Disclaimer: Before changing your hamster’s diet or feeding them new ingredients or supplements that they have not eaten before, especially when it comes to human foods, always consult your veterinarian first. Every animal is different and requires an individualized nutritional regimen depending on their age, health, activity level and medical history. The guidelines presented in this article have been fact-checked and approved by a veterinarian, but should be used simply as a guide to food safety, not as an individual nutritional plan.
Those who are used to buying commercial ready-made food for their hamsters may not realize how exciting the variety of foods can be added to the menu: in addition to fruits and vegetables, what about insects such as crickets?
Hamsters are small omnivorous creatures that prefer to eat animal and plant products. Crickets are no exception, as hamsters love to eat them. In fact, if you haven’t added crickets to your list of ham snacks, now is the perfect time to start.
Hamsters are omnivores
One thing many people don’t know about hamsters is that they are omnivores. After all, it’s easy to forget this since you only put a few pre-made pellets in your hamster’s dish each day and don’t feed them any live animals or insects.
Hamsters are omnivorous, so they rely on a diet supplemented with protein sources. You can add insects such as crickets to your hamster’s treats, but as always, be aware that giving them too many can cause problems. Store-bought insects are preferred over wild insects to avoid contaminants.
Do hamsters like crickets?
Hamsters generally love crickets, but each one is different – some hamsters will rush to their cage for them, while others just don’t like the taste.
The benefits of crickets for hamsters
Crickets are a nutritious food for your hamster. Find out the benefits of adding these hopping little insects to your hamster’s menu.
protein
Crickets are rich in protein, which can benefit your hamster’s health. On average, 15-25% of your hamster’s diet should consist of protein, which helps build muscle mass and promote healthy body function.
Energy
Hamsters can refuel by eating high-protein treats like crickets, which contain the amino acids, monounsaturated fatty acids, and polyunsaturated fatty acids that they need in their real diet.
fiber
Crickets are rich in fiber, which helps keep your hamster’s internal organs running smoothly. They aid digestion, balance the intestinal flora and ensure your little hamster has adequate waste elimination.
Vitamins and Minerals
Crickets contain valuable vitamins and minerals such as potassium, magnesium, copper, folate, riboflavin and biotin.
Disadvantages of crickets for hamsters
Hamster food is nutritious and attractive for your hamster, but there are some things to consider. Here are some risks and drawbacks, which fortunately are preventable:
Live crickets may bite
A live cricket could potentially harm your hamster if it really wanted to, and while the hamster certainly has the upper hand in the situation, that doesn’t mean the cricket won’t try to defend itself.
Hamsters can stuff a lot of food into their cheeks, so you wouldn’t want to stuff live crickets in there.
Choking hazard
Crickets can be quite large. Depending on the size of your hamster, they may pose a choking hazard. If you feel the crickets are too large for your hamster, cut them into pieces before feeding them to your hamster.
How to Feed Your Hamster Crickets
There are a few different ways to feed crickets to your hamster, depending on your hamster’s preferences or if you’re unsure about feeding them live insects. We’ll explain a bit about each method of feeding crickets to your hamster.
Dried crickets
Dried crickets are already dead, so they won’t bite or attack your hamster, and they’re easy to prepare.
Your hamster may love eating these foods, but because they are dry they can easily get stuck in their cheek pouches, which can cause them to become clogged and lead to infection.
Rehydrated crickets
Instead of giving your hamster dry crickets, you can add a little water to them to help them absorb the moisture, which will soften them and make them easier to swallow.
Live crickets
Live crickets are one of the healthiest ways to feed hamsters crickets because they have all of the nutrients still intact.
However, crickets can bite hamsters, which can lead to injury, so it’s best to end the cricket’s life before putting it in the cage with your hamster. That way, your hamster won’t be harmed and the cricket won’t die a horrible death. It’s a win-win for everyone.
How many crickets can a hamster eat?
The number of crickets you should feed your hamster should be decided carefully based on your hamster’s size and dietary needs, and is best advised by a veterinarian or other professional based on your individual circumstances.
However, dwarf hamsters, for example, eat fewer crickets than teddy bear hamsters.
Crickets are high in protein and fat content, so eating too many can lead to weight gain and obesity.
It’s important to remember that crickets are meant to be a supplement to your hamster’s regular diet, and hamster pellets are designed to provide all the nutrients your hamster needs to stay healthy.
If you offer your hamster a variety of foods, he will choose the ones he likes best and leave the rest alone or let it spoil. If your hamster eats too much of anything, it can cause digestive problems and nutritional imbalances.
Cricket breeding and rearing
Buying crickets from a pet store can get expensive after a while. Instead of buying them over and over again, you can raise your own crickets. There are many resources online that will walk you through the steps to setting up your own cricket farm.
If you have the time, space, and energy, planning to feed them regularly may be the more economical option, a double win if you have other animals in your home that eat insects, such as reptiles or amphibians.
Conclusion
If you haven’t already, you could also add tasty, juicy crickets to your hamster’s diet (although remember that hamsters enjoy plenty of foods other than crickets; try other popular insects like mealworms, Dubia roaches, and other pet store favorites).
If you want to keep or breed crickets, you can set up a small cricket farm to save on costs. If not, you can always get these insects at a pet store. Avoid wild insects as they may have come into contact with ones that are harmful to hamsters.
Featured Image Credit: Sophie Sparks Photography, Shutterstock
