Looking after the hamsters well is the common interest of all hamster lovers. So, when it comes to looking after the hamsters well, feeding them appropriate food is the top priority. Hamsters usually have a sensitive digestive system, and this means you need to be mindful of what you are feeding them. Needless to say, only hamster-safe food should be fed to them. So, if we are feeding them something fresh, you should do a thorough check and see whether it is safe for you to feed them.
So, can you let hamsters eat crickets? The short answer is that you could offer crickets in exchange for hamsters. However, when you feed them, you need to make sure that you feed them in the right way. So, this post is about the correct way to feed them, the health benefits it may have, etc. In addition to that, we have explained how many crickets you should feed hamsters as well. So, take your time reading this article and learning about feeding crickets to hamsters.
Table of Contents
What are crickets?
Crickets are a small insect species. You may come across them all over the world in different natural habitats. They can make a home in anything they find. Crickets would form in a wide array of shapes as well as sizes. Further, they may grow up to 5 cm in length as well. Animal species such as birds and reptiles tend to feed on them. It is noteworthy that some people even opt to keep them as pets too.
Are crickets safe for hamsters?
Yes, crickets are safe for hamsters to consume. However, when serving crickets to hamsters, you must first go through some procedures before serving them. Also, be mindful of the number of crickets you serve them. If you feed them in the right way, crickets would be safe for the hamsters. It could provide plenty of health benefits for the hamsters.
Ideally, you should serve dead crickets for hamsters. I don’t recommend providing live crickets, as chances are that they may bite the hamsters. Besides, when you offer cooked crickets, ensure that you don’t add any of the flavors or additives. Go for completely plain crickets for the hamsters. Last but not least, you need to feed defrosted crickets to hamsters. Typically, many crickets arrive frozen, and you must defrost them before feeding them to the hamsters.
Will hamsters like Crickets?
The fact that hamsters like crickets or not would depend on the individual hamster’s species. If we consider the majority of hamsters, they would not like having crickets, just like they don’t prefer to have mealworms. Hamsters are omnivores. However, there could be some hamsters that don’t opt to feed on the meat. So, the answer to this question would be that different hamsters would react in different ways to crickets. Some may like it, while there will be some hamsters that will not like crickets.
Can Hamsters Eat Live Crickets?
Hamsters can eat live crickets. However, there is a potential for them to bite the hamsters when you serve them alive. Crickets have a great deal of protein and some other nutrients as well. It would be crucial for them to stay healthy and active as well. In addition to that, crickets would act as a great source of calcium and phosphorus too. These two minerals are crucial nutrients for the healthy life of hamsters.
Crickets have a low fat and calorie content. These characteristics make them a perfect choice for hamsters. So, to sum up, you can allow the hamsters to eat live crickets. That said, you need to ensure that they are not too big for the hamsters to eat. If they eat an excessively large Cricket, the hamsters will choke.
Can Hamsters Eat Dried Crickets?
The brief answer to this question is yes. Hamsters can eat dried crickets. That said, you should feed dried crickets at moderate levels at a time. Unless it could cause stomach upset. I recommend feeding dried crickets to hamsters because if you feed live crickets to hamsters, they will bite the hamster and injure them.
Can Hamsters Eat Freeze Dried Crickets?
If you have frozen, dried crickets and are wondering whether you could feed those to your beloved hamsters, yes, you could do that. Again, it is noteworthy that you should provide only small quantities of dried crickets for them. Dried Crickets are great sources of protein as well as other nutrients. Having said that, you should not allow them to eat only crickets, as they need a well-balanced diet to thrive.
Do not ever feed them with dried Crickets in excess as it would result in health-related problems then. So, try including freeze-dried Crickets only as a part of their diet. Ideally, you need to ensure that you feed veggies and fruits along with the freeze-dried chickens.
Further, when you feed freeze-dried chickens, ensure that you observe them closely to see how they react to it. There could be some hamsters who show allergic reactions to that. Therefore, I suggest you closely monitor the hamsters and check whether they develop any behavioral changes after they eat crickets. If you notice any behavioral changes, avoid feeding them to the hamsters and take them to a vet as soon as possible.
Nutrient Value of Crickets
The majority of edible bugs provide more protein than other popular animal-based protein sources including chicken, goat, and pork.
Crickets are rich sources of fat, potassium, calcium, zinc, copper, magnesium, folate, biotin, iron, and pantothenic acid in addition to protein.
Chitin, an insoluble fiber found in crickets, has been linked in certain studies to improved gut health. Chitin might function as a prebiotic, encouraging the development of good bacteria in the stomach.
Health Benefits of Nutrients Which Are Found In Crickets
Crickets would act as a great source of protein for hamsters. In addition to that, they would also supply nutrients such as calcium and phosphorus. Furthermore, crickets are low in fat and calories. These characteristics make them a healthy choice for hamsters. Generally, the hamsters that consume crickets tend to be more active and energetic. The protein and other nutrients are what make them more energetic and active.
Health Risks (Disadvantages) Of Crickets
As stated, there are multiple health benefits to feeding crickets to hamsters. Having said that, there could be several health-related risks from feeding crickets to hamsters. For example, if the hamsters happen to eat too many crickets, it could make them choke. You could commonly spot this among the young and the smaller hamsters. In addition to that, crickets may also come up with parasites and other diseases that would turn out to be harmful to the hamsters.
Additionally, hamsters can jump and startle other hamsters. Ultimately, it would make the hamsters stressed and anxious. So, if you wish to feed crickets to hamsters, I suggest you purchase them from a reliable source. Thereafter, freeze them and then offer them to the hamsters. That way, you can be sure that it has killed all the potential parasites it may contain.
How many Crickets can Hamsters eat?
Moderate quantities of crickets would be okay for the hamsters. Too much of any food would be harmful to hamsters, and it would be the same for the crickets as well. So, avoid feeding excess crickets to hamsters. If, by any chance, you happened to feed an abundance of crickets to hamsters, it would make them suffer from so many adverse repercussions. For example, it would result in stomach upsets, nutritional imbalance for the hamsters, etc.
How Often Can A Hamster Eat Crickets?
For large hamsters, you can feed crickets once a week. However, small hamsters should only be fed once a month.
Where To Get Crickets From?
I suggest you buy crickets from local pet stores. Ideally, you need to go ahead with the already-killed crickets. Next, wash them properly, and then serve them to the hamsters. It is best to avoid using wild crickets because they are likely to cause health issues in the hamsters. Needless to say, they would be pretty dirty as well.
How To Feed Crickets to Hamsters
When you feed crickets to hamsters, I suggest you hold the hamsters closer to you. You could socialize with them that way. It would help you strengthen the bond between the hamsters and you. When trying out crickets for the first time, only give them a small amount of crickets. Next, observe what kind of reaction they would show to that. I suggest you give dead crickets to hamsters, as if you happen to feed live crickets, chances are that they may bite you. You can consider feeding crickets along with treats such as pumpkin seeds, cabbage, and carrots.
How many crickets can Syrian hamsters have?
Syrian hamsters are large hamster species. This means they can handle the most crickets. Still, it would be best to feed a small cricket only once a week. Do not ever overfeed the crickets for Syrian hamsters, either. So, one cricket would be sufficient for a Syrian hamster.
How many crickets can Robo hamsters have?
Robo hamsters are smaller than Syrian hamsters. So, ensure that you feed them a limited amount of crickets when compared with the Syrian hamsters. For the Robo hamsters, I recommend feeding Crickets every two weeks. Always use this as a treat that you would give occasionally.
How many Crickets can Dwarf hamsters eat?
Dwarf hamsters are smaller hamster species when compared with ordinary hamsters. It would be best if you could serve crickets once a month for the dwarf hamsters. Remember to chop it into small pieces before serving it to the hamsters, as these are a small hamster species.
Conclusion
To conclude, it is absolutely fine to serve crickets to hamsters. However, what is important is to feed the crickets the correct amounts for the hamsters. Crickets are a very healthy snack for hamsters because they contain a variety of nutrients such as vitamins and minerals. So, try out feeding crickets to hamsters and observe how they react to them.
Hello, my name is Michelle and I’m a pet lover. For the past 12 years, I’ve been caring for pets. As a result of this, I decided to share my personal experience with you.
