Last updated on January 22nd, 2023 at 06:58 pm
Hamsters can eat a variety of foods, but can they eat hay?
Yes, hamsters can eat hay and use fiber and other ingredients to improve their health. The hay helps reduce their teeth and improve their mental health.
While hay is not good bedding for hamsters because it does not absorb urine well and causes a bad ammonia smell.
Hay, with its sharp tips, can injure hamsters, so care must be taken when feeding it to hamsters.
In today’s article, you will find out if hamsters can eat hay, its benefits, and risks, as well as in what other way hay can be useful for hamsters.
Can hamsters eat hay?
Yes, hamsters can certainly eat hay, but it is not known how much they will like it.
Some of them will like to eat hay, while others will not like it, it is individual for each hamster differently.
Various situations happen, sometimes they will try to eat, so when you give them a second time they will refuse, or they will use the hay to eat and make their own bedding with the hay.
Types of hay for hamsters
You can give the hamsters different types of hay to see which hay they like best.
Alfalfa hay
Alfalfa hay is very good for hamsters, as it contains a lot of fiber, calcium, and protein, as well as a certain amount of vitamins.
The advantage of this hay over other types of hay is that it has the most protein and calcium.
You just have to be careful with the amount precisely because of calcium, which in larger amounts can cause the formation of stones in the kidneys of hamsters, weaken the bones and cause problems with the heart of hamsters.
Meadow hay
If you decide to give your hamsters meadow hay, always choose greener hay as it is fresher.
The fresher and greener the meadow hay is, the more vitamins your hamster will use.
Meadow hay also has less dust than other types of hay, which is good for hamsters not to get allergies or diseases.
Hay for orchards
Orchard hay is great for hamster health because this type of hay has all the ingredients in the right mix.
When the hamster eats this type of hay, it will be able to take in fiber, proteins, and other ingredients in the right mix that is good for its health.
Orchard hay also has wider leaves which are good for hamsters to chew on.
Timothy hay
Of course, the most famous hay is timothy hay, which is also the most available, with a nice taste and smell, which hamsters like.
However, when choosing timothy hay for hamsters, make sure that it is green, fresh and with a nice smell, it is the best choice for hamsters.
Dry and yellow timothy hay is not the best for hamsters as it has less nutritional value. avoid hay that is too thick as it will be difficult for hamsters to digest.
How to give hay to hamsters?
When giving hay to hamsters it is best to leave a certain amount in the cage for them to eat when they want.
You can also mix the hay with other types of food, which will attract the attention of the hamsters even more to eat hay.
Just be careful not to give them hay with sharp ends that can hurt the hamster, and not too long pieces that can cause the hamsters to choke.
Why should hamsters eat hay?
Hay is a good source of fiber, hay helps to reduce the teeth of hamsters and improve the mental health of our pets.
Good choice of fibers
The fibers found in the hay help for better digestion and better work of the entire digestive system in hamsters.
Fiber helps hamsters to not be constipated, especially when they eat food that is more difficult to digest in their stomach.
With the action of the hay fibers, the hamsters will have a normal weight and will not gain weight, they will be in top shape.
Hay is good for hamsters’ teeth
Hamsters, like other rodents, have teeth that are constantly growing, and therefore they should always be trimmed.
Hay is great for making it easier to cut teeth and prevent problems.
If the hamsters have big teeth, it can cause injury in the mouth, improper eating, and other problems.
Read more: Can Hamsters Eat Oreos? All You Need To Know
Hay provides better mental health to hamsters
When hamsters have hay around them, they feel as if they are in nature.
Hamsters who have hay next to them or in other places in the cage will forget for a moment that they are in captivity or in a cage.
Apart from being good for them to eat, the hay will also make our furry friends happier.
What are the risks of eating hay for hamsters?
Every food is good and bad for the health of hamsters, it’s the same with hay, so let’s see what are the negative effects of hay.
Lack of certain nutrients
Hay is good if it is given to hamsters occasionally because it does not have all the vitamins and minerals that our pet needs.
Therefore, as much as hamsters like hay, we should give them moderate amounts so that they don’t overeat.
If they overeat, they will not eat other types of food that they need to be healthy and have a longer life, they can only get sick due to insufficient intake of nutrients.
Be careful of dust
Hay often has a lot of dust on it which can cause problems for hamsters.
If dust gets into their nose, the hamsters will have breathing problems, so pay attention to the cleanliness of the hay.
It is best to shake off some of the dust before feeding it to the hamsters. Hay dust can also cause itching and irritation in our furry friends.
Risk of injury
Hay can have sharp ends that can injure the hamster’s nose, mouth, eyes, and other parts of the body.
It is best to first see if there are any sharp ends to remove before giving your hamsters hay to eat.
The same can happen if the hay is used as bedding for the hamster, again injuries can occur. If a piece of hay is too long, it can easily cause choking, so you need to be careful.
Read more: Can Hamsters Eat Waffles? All You Need To Know
Can hay be used as bedding for hamsters?
Yes, hay can be used as bedding for hamsters, they will feel just like being in nature.
Sometimes, instead of eating the hay, the hamsters themselves will use it to make bedding.
If you use hay for bedding for hamsters, you should make sure that there are no sharp edges that could injure the hamster, and that there is no dust on it.
Hay also has downsides if you decide to use it for bedding for your hamsters, here are some of them:
- sharp edges – they can injure the hamster and cause diseases, so you should be careful when choosing hay.
- irritation – which most often appeared in hamsters with long hair, because their fur can stick together and cause irritation.
- mold – because when hay gets wet, it quickly becomes moldy and can cause diseases in hamsters.
- bad absorption – since the hay does not absorb liquids, that is, the urine of the hamsters will start to smell bad and the smell of ammonia will be felt, which is not pleasant neither for the hamsters nor for the people.
Conclusion
Hay is good and healthy for hamsters to eat as it provides nutrients such as fiber and other ingredients.
Hay helps to improve digestion in hamsters, to reduce their constantly growing teeth, and helps for better mental health in our pets.
Hamsters love timothy hay the most because of its taste and smell.
Hay is not the best bedding choice for hamsters, it is dusty and can injure them if you don’t remove the ends.
In any case, you can give hay to the hamsters in addition to the regular diet of seeds, vegetables, and fruits.
