treats
F.M. Brown’s Extreme Select Seeds
I like this because it contains only seeds! F.M. Brown’s Extreme Select Seeds is available on Amazon and contains Pumpkin Seed, Watermelon Seed, Cantaloupe Seed, and Squash Seed. There is no sugar, artificial flavoring, or colors added to it. Since it’s only a seed mix, this treat is suitable for all dwarf hamsters (including Chinese and Russian dwarves) as well as Syrian hamsters. You can also easily remake this by buying the seeds separately from a supermarket or grocery store.
F.M. Brown’s Extreme Fruit and Nut Small Animal Treats
This is another treat that does not contain added sugar, flavor, or coloring. However, because it has lots of sweet fruit in it, it may not be suitable for Russian or Chinese dwarf hamsters. You can give this treat to Roborovskis and Syrian hamsters though. The ingredients in the Extreme Fruit and Nut Small Animal Treats are Raisins (Golden and Dark), Pineapple, Papaya, Banana Chips, Shelled Peanuts, Whole Kernel Corn, Pumpkin Seed, Apricots, Mangos, Carrots, Almonds, Cashews, Apples, Coconut, Sweet Potatoes, Shelled Brazil Nuts, Shelled Pecans and Sulfur Dioxide. This treat is also available on Amazon.
Oxbow Simple Rewards
Oxbow Simple Rewards is a series of treats that come in a variety of flavors. There are veggie treats, timothy hay ones, strawberry, banana, and so on. The Oxbow treats contain no artificial flavor or coloring. The fruit ones such as Banana, Papaya, or Strawberry may not be so suitable (especially if you follow the recommendations of most hamster guides) for Chinese and Russian dwarves since they are prone to diabetes, but the other flavors are okay. You can find Oxbow Simple Rewards on Amazon
Dog treats for hamsters?
It might come as a surprise, but dog treats can be given to hamsters too! Whimzees alligators are a popular treat that can be given to hamsters. These are cute alligator-shaped dog chews that are made mainly from potato flour. They are also hard and can help wear down your hammy’s ever-growing teeth.
What about yogurt drops?
Yogurt drops are a very popular choice for hamster treat but these are very unhealthy. The main ingredient in most yogurt drops is sugar, and it contains little to no actual yogurt. We do not recommend yogurt drops as a suitable treat for hamsters.
Take a look at the ingredients of one of the yogurt drops available on the market:
Ingredients:
Sugar, Vegetable Oil, Whey Powder, Dried Skimmed Milk, Corn Starch, Honey, Yogurt Powder, Lecithin, Riboflavin, Vanilla.
Some of you may already know this — ingredients are listed in order of their quantity in a food product. This means that an ingredient that is listed first is present in the greatest amount in a food, and and you get less of the other stuff as you go down the list.
Looking at the above treat, sugar is the top ingredient and yogurt powder (not even real yogurt!) is near the end.
Even if it’s supposed to be given only once in a while, I still feel that yogurt drops are too unhealthy. There are much better alternatives with low or no sugar that hamsters will enjoy. Yogurt drops are just an unnecessary health hazard.
More commercial treats and reviews
Here are more commercial treats the hammies have tried:
| Treat | Description | Full Review? |
|---|---|---|
Vitrakraft Hamster Kracker | Baked stick treat in various flavors, usually with lots of nuts and cereals. Comes with a clip to clip on cage bar/wires | Coming soon |
Supreme Petfood's Stickles | Baked stick treats with lots of interesting flavors, including chicken & bacon. Also comes with a hook to hang from cage bars | Coming soon |
Hazel and Friends Crisps/Yahoos/Cookies | Cookies and other mini baked goods for hamsters in cute shapes. Mostly just made from wheat flour though | Coming soon |
Dried mealworm, insects, etc | Dwarf hamsters' favorites. Creepy but nutritious. Eating too many of these makes your hammy fat. Not popular with Syrian hamsters | Yes, please check out my review on non-plant food that hamsters eat |
Homemade hamster treats
I usually just use these hamster-safe fresh food as treats but other hamster owners have come up with their own healthy hamster treats.
Not all homemade treats are suitable for diabetes-prone hamsters so always pay attention to the ingredients used.
Hamster Cookbook
Happy Hamsters is a book full of treats that you can make for your Roborovski dwarf hamsters or Syrian hamsters (not all of the food are suitable for Russian or Chinese dwarves).
The table of contents shows 19 recipes including a veggie hot dog, micro burgers, tacos, pizza, and other cute food (photos included!) you can make for your hammy.
What’s your hamster’s favorite treat?
My hamsters love mealworms, sunflower seeds, and millet. What’s about yours? Leave a comment below with your hamster’s favorite treats 🙂
