Foods to Feed Pregnant Hamsters

Female hamsters are pregnant for a very short period of time - typically between 15 and 17 days for the Syrian species and 18 and 30 days for the various dwarf varieties. Certain supplemental foods can help ensure the health of an expectant hamster and her unborn pups. Offer extra protein and vegetables to the hamster throughout her pregnancy to ensure the proper development of her offspring. It's important to remove and replace any uneaten food on a daily basis, and to provide fresh water several times per day.

  1. Protein

    • Some form of protein should always be included in a hamster's daily diet in order to promote healthy tissue growth. Protein is even more important to pregnant hamsters. According to Hamsterific.com, dog biscuits provide a good source of protein and give the hamster another hard item to chew in order to keep her teeth trimmed. Boiled eggs are a favorite protein-packed treat, but you must remove any uneaten egg bits from the cage within a few hours before they begin to rot. Other appropriate sources of protein include nuts and small amounts of cheese, corn, oats and peas.

    Vegetables

    • Offer a small amount of fresh vegetables to a pregnant hamster to provide her with a well-balanced diet featuring a variety of nutrients and to help make her developing milk more nutritious for her anticipated pups. Vegetables that are safe for hamsters, and typically enjoyed by many, include carrots and broccoli. However, it's important to watch the hamster for any signs of ill reaction to the increase in vegetables, like gastrointestinal upset and diarrhea.

    Pellet Mix

    • Similar to females in most animal species, an expectant hamster will experience an increase in appetite throughout the course of her pregnancy. Offer her an increase in the normal pellet mix that she receives every day. According to HammysWorld, a quality mix consists of a wide variety of ingredients, including barley, corn, maize, dried peas, peanuts, sunflower seeds, locust beans, wheat seed, barley, alfalfa and dried fruit. An undernourished hamster has a higher risk of delivering sick pups, and some theories suggest that the risk of her eating her young also increases the more malnourished she is immediately after birth.