Actually , it is hard to see if hamsters are fat or not cause some of them have naturally chubby appearance (some hamsters looks fat cause their cheek pouches are full !）lol .

Of couse , it is important to monitor their weight . The accurate average weight is non-existent. the below information for adult hamster just for your reference :

1. A Russian or Siberian dwarf hamster, also known as a Winter White or Campbell’s dwarf hamster, normally weighs 1.5 – 2 ounces (or 40 – 60 grams) on average.
2. A Roborovski dwarf hamster will normally weigh 1 – 1.5 ounces (or 25 – 40 grams) on average.
3. A Chinese dwarf hamster will normally weigh 1.5 – 1.8 ounces (or 40 – 50 grams) on average.

Arrange a kitchen scale , guide your hamster into a proper size container and check the weight . A little high or a little lower than the reference date is ok , if it over much than it , you need to pay more attention to your baby. Watch he if is active , bright and always be energied . and keep a health diet and stick to it . ( a tablespoon of mixed seed/vegetables/dried fruits .... per day is enough for most hamster ) Do not add some sweet food , like cake ,corn syrup,molasses .

When hamster have disease like tumor , it also will look unhealth fat which shows very over to one side and his upper body and limbs will emaciated which is very dangerous ,should take him to see vet at once .

All in all , Unhealth diet , not enough exercise , tumor disease will cause overweight .

Hamsters in good health are usually chubby looking little fellows. They typically like to hoard their food away from their dishes however, this does not necessarily mean they are eating it. I discovered that my hamsters would start urinating and defecating on the hoard pile and thus making it inedible. The hoard pile may look like perfectly good food but is not. As a result the hamster is not eating. Cages need to be cleaned out weekly, including hoarded food.

A small checklist to ask yourself would be:

• Are you feeding your hamster everyday and not depending upon what appears to be food in the cage? Is it fresh, clean food? Moldy, dusty food can put a hamster off his feed, besides make him sick if he does attempt to eat it.

A nice food mix for hamsters. This contains dried fruit, nuts, mealworms, seeds and extruded mixture. A few drops of vitamins and olive oil or butter will boost energy levels and help with weight gain.

• Does your hamster have scours (wet tail) or other bowel problems? Get it to a vet right away. Wet tail can kill a hamster within a day and is a life threatening condition.

Wet tail

• How are your hamster’s teeth? If they are too long they will not be able to eat because the tips dig into the roof of the mouth rendering the hamster unable to chew his food. Give your hamster something hard to chew on. Clean wood, hard shell nuts or commercial chews will work. Hard biscuits like Milk Bone are good. If the teeth are overgrown then they will need trimming. A vet should do this as it is a bit tricky for a first time attempt.

Overgrown teeth

Healthy teeth

• How is your hamster’s activity level? Healthy hamsters can travel up to a mile or so each night. Safe exercise wheels are necessary to good health. Make sure the wheel is a proper diameter for your hamster. Syrian hamsters require a 10–12 inch wheel in order to avoid abscesses or injury from interference.

These flying saucer designs seem to be the safest for hamsters since it is solid and the hamster cannot be injured by moving parts.

• Are you cleaning your hamster’s cage every week without fail, including all the food? Is the food dish washed each day? Small Pyrex dishes are excellent ones to use. They are easily cleaned and you can see any build up on them right away.

• Hamster water needs to be changed daily since bacteria can breed in it at room temperature. Serve it in a small bottle with a ball valve tube.

Small animal water bottles with bases.

They can be hung on the side of the cage or suspended from the top.

• Something else should also be considered. How old is your hamster? Most hamsters live 2–3 years. If your hamster is a senior, it very well could be nearing it’s end sadly.

Take your hamster to a vet for a checkup. He should not be thin.

Hamster Club :: Health

Common Diseases and Health Problems in Hamsters

HamsterHealth

Hamsters are Omnivores. Believe it or not, eating insects makes them an omnivore. While hamsters dont mind the seed packed hamster food with bits of corn and some dry bits to add protein. they also love greens! you can find several lists of safe veggies and fruits for your Hammy, though, i would avoid Letteuce as it can harm your hammy to the point of death if given more than a few very small pieces each week [I avoid it all together as everyone has a different definition of small.]

Dog kibble is not good for a hammy but, in small amounts its fine. by small i mean one piece of high quality dog kibble per month. low quality dog kibble has too much substitute products which makes it unhealthy. [I highly reccomend Ceasar dry food and other purina brands.]

Next you can feed them COOKED and UNSEASONED beef and Chicken. Quitr a shock, hm? but yes. This came from a couple different friends who have owned healthy hammies for years. However, do not feed them too much. They may begin only eating the meat [which, while cool, isnt good for your hammy] or getting overly fat. a few shreds of chicken or beef is plenty.

next, canned dog food. No gravy please! tge gravy is high in unhealthy ingredients so only get the dog food that has 0 gravy too it. cut it VERY small and hand some to the hammy to nibble. i would only do this once or twice a month to avoid them wanting to only eat it.

dog buiscuits are also very good but hammies may prefer them over food and they cant derive the needed vitamins from dog buiscuits so only use them for teething. if they dont touch their food while its in the cage, remove it for a bit.

I have noticed my Hammies actually like sweet foods as treats. These foods are the go-to for many rodent moms;

Fruit loops - Our children have passed this love onto the hammies. Hamsters, guinea pigs, gerbils. mice, ferrets and rats all can enjoy 1 fruit loop a week. [i give mine one each on wednesday. my guinea pig, being he is larger, gets three.]

Skinned green Grapes - These are very popular. put them into quarters and offer one to a hammy. mind you. these should also be sparingly but can be given more than Fruitloops. i suggest one full grape every three or four days.

Radish Coins - Buy ‘em at Walmart. The bag will last a while and if you break of a few small pieces at a time. your hammy will thank you! they love radishes. avoid giving them radish leaves however.

Blueberries - Sparingly. oh so sparingly. These berries are very sugary and so i would avoid giving them more than 1 per week.

Newspaper Ball - The crinkled paper is just so enticing! Not only does it make a good chew and play toy, but, it also make an excellent bedding. you can watch an interested Hammy grab and chew the paper up. if they eat it, do not fret. many rodents, especially wild mild and rats, eat worse things and live to tell the tale.

now, the last one may be quite interesting to you. but. they also love to eat Broccoli. Its very healthy and a single tiny tree can keep a hammy busy for days [unless hes a hyper active hammy then a few hours, lol!]

I hoped this helps, but, you can look up your question and find dozens of articles. look at what is consistent and take it from there.

Sally, the first hamster my family adopted, was an older girl who had escaped in a pet shop before being rediscovered months later. Having had unlimited access to all the food she could ever dream of, it’s safe to say she was on the (very) pudgy side.

We bought a multi-floor enclosure for her and set the food on the first floor. The very first time she climbed the ramp, she was so worn out that she fell asleep right there! She loved the condo setup though, especially all the ramps and tubes. Giving her the space and motivation to exercise were definitely what helped her the most to begin with. She had access to plenty of food and water and an exercise wheel the whole time.

After a short while, when she’d slimmed down a little and settled in, we began introducing different ways for her to exercise: she adored exploring in a hamster ball and climbing the stairs. She could grip onto the carpet really well so each stair was like a little pull-up. The Habitrail cage we put her in when we cleaned out her regular house had loads of tubes in different orientations. Once she got the hang of it, she was pretty speedy - even through the vertical ones!

As far as diet goes, though intended as a treat, chew sticks are a great motivator for a hamster to work for their food. In-shell peanuts are also lots of fun! Even if your hamster is a bit chubby, don’t take away their food. They pouch and store most of what they’re given and having a decent stock makes them feel safe and happy. Go easy on the sugary treats like yogurt drops. Consider scattering food around your hamster’s enclosure rather than keeping it in a bowl beside their bed.

Within a year, our hammy was looking perfectly healthy, with bright eyes and silky fur. Stairs were no match for her and she’d run in her wheel every day! Exercise is definitely the way forward.

In the end, Sally lived for over two years - that’s elderly by any Syrian hamster’s standard. Good luck with your hammy!

The most likely reason your hamster has become thin is that it is not eating enough and/or may be sick.

If your hamster is not eating enough it may be due to a variety of factors. These include:

A drop in temperature may have caused food to go stale or become less aromatic, which will prevent the hamster from being drawn to the food bowl. Providing your hamster with a heat lamp can help combat this problem.

Food that has gone stale may also cause your hamster to lose interest in the food bowl, so it’s important to monitor the freshness of all food provided to your pet. If you are unsure about how long the food has been open, refrain from feeding it to your pet until you have checked with a professional or read the instructions on the package.

If there are any unpleasant smells around its cage, such as ammonia, it will also cause your pet’s appetite to decrease. Cleaning out their cage often can help eliminate this problem. If your pet is under stress, it may also cause them not to eat as much.

If your hamster is sick, it may not eat as much. There are a number of reasons for this. If your pet has lost any weight or become thin, it may be because it is sick or injured, or it is close to dying. Your pet may have small cuts on its body that are causing pain when it moves around in its cage, preventing it from eating.

Also, your pet’s organs may not be working correctly due to illness, which will also cause the hamster to lose weight and become thin. For any illness that you suspect your pet has, you should take them to the vet for treatment as soon as possible.

Another reason your hamster may have become thin is because they have an infection in their digestive system. This can cause them not to eat for a few days until the infection goes away on its own.

This type of infection usually responds well to antibiotics and other medications administered by a veterinarian.

If you continue to feed your hamster after they have lost weight and become thin it can actually make things worse because the food will just pass through their digestive system without being digested.

How can you help a sick hamster gain weight?

If your hamster is sick and thin, there are some steps you can take to help them gain weight. These include:

If your pet is not eating, you should start this process by force feeding it. The first thing you will need to do is mix up some fresh food with water to make it a little bit runnier so that it can be easier for your hamster to eat.

Try using a spoon or a syringe if necessary to get the food into its mouth. If necessary, use a light source or even a laser pointer if they normally go after these types of things in their cage to get them interested in eating food again. If you notice that there are any cuts on your pet’s body, you should clean them out with mild soap and warm water before force feeding them again.

You should also keep an eye on these cuts and change their bandages every day while they are healing so that they do not become infected.

If you want to learn more about hamsters, please check out VIVO Pets.

Weigh them. Get some digital kitchen scales, before turning them on put a container on top then turn them on and put your hamster in the container for a few seconds.

If your hamster weighs more than the average by a few ounces/grams then you need to put your hamster on a diet. Campbells dwarf hamsters are extremely prone to obesity and diabetes and it's incredibly important that they don't end up obese. They should only be given 1 tablespoon of hamster food per day with not many sunflower or pumpkin seeds, and any nuts should be extremely limited as all are high in fat. They should also be fed a teaspoon of appropriate vegetables per day. Hamster treats should be incredibly limited to once every 2 weeks.

Whilst this is a guide for weight, if you have a Campbells or winter white and it's at the higher end of the below weight then your hamster is already approaching obesity.

Sadly, hamsters do not live very long. Even with the best care they live only two years.

What gets a lot of them in the end is some problem with their teeth, so that they can't eat properly. It's vital to feed them hard foods like kibbles and sunflower seeds, and not soft foods like cooked oatmeal. Soft leafy veggies should be avoided too. Let them eat broccoli and carrots, which they love! Every little bit of hardness helps their teeth.

Most pet stores have hard wooden toys you can give your hamster to chew on.

A vet can check your hammy's teeth and sometimes they can even be filed down to give your pet a second chance. But it's difficult to do.

Yes they can. More commonly in Campbell's Russian Dwarf hamsters. But any hamster can become obese. That's why it's recommended that hamsters only have a few nuts, pumpkin seeds and treats a week. Most treat sticks are covered in honey, so they are also full of fat and sugar. Most hamsters will burn off the calories, but some don't. Campbell's can become very fat, and they are prone to diabetes. In my experience, female hamsters are more likely to become overweight, and Campbell's become overweight very quickly. The added weight makes it harder for them to exercise, so they continue to get fatter. Limiting sugary treats and fatty seeds and nuts is the best way forward. Plus providing a cage that is 360 square or more, with a suitable sized wheel and other exercise toys, will also help.

Only if you feed too much commercial hamster treats and chocolate, which is why the packets say that you should limit the amount of hamster chocolate buttons you give them each day. The problem is that hamsters are natural hoarders, so you never know how much they have eaten each day because much of their food they will pouch and store in their bed. Certain types of nuts can also be fattening for a hamster.

Unlike some dogs and goldfish, hamsters generally will only eat as much as they need, they are not greedy animals. I remember hearing about how over feeding goldfish can be deadly as they never seem to know when they are full, and they can literally eat until their stomachs burst. Even if this is true with goldfish, you shouldn't have this problem with hamsters.

Thanks for the a2a

Part 1 of 2:Exercising Your Hamster
1. Provide the cage with a hamster wheel or "tread-wheel".

This is a wheel that turns about when the hamster steps inside and causes the hamster to run as he continues to turn it around. When choosing a hamster wheel or tread-wheel, the following is recommended:

Ensure that the wheel is solid. If your hamster chews a great deal a solid metal wheel is best. Never use a mesh or barred wheel - these can cause serious injury because the feet can get stuck between the slats or bars.

Check the wheel for size. Syrian/Golden hamsters need wheels that are at least 8" in diameter although 10" plus-sized wheels are guaranteed to be large enough for their entire life. Dwarf species require wheels to be a minimum of 6.5" in diameter. Wheels that are too small can cause severe back problems and is often a reason for hamsters not using them and subsequently becoming bored.

Don't place a hamster wheel into a cage with a nursing mother; the mother may lose interest in her young and young hamsters tend to try to get in the wheel together and run on top of one another, thereby creating the potential for injury.

2. Give your hamster a hamster ball.

A hamster ball is another great way to give your pet some fun exercise in a safe way. The beauty of a hamster ball is that your hamster cannot fit under anything and get stuck; just make sure that the lid to the ball is closed tightly so that your hamster doesn't get loose. Also make sure that there are no stairs or other drop-offs that your hamster could roll over. As with wheels, ensure that they are large enough to prevent damage to their spines.

When using a hamster ball outside the cage, be present at all times so that you can fend off any other pets or hazards before they turn into a problem.

It is a good idea to lay down a hula hoop on the floor to provide a boundary that prevents the hamster ball from going anywhere else. You should still watch your hamster in the ball but this makes it easier to keep your hamster in one place.

3. Provide the ability to indulge in climbing.

Hamsters love to climb, which is why providing a cage with horizontal bars on it is a great way to encourage your hamster to climb (it also provides terrific ventilation). Of course, the downside for you of a bar cage is that the mess drops out easily. Try to find ways to deal with this, such as having newspaper laid across the surface where the cage sits, or locating the cage inside a much larger base container to catch things that fall out.

If you have a Roborovski hamster, choose a mouse cage over a metallic hamster cage because the young ones can squeeze between the bars and escape.

4. Provide toys.

Play is exercise and toys are the tools of play that lead to exercise. There are quite a few hamster toys you can improvise, or you can buy them from the pet store if preferred. Here are just some ideas to get you started:

A piece of sisal rope: Hang it from the top of the cage. This is great for climbing practice.

Build hamster toys out of household items such as empty kitchen and toilet paper rolls. These are very similar to the movement provided by the hamster ball, these will delight the hamster for ages until he discovers he can chew it up too!

A stump of wood or tree twigs taken from fruit or willow trees. These will give the hamster something to chew on (jaw exercise) as well as material to carry about and build with.

Small smooth stones or pebbles of interesting shapes: These could act like mini-weights, as the hamster carries them about, rolls them, and tries to build things with them.

Tin cans which have had all sharp ends removed. This can make a good metallic tube for the hamster to explore.

Jar without a lid. This can be another fun place to explore and roll around in.

Boxes with multiple openings. This can provide good exercise through hunting and seeking to get through and around the boxes. You could also place differently sized boxes inside a large container to make an open playpen for your hamster to explore.

5. Buy hamster tubes.

You can buy hamster tubes to create an elaborate labyrinth for your hamster to climb in. This gives the hamster a lot of places to climb and plenty of tubes to run around through. Buy a few to extend your cage, or buy many to make the tubes cover an entire wall. Remember, Syrian hamsters might not fit in the tubes and get stuck, so make sure your hamster is small enough to get through the tubes.

Part 2 of 2:Knowing How To Care For Your Exercising Hamster
1. Understand the importance of exercise for your hamster.

Hamsters need exercise to prevent them from becoming obese and to mimic the running about that they'd be doing if they lived in the wild. Insufficient exercise for your hamster can lead to obesity, and even to paralysis in some hamsters. The great thing about hamsters is that if you give them the means to exercise, they will.

2. Keep your hamster happy with exercise.

Hamsters get bored if they don't exercise. They may become lethargic, irritable, and destructive. Bored hamsters can chew on the cage and destroy items in their cage. They may also be difficult to handle. Exercising a hamster will keep it happy and help prevent this.

3. Protect the hamster from hazards.

When your hamster is playing outside its cage, make sure you hamster-proof the room. Hazards such as electrical cords, toxic plants, small hiding spaces, pets, and drop-offs like stairs can cause injury to your hamster. Try putting your hamster in a playpen.

If you have the hamster out of the cage, make sure you are supervising it so it doesn't get hurt.

4. Keep the water supply topped up.

Hamsters need to stay well hydrated. Ensure that the hamster's water supply is adequately filled at all times.

If the hamster is playing outside of its cage, like in a hamster ball, make sure to make the hamster take a break every 15-20 minutes so it can eat and drink water. You can place them in the ball 2-3 times a day.

I took care of my daughter’s hamster for a month. She sent along a bag of hamster chow. It looked dried up and awful, so I looked up online the best food for hamsters, and whaddya know, I already had a whole lot of food that hamster could eat! So I fed it with fresher food and put the bag of mix outside for whatever animals might come along and wish to eat it. Health food is healthy food. I had a good time with the little girl, played with her every night, and when I cleaned her enclosure I put her in the bathtub (dry!) to play with stuff she could chew on. Oh, and I got her a wire cage and put the glass aquarium down the basement. Don’t keep hamsters in aquariums. Fresh air will keep them healthy. Well, you do your own research.

Method 1 of 2:Checking Your Hamster's Weight
1. Know a dwarf hamster's average adult weight.

In general, there are three different species of dwarf hamsters that are kept as pets — Russian or Siberian dwarf hamsters, Roborovski dwarf hamsters, and Chinese dwarf hamsters. Each species of hamster has a slightly different average weight range, as follows:

A Russian or Siberian dwarf hamster, also known as a Winter White or Campbell's dwarf hamster, normally weighs 1.5–2 ounces (43–57 g) on average.

A Roborovski dwarf hamster will normally weigh 1–1.5 ounces (28–43 g) on average.

A Chinese dwarf hamster will normally weigh 1.5–1.8 ounces (43–51 g) on average.
2. Find a scale suitable to weigh your hamster.

In order for the weight of your hamster to register on a scale, the scale needs to be one designed for items like food or postal items. Based on the average weight of a dwarf hamster, the scale needs to be able to read weights as low as 1 ounce (28 g). Scales such as these can be found at kitchen stores or department stores, or even online.
3. Weigh your hamster.

Hamsters aren't known for sitting still for very long periods of time! As such, you'll need to entice your hamster to stay on the scale long enough to obtain a weight. If you find your hamster won't stay on her own, you can try the following tricks to weigh her:

Place a very small box or container on top of the scale. This box needs to be big enough to hold your hamster, but small enough to fit on the scale.

Place a couple of treats or seeds inside the box or container.

Reset the scale to zero so the weight of the box and treats aren't included in the measurement.

Place your hamster inside the box or container and hold your hand over top to discourage her from escaping.

Take note of the weight.
4. Keep track of your hamster's weight.

Once you know what your hamster weights, write it down in a chart. From this point forward weigh your hamster on a regular basis — once a month, or once every few months. Each time you weigh your hamster, write it down in the chart. And, each time you weigh your hamster, compare his actual weight to the average adult weights for that hamster breed.

Baby hamsters will obviously weigh quite a bit less than adult hamsters, so you won't need to compare your hamster's weight to the adult average until he's at least 12 weeks old.

If your hamster weights significantly more than the average adult weight for that hamster species, your hamster could be obese.
5. Observe your hamster's general health regularly.

Comparing your hamster's weight to the average adult weight of that species of hamster is one way to determine if your hamster is overweight, but it's not the only way. If you hamster has a higher than average weight, but she's active, energetic, bright-eyed, and eating properly, she may not be obese, just higher than average.

If you hamster is showing signs of illness, in addition to being over the average weight for her species, there's a significant chance your hamster is obese.

Look for general signs of illness like dull eyes and fur, laziness and excessive sleep, and a serious lack of energy and activity.

Feel for the amount of fat that covers your hamster's bones. OK, hamsters are tiny, but you should be able to get an appreciation of where her ribs are and her backbone. If you can't and there is padding between your fingertips and the spine, then the hamster is likely to be obese.
6. Put your hamster on a diet.

If you find that your hamster has an above-average weight, and he's gotten a little lazy, it may be time to put him on a healthier diet with more time for exercise. Allowing your hamster to stay overweight for too long is very unhealthy and can lead to more serious problems, such as: a reduced lifespan, type 2 diabetes, heat intolerance, skin issues, heat, and other circulatory system problems.

A hamster diet simply means you need to follow a regular schedule and only provide your hamster with the proper amounts of food every day. You should also give your hamster the opportunity to do a variety of activities every day.

The combination of both a healthy diet and regular exercise should get your hamster back to an average weight. If, however, your hamster has been overweight for a long time, or he is showing other signs of illness, you should take him to your veterinarian to be examined.

If you have concerns about your hamster's diet, take him to your veterinarian and get help on what and how much to feed your hamster in order to help him lose weight.
Method 2 of 2:Keeping Your Hamster Healthy and Fit
1. Ensure your hamster always has access to water.

Hamsters, just like most pets, need access to a source of fresh water 24 hours a day. Because hamsters spend the majority of their time inside their cages, the best source of water is via a water bottle that hangs on the side of the cage. While the water bottle may hold enough water to last more than one day, it is best to refill your hamster's water bottle every day.

While a hamster can drink out of a water bowl, they aren't recommended. Not only can bowls tip easily (which means you have to clean the cage more often) but it's easy for your hamster to get her poop or bedding in the water.

An average, inexpensive water bottle will most likely be made of plastic. But because hamsters like to chew things, plastic water bottles (and plastic food dishes, and plastic anything) will likely get chewed and damaged over time and need replacing. Instead, you might want to consider buying a water bottle made of glass and/or metal so it won't need to be replaced later.
2. Feed your hamster healthy food in the proper amounts.

In general, you should look for store-bought hamster food that contains 12 – 15% protein and 3 – 6% fat. If you hamster is already obese, you'll want to look for a food with a lower fat content. All hamster food should have this information printed on the package, most likely on one of the sides. Hamsters also need their food to be high in carbohydrates because they need a lot of energy to be so active. Other things to consider when buying hamster food are:

Always make sure the food hasn't expired by checking the expiry date. Select the bag with the expiry date that is furthest away.

If you have store-bought hamster food at home for more than three months, throw it out and buy new food.

Dwarf hamsters only need to be fed 1 – 2 tablespoons of hamster food per day. You can give this amount all at once, once a day, or break up the amount and feed your hamster twice a day.

Always store your hamster's food in a cool, dry place. You can even put it inside an airtight container and store it in the fridge.

A hamster's daily food intake should consist of at least 50% store-bought hamster food.

It's okay to feed your hamster both store-bought seed mixes and pellets at the same time. In fact, your hamster may appreciate the variety.

Seed mixes usually contain a variety of different seeds, grasses, grains, dried fruits, and vegetables. Some hamsters may pick and choose which items they eat and which they leave behind — and they're more likely to eat the high-fat items first. You can always sort out the seed mix and remove the high fat seeds (e.g. sunflower seeds, pumpkin seeds, etc.) and only provide them as a treat once in a while.
3. Cut up some fruits and vegetables for your hamster.

Hamsters can be fed all sorts of different fruits and vegetables, but each individual hamster may have her favourites. You can add approximately 1 square inch worth of fruits and veggies to your hamster's diet every day. If you feed your hamster too many fruits or vegetables, he may get diarrhea. It's also a good idea to remove any leftover fruits and veggies from your hamster's cage within 30 minutes. Hamsters can't always tell if fruit or veggies have gone bad, and can get sick from eating spoiled produce.

The following fruits and vegetables are safe to feed your hamster: celery, carrots, apples, broccoli, plums, figs, peas, strawberries, melons, beets, cauliflower, grapes, plantains, soy sprouts, pumpkin, sweet potato, rose hips, cucumber, zucchini, dandelions, clover, mint, timothy hay, herbal hay, stinging nettles, chamomile, apples, pears, hazelnuts, and bananas.

You can also give a hamster the twigs from apple, pear, hazelnut and beech trees to chew on, although make sure they're from trees that aren't sprayed with pesticides.

The following fruits and vegetables should be avoided, as they may make your hamster ill: cabbage, onions, leeks, spinach, sorrel, rhubarb, raw potatoes, corn, alfalfa, citrus fruit, peaches, apricots, nectarines, pineapple, raspberries, twigs from evergreen trees, horse chestnuts, ivy, acorns, and any type of house plant.
4. Give your hamster healthy treats.

Every hamster will have treats that she prefers over others. In addition to fruits and vegetables you can also try giving your hamster a small amount of the following carbohydrates: whole wheat bread, cooked pasta or rice, sugar free cereals, cooked potatoes, barley, wheat, oats, and even dog biscuits on occasion for a special treat. You might even find that your hamster likes the following sources of protein: cooked eggs, cottage cheese, live mealworms, insect larvae, grasshoppers, crickets, and small bits of cooked chicken, beef, or fish..

Be careful when feeding your hamster the carbohydrates listed above, especially if you want your hamster to lose weight. Most store-bought food should have enough carbohydrates to balance your hamster's diet, so only give these as a special treat.

Most store-bought food will have enough protein that you won't need to provide any extra. But if you want to give your hamster one of the proteins listed above, do so only as a special treat.
5. Have a salt lick in your hamster's cage.

Hamsters, like a lot of wild animals, need to ingest salt on a regular basis in order to retain the water they drink and stay healthy. Small salt licks are available that can be placed inside your hamster's cage, sometimes they'll even come in the form of a toy. Your hamster will only consume the amount of salt he needs.
6. Pay attention to the amount of food your hamster hoards.

Hamsters are like squirrels: they hide their food and save it for later. Some foods — like seed mixes — make it easier for your hamster to hoard food because they already come in a small, storable size. The key is to make sure you stick to feeding your hamster ONLY her daily amount of food. It may look like she's hungry because her food bowl is empty, but in reality she may simply have hidden her food elsewhere in her cage.
7. Provide your hamster with in-cage exercise.

The most common form of exercise for a hamster inside his cage is a hamster wheel. These wheels attach to the side of the cage and are open on one side. The hamster is able to climb inside and run, like he's on a treadmill. In general, exercise wheels that do not have gaps between the rungs are best. Wheels with gaps can injure your hamster very easily, as his foot can get caught in the gap.

If your hamster's cage is in someone's bedroom, you may want to investigate which exercise wheel is the quietest. Hamsters will normally use their wheels at night, when you're trying to sleep, so the quieter the better.
8. Allow your hamster out of her cage for exercise.

Hamsters love exercise. While they're awake they should be constantly on the move. In the wild, hamsters can run over a mile every day in search of food! To give her a little variety over the exercise she can receive inside her cage, make her a play area outside of her cage as well. If you have no other pets (or the other pets don't harm or stress your hamster) you can just let her out of the cage to run around. Or, if you prefer something a little more secure, you can build her a small play area enclosure.

Get creative — build a hamster play area using old boxes, cardboard tubes (toilet paper tubes, paper towel tubes, etc.), ramps, and more. Then hide treats in and around the play area for your hamster to find. Use these items to create a maze for your hamster with treats at the end.

One great way to give your hamster exercise is to let her climb the stairs. Because a dwarf hamster is so small, it'll probably need to be stairs that are covered in carpet.

The quintessential hamster exercise machine is the hamster exercise ball. It's basically a large plastic ball (maybe the size of a volleyball) that has a door and lots of air vents. You can put your hamster inside, through the door, and then put the ball on the ground. Your hamster will run around inside like she would on their exercise wheel, but the ball will move from place to place so she can explore. While it may look funny, don't let your hamster go down the stairs in an exercise ball or allow her anywhere near standing water, like a pool.

Here are some guidelines for feeding your hamster:

1. Commercial hamster food: A good quality commercial hamster food can form the basis of your hamster's diet. Look for food specifically formulated for hamsters containing various seeds, grains, and pellets.
2. Fresh fruits and vegetables: Hamsters also enjoy and benefit from fresh fruits and vegetables. Some good options include apples, carrots, broccoli, and spinach. However, be careful not to overfeed fruits and vegetables, as they are high in sugar and can cause diarrhea if given in excess.
3. Protein sources: Hamsters need protein to maintain healthy muscles and organs. Good protein sources include cooked chicken, boiled eggs, mealworms, and crickets.
4. Treats: While limiting treats is important, they can be given in moderation. Good options include plain popcorn, small amounts of cheese, and nuts. Avoid sugary treats and anything high in fat.
5. Water: Always provide your hamster with fresh, clean water. A water bottle is the best way to ensure your hamster can always access water.

Here are some foods to avoid feeding your hamster:

1. Citrus fruits: Hamsters cannot digest them, so it's best to avoid them altogether.
2. Onions and garlic: These foods can cause stomach upset and should be avoided.
3. Sugary foods: As mentioned earlier, hamsters are prone to diabetes and obesity, so avoiding sugary treats is important.
4. Avocado: Avocado contains persin, which can be toxic to hamsters and other small animals.

Feeding your hamster a balanced and varied diet is key to their health and well-being. Consult your veterinarian for any concerns or questions about your hamster's diet.

Unless you’re familiar with how to hydrate an animal, have the necessary supplies and equipment, and know EXACTLY how many ccs of fluids to give, you take him to the vet.

I know nothing about hamsters. Ask your vet if you can safely give him a pinch of salt, which would make him thirsty and want to drink more. I DON’T KNOW IF THIS IS SAFE FOR HAMSTERS. The bottom line: ASK YOUR VET before doing ANYTHING. Just make sure his water bottle is full and functioning properly.

If your hamster got dehydrated because his water bottle was empty, he should be able to rehydrate himself, depending upon for how long he went without water. Mice will die if they don’t have access to water for 24 hours, so ASK YOUR VET if he might require professional fluid therapy.

most fresh fruit and veg(fruit in small amounts ) seeds , pumpkin sunflower, flax, hemp not tons I sprinkle some in every other day or so, some pellets or a mix for hamsters only need a teaspoon a day and I don’t even give that 4 tsps a week i prob give as fresh with seeds is a better diet, mealworms most love to bits, they can have boiled/scrambled egg(microwave no oil/fats added) as a treat I use one egg between 2 rats 2 birds 3 mice 2 hamsters and the hedgehog , i give baby food as treats so jars with safe foods for omnivores, and baby type rice cakes/puffs etc, they can have cereal like branflakes shredded wheat ones with no sugar etc , they can have cooked or “raw” pasta and rice as a treat, small bit of meat not cooked in fat like chicken , beef, chicken is preferred

Seed mixes. Pellets aren’t good for hamsters, it’s like eating bread for the rest of your life!

Mealworms, boiled eggs, scrambled eggs, baby food (try to find some that doesn’t have a lot of fruit in it) ,and cooked non flavored chicken are great for elderly hamsters.

Cucumbers, celery, tomatoes, kale, and broccoli are also healthy foods for hamsters.

Herbs like rosemary are good for hamsters as well

Some sprays like flax sprays, oat sprays, and millet sprays are great for hamsters and encourage them to forage for food and it makes the enclosure look better.

Depends on what diet you give him/her. Some hamster foods will have sunflower seeds in them, remove the seeds or pick out the seeds that are in excess. A couple of seeds per bowl fill is fine. The fats in seeds are good for them, but not in excess. It could be down to the frequency of feeding. Hamsters hoard their food so feeding them too often is never good. I tend to make sure my hams have eaten what they already have before replenishing (unless food looks off or cages need cleaning. Also supplying them with wheels will suffice but ensure the wheel is approx 30cm in diameter because it can damage their spine running so fast in such compact spaces. Furthermore, try letting them run in balls for a little while each day. But make sure it isnt too long as they can get dehydrated.

One last thing. Have you weighed your hamster? I thought one of my boys was getting fat but when I weighed him, he was in a healthy range.

Give them a huge enclosure with a lot of bedding to burrow in! Hamsters love burrowing, and most will burrow if given the chance. Hamsters are also very active animals, most commercial cages (such as the ones in pet stores) are too small for a hamster to be happy in. Having a large cage with deep substrate (at least 6 inches!) is an easy way to have a happy hamster.

You can also give your hamster a “sand bath” dwarf hamsters especially love them. A sand bath is just a bowl of safe sand (use sand, not dust or powder), reptile sand is great, and put it in the hamster’s enclosure. It’s really simple and dwarf hamsters love it, though syrian hamsters also do enjoy using a sand bath.

Hamsters of all kinds require both mental and physical stimulation.

Physical stimulation can be satisfied with:

-an appropriate wheel for the type of hamster and must be kept in the cage 24/7. (To tell if a wheel is a good you can ensure it has a back, solid non-wire flow and the hamster can run without his or her back arching)

-an appropriate size cage, most stores bought cages are too small. A good cage by USA standards is around 450 square inches while according to German standards its about 1000 Square inches. The bigger is always better. There are many DIY cages ideas available.

-a place to borrow. Appropriate bedding depth has been considered anywhere from 5–10 inches if I am correct. Not every bedding is good for borrowing and not every hamster borrows, but it is still best to offer the opportunity. The same goes for sand baths which also keep the hamster clean and add natural enrichment.

-In addition creating an environment with hidden tunnels (I personally bury glass jars in the bedding to create lots of hides and places to forage), bridges and a few DIY projects to keep him moving.

Mental Stimulation:

-Foraging. Scatter feeding, or simply hiding treats is a good way to get a hamster’s natural behaviors going. There are also DIY foraging toys that are basically free to make. (Like I mentioned earlier, I place food on DIY platforms, in “burrows” and something new ai discovered is putting some decent sized pebbles in the bowl and letting the food slide between them. I also give peanuts in the shell to provide a challenge)

-Changing the toys or overall set up of the case. I have more than one set of toys so I can switch them out whenever I think it is necessary. I also change the overall placement of objects, once I left the same toys but changed their position and my hamster did not show signs of boredom

-In addition, a cage setup is interesting. Media portrays a small cage with a wheel, food bowl, a little house, lots of tubes leading around the cage and water bottle. A better option would be lots of hides placed throughout the cage (multi-chamber hides are a nice and realistic option), a sand bath for natural enrichment and hygiene, deep substrate (preferably suitable for burrowing, particular with dwarf hamsters) as well as bridges and tunnels.

Lucky we are in the age where getting information is easy due a variety of hamster forums and “Pet-tubers” to provide their opinion and information.

rice pasta grains cooked or raw, seeds pumpkin, sunflower, sesame, flax, hemp, cooked meat no flavorings oil so if made roast chicken they’ll love some, dried mealworms, I also buy baby food and baby crisps/puffs etc as treats just make sure is safe foods in the baby food, fresh fruit and veg, i give mine fresh fruit and veg daily, hamster food is as and when they ask or i know low(my russian asks for food he desires my female is a mega hoarder so I give her food as and when as she always has enough for a small army whatever she says ;) ) seeds and worms i sprinkle in here and there , i also have quinoa normal and puffed i sprinkle in too, then is hammy treats like flavoured “yoghurt” drops and “muffins” i get in my pet shop here as my russian is an old boy he’s allowed whatever his lil heart desires now

I am not a hamster owner so I apologize in advance for any faux pas about using a mouse example for a hamster :)

I recently came across something called the Circadian Diet by Professor Satchin Panda of the Salk Institute

So the point of this finding was that when you eat is just as important as what you eat.

Hope this helps!

Footnotes

First, thank you for rescuing this baby.

I agree with other posters that you need to take him to a vet. In addition to being dewormed, he needs vaccinations.

Next: are you feeding him kitten food? Babies need a much higher-calorie food than adult cats do. Many grocery stores don't carry kitten food, but you can find it at PetSmart, PetCo, or on Amazon.

Do you have other cats? Is it possible that they are blocking him from the food dish? Or that he is afraid to eat because of past altercations? A kitten should come running for food. If he doesn't, you may need to feed him separately from your other cats.

If money is an issue, try calling local vets and explaining that you rescued this kitten. Sometimes they can offer payment plans or direct you to a local organization that provides more economical vet care. The good news is that deworming, routine testing, and kitten vaccinations are not that expensive. (But they do need to be done by a vet.)

A hamster should not be so skinny as to have absolutely no fat on its body.

If this is the case with your hamster, keep track of your hamsters eating habits and if it’s been having any weird behavior all the sudden and make choices off of that. Those choices being—

• Trying to get different food
• Taking them to the vet
• Feeding more protein (safe for the hamster of course! Some mealworms, bit of hard boiled egg, or a bit of cooked chicken could help!)

If they’re also showing signs of slowing down and being less active along with getting skinnier, they could just be getting old.

I’m not a vet so if your hamster is showing really concerning symptoms, please take it to the vet!