What To Do If You Find Bugs In Your Hamster’s Food?

Last updated on November 6th, 2023 at 10:59 am

On one occasion, I found bugs in my hamster’s bag of pellets, and I found myself in a very worrying situation, I didn’t know what to do, whether to give him the pellets together with the bugs or to throw them away.

Luckily I threw the pellet with the bugs and made the right choice, but this experience has caused me to do more research into these situations when feeding hamsters.

What to do if you find bugs in your hamster’s food?

If you find a few bugs in the hamsters’ food, you should immediately freeze it for 2 to 5 days, because freezing will destroy all the bugs in it. The cold will successfully kill the bugs so the hamster can then consume food in no time.

But if the whole pack of pellets has too many bugs then it is best to throw them away and give them new food.

Bugs are not toxic to hamsters but still, hamsters will not get all the nutrients if bugs are in them.

In today’s article, you will find out which bugs attack the food of hamsters, what to do in such situations, and how to prevent the appearance of bugs in their food.

What to do if you find bugs in your hamster’s food?

If you find bugs in the food for hamsters, or rather in their pellets, you should react immediately so that problems do not arise for your pet.

If you see that there are a few bugs, it is enough to put the food in the refrigerator and freeze it, which will destroy or kill the bugs.

After a few days spent in the refrigerator, you can give the same food to the hamsters to eat again.

But if you find a large amount or a nest of bugs in the food, it is best to throw away the whole pellet pack and give them new pellets from another pack.

You need to check again if there are bugs in the new package, I hope there won’t be any.

What bugs most often attack hamsters’ food?

The very composition of hamster pellets contains a variety of food that is good for hamsters, but such food causes the appearance of bugs.

Various seeds and nuts in particular are a magnet for bugs in commercial hamster pellets.

The most common bugs that attack hamster food are Grain weevils, Indian meal moths, and Flour beetles, so let’s learn more about these bugs.

Grain weevils appear in hamster pellets

These bugs are red-brown or black and are 3-5 mm long. They sometimes know how to pretend that they are dead, but in fact, they are acting.

Grain weevils very often know how to appear and make a nest in grain and in places where food is stored.

If given the chance they will dig into hamster pellets or some other similar food.

Indian meal moths in hamster food

If you get Indian meal moths in your hamster’s food, immediately refrigerate them for 24-48 hours to help destroy them.

Then you can give the food to the hamsters again, but if the whole package has Indian meal moths, throw it away and give them a new package of food that you will examine first.

Indian meal moths are small winged bugs that attack hamster food, such as grains, cereals, and nuts.

Flour beetles in hamster food

Flour beetles reach a length of 3/16 of an inch, and their color can be different, for example, it can be:

  • dark brown
  • red
  • dark cherry color

These bugs are known for having very flat dark bodies that allow them to more easily infiltrate in the cracks.

They like to attack food such as grains, hamster pellets, and other similar types of food.what to do if you find bugs in your hamster's food

What should I do if I find bugs in the hamster’s food?

If you find bugs in the food for hamsters, or rather in their pellets, you should react immediately so that problems do not arise for your pet.

If you see that there are a few bugs, it is enough to put the food in the refrigerator and freeze it, which will destroy or kill the bugs.

After a few days spent in the refrigerator, you can give the same food to the hamsters to eat again.

But if you find a large amount or a nest of bugs in the food, it is best to throw away the whole pellet pack and give them new pellets from another pack.

You need to check again if there are bugs in the new package, I hope there won’t be any.

Why should you not allow bugs in hamster food?

You should not allow bugs to get into the hamster food because then the food will not have the same nutritional value.

Here are some reasons why you should not allow bugs in your hamster pellets or other food.

Nutrients will be reduced

When the bugs attack the hamster food they will consume the nutrients from the food.

The commercial pellets will not have the same taste, aroma, and nutritional ingredients, which is not good for hamsters at all.

When the hamster eats unpalatable food, it may lose its appetite and develop diseases due to lack of nutrients.

If hamsters eat food infested with bugs it can harm their mental health. Hamsters may start to behave aggressively, be under stress, and other negative phenomena.

Hamsters may start fighting among themselves, or be aggressive towards their owners.

This happens as a reaction of the hamsters because they consume low-quality food. After all, the bugs ate everything that was of good quality in it.

They will spread throughout your home

If bugs appear in your hamster’s food and you leave them free to spread and breed, they are a threat to your home.

If you don’t destroy them then you will have a big problem with bugs, so don’t let this situation happen.

Even though bugs are small, they will create a problem with the hamster and your home through the food of the hamsters, so keep them away and destroy them promptly.

How do I stop bugs from attacking the hamster’s food?

To prevent an infestation of bugs in the food of the hamsters, you need to take certain steps. You should not allow them to nest and spread in your pet’s food.

So here are some tips to prevent bugs from attacking your hamster’s food.

Freeze hamster food

If you put the food of the hamsters in the refrigerator then you can be sure that they will not be able to attack the bugs.

Bugs never approach refrigerators because they like the cold temperature and storing food in this way is very safe.

Even if there are a few bugs in the pellets when they are frozen, they will not be able to survive, just like their larvae and eggs.

By storing the food in this way, you will be sure that bugs will not be able to enter or reproduce in the food of the hamsters.what to do if you find bugs in your hamster's food

Store food in airtight containers

Another great way to prevent bugs from getting to your hamster’s food is by using airtight food containers.

Airtight containers prevent bugs from finding the hamster food and it will always be safe.

Since these containers are hermetically sealed, they do not allow odors to escape from the food, and therefore bugs cannot find the food for your pet.

Airtight containers can be found in many different shapes and sizes, so you can find the right one for your hamster’s food.

Check the pellet packaging

When you buy commercial pellets, check if there are bugs in them, which will reduce the chances of them reaching your home and the hamsters.

If you notice that the pack of pellets has bugs then take it back to the pet store and ask for a replacement. Some stores offer replacement packaging or refunds.

Detecting bugs even before you bring them with the food to the hamsters is the best prevention, or as the doctors say, prevention is better than cure.

Buy smaller quantities of hamster food

You don’t always have to buy large packages of pellets or other hamster food. In this way, you will reduce the chances of bugs appearing in your pet’s food.

Even if bugs appear in the food, when you buy a smaller amount, you won’t waste too much food.

Another important thing that is good about small packages is that if one package has bugs, the other one may not, and the hamster food waste will be less.

Plus tip: always have one package of hamster food in reserve, because if you throw away what you use because of bugs, you will always have a reserve, and your pet will not stay hungry for a long time.

Clean the cage and your home regularly

Bugs appear because of food, but also because of dirt in the cage or in your home.

That’s why the cage of the hamsters should be cleaned regularly, thoroughly cleaned once a week with disinfectants or vinegar and water.

Just like the cage, the room where the hamsters are and the whole home should be regularly cleaned and maintained to prevent the appearance of bugs.

The cleaner the environment around the hamsters and their cage, the lower the chances of bugs appearing.

Can I use pesticides to remove insects from the hamster cage?

You can use pesticides to remove insects from the hamster cage, but you must pay attention to their composition.

It is best to use organic products without chemicals so that there is no danger to the health and life of your hamster.

But always before you start using pesticides you should consult a veterinarian.

We should mention that even with pesticides you will not be able to 100% remove the insects from the hamster cage.

Frequently asked questions

Can hamsters get food poisoning?

Hamsters can be poisoned by food, water, and waste if they are contaminated. That’s why you should keep hamsters away from chemicals and toxic plants. If poisoning happens by accident, you should immediately take them to a veterinarian.

Is it OK for hamsters to eat bugs?

Hamsters can eat bugs because they are omnivores, but this does not mean that they should eat bugs all the time. Their main food should be pellets, vegetables, and fruits, while insects and bugs should be eaten occasionally.

Can hamsters eat everyday?

Hamsters can eat every day and it is recommended that you feed them in the evening when they wake up. Hamsters eat in the evening, that’s their breakfast time and that’s when they’re hungriest.

Conclusion

If you find a few bugs in your hamster’s food, it should be frozen for a few days to kill the bugs and then you can feed them again.

But if there is an infestation of bugs then throw away the whole package and give them new food.

To prevent the appearance of bugs in the food of the hamsters, you can use hermetic containers for food that do not allow the appearance of bugs.

You can also buy small quantities of pellet packs so you don’t have to throw away large amounts of food. Cleaning the cage and your home is another way to prevent bugs from appearing in your pet’s food.

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