Can Your Teddy Bear Hamster Drink Milk?

Teddy bear or long-haired Syrian hamsters should not be given milk unless under special circumstances. Orphaned teddy bear hamster babies, called pups, can drink a substitute formula made with evaporated milk. Sick hamsters or hamsters with tooth problems may not be able to chew and may take milk. Pregnant hamsters may also drink milk as they need the extra protein.

  1. Formula

    • Hamster breeder Doran Jones recommends using evaporated milk or formula made for orphaned kittens or puppies. Mix equal parts kitten formula or evaporated milk with water. Heat to 90 degrees F, let cool to lukewarm and then give to the pups via a syringe. For teddy bear hamster pups, feed 1 mm 12 times a day until the pups turn 2 weeks old. Then, feed 2 mm eight times a day until they are 3 weeks old and then, when they are accepting solid food, start to wean from the formula so that they are weaned by 4 to 5 weeks.

    Problems

    • Milk should not be placed into the hamster's water bottle because the milk will soon sour and may introduce harmful bacteria into the cage, especially if the water bottle drips. Placing a small dish or bowl of milk is another option, but the hamster soon throws bedding into the milk or overturn the dish. Milk goes bad quickly, and any remaining milk should be removed in a couple of hours, sooner if the weather is hot.

    Grooming

    • Since teddy bear hamsters have longer hair than other types of hamsters, milk can soon dirty their coats. Although teddy bear hamsters are good at grooming themselves, they should be checked if they have been splashing through milk. Long-haired hamsters may need to be brushed. Try to avoid bathing a hamster whenever possible, but wiping them with a lukewarm wet washcloth is okay.

    Alternatives

    • A much less messy way of feeding the protein and calcium in milk is to offer a very small bit of cheese, about the size of a sunflower seed. A pregnant or nursing female teddy bear hamster will need cheese, a sunflower seed-sized dollop of yogurt or meat such as boiled unseasoned chicken, cooled, boiled egg or a mealworm sold in pet stores to feed reptiles and carnivorous fish. Keep the piece of food small so the hamster does not get diarrhea. Always check that the hamster has eaten the food instead of storing it for later. Remove any uneaten portions before they start to stink.

    Preference

    • Each teddy bear hamster will have its own likes and dislikes in terms of food. Some teddy bear hamsters will enjoy dairy products, while others will ignore them. Teddy bear hamsters tend to enjoy fresh vegetables, fresh fruit, seeds, hay and commercially made hamster mix more than dairy products like milk.