Can Hamsters Eat Guinea Pig Food? | Learn Important Facts
Hamsters and guinea pigs are both famous as pets and are both rodents. So it’s only natural that these two types of animals have many similarities in different areas. As a result, many people end up asking, can hamsters eat guinea pig food?
In short, the answer is no. Pet lovers may want to feed guinea pig food to hamsters or vice versa, but both these animals have different needs. There may be certain food items that are eaten by both these animals, but the amount can’t be the same in most cases.
Hamsters and guinea pigs have different food preferences and nutritious needs. And their food pellets are designed based on their distinctive needs as well. Let’s learn more about their diet plans to understand why it’s important to follow independent diet plans for both these rodents.
Can Hamsters Eat Guinea Pig Food?
| Some Information About Hamsters | |
| Family | Rodentia |
| Fact | Has chunky cheeks, small body, stores food by burying or in cheeks, etc |
| Types | Syrian, Chinese hamster, Campbell Russian Dwarf Hamster, Winter White Russian Dwarf Hamster, Roborovski Dwarf Hamster, etc. |
| Weight | Around 1 pound (0.45 kilogram) |
| Lifespan | 2-3 years |
Hamsters are omnivorous animals. Their food consists of clean water, fruits, vegetables, meat, grass, and even insects. Since hamsters are omnivores, they need to have at least 20% to 25% protein in their diet.
Usually, commercial food and pellets designed for hamsters are properly made based on their nutritious needs.
On the other hand, guinea pigs are herbivores. As a result, their diet consists of vegetables, fruits, lots of hay, and of course, clean water. Guinea pigs cannot digest meat, and it is not good for their health.
Alfalfa hay is also prohibited for guinea pigs solely because it contains too much protein, which may cause urine stones.
I think now it’s pretty clear why guinea pigs and hamsters have different diets. Hamsters require a higher amount of protein to be healthy, while guinea pigs’ diet is not keen on protein.
Feeding each other diet to one will cause serious health issues in rodents.
So if you ever wonder, can guinea pigs eat hamster food the answer is no.
Hamsters Diet Plan
Hamsters are cute rodents. They’re very popular as pets in Europe. They are omnivore animals and their food consists of veggies, fruits, meat, grass, insects, and clean water.
There are many pellets comprising different food items, each having a different taste based on the contents used in it. These are usually made to make sure that a hamster’s needs are met, so a pet owner can easily rely on them for a healthy hamster.
A hamsters diet usually needs to comprise:
- 20-25% protein
- 40% carbohydrates
- 5% fat
- 5% fiber
You should consult your vet and come up with the right diet for your hamster. Fruits are important for hamsters, but it’s recommended to feed them a little amount (one dime size) in two to three days, or it may upset their stomach.
It’s not necessary to feed them meat directly as their pellets will have enough protein, but as treats, you can feed them chicken or beef once in a while.
Additional read: What Insects Do Hamsters Eat? | Proper Nutrition of Your Hamster
The meat needs to be fed unseasoned and fully cooked. Another interesting fact about hamsters is that they like to store food in their cheek, which can at times be extended to thrice their head size. They also bury food in their bedding to store it.
Hamsters’ diet can comprise:
- Apples (no seeds)
- Bananas
- Grapes (no seeds)
- Berries
- Cherries
- cantaloupe
- Papaya
- strawberries
- Mango
- Asparagus
- Basil
- Beans
- Broccoli
- radicchio
- Chicken
- Beef
- Pork
- Insects
- Nuts
- Kale
- Dandelion flower
- Spinach
- Zucchini
- Cloves
- mint
- Parsley, etc.
Even if you feed multiple fruits to your hamster, make sure that the amount is not over one dime size, that too to be provided once a week.
Food items that are rich in sugar should also be fed in little amounts. There are also food items that may seem harmless but may be bad or poisonous for your hamster, so be very careful about your hamster’s diet.
Guinea Pigs Diet Plan
Guinea pigs are herbivore animals. They weigh more than 3 pounds (1.36 kilogram) and are very popular as pets. As a guinea pig owner, you must understand their nutritious needs and provide the right diet.
As guinea pigs cannot make vitamin C for themselves, they need pellets and high vitamin C food items (grape, kiwi, orange, pawpaw, rock melon, strawberries, broccoli, Brussel sprouts, capsicum, cauliflower, Pak Choy, dandelions, parsley, rose hips, etc.) Hay is the staple food item of guinea pigs.
They also like to eat Honeydew Melon, watermelon, Baby Spinach, carrots, celery, corn, cucumber, cos lettuce, tomato, basil, clover, endive, milk thistle, oat grass, etc. However, some food items or parts of allowed food items may be toxic for guinea pigs.
Apart from that, clean water is absolutely important for guinea pigs. For more information, please check Guinea Pig | Facts, Fun, and Lifestyle | RodentsFact
Can Hamsters And Guinea Pigs Eat The Same Food?
After going through both hamsters; diets and guinea pigs’ diets, you can tell that many food items appear in both rodents’ diet lists. So why is the answer no when you ask can guinea pigs have hamster food?
The reason is the amount of those food items which can be fed to each of these animals. A hamster probably won’t die if you feed it guinea pig pellets for one day, but the hamster will surely fall sick in the long run.
Lots of vegetables and fruits can be eaten by both the animals. But hamsters don’t need as much fiber as a guinea pig does. On the other hand, a hamster requires a lot of protein in their diet hence they eat meat while guinea pigs don’t require that much protein, and they are also herbivores.
If you give too much protein to guinea pigs, they may have urine stones and other health issues. So food items with too much protein are avoided in the guinea pig diet. This makes the guinea pig diet unsuitable for hamsters.
On the other hand, guinea pigs require lots of vitamin C and their pellets and commercial foods are designed in that way. So if you feed guinea pig pellets to hamsters, too much vitamin C may end up making them fall sick, while a lack of protein will also make them weak. Their fur will get dull; they will be prone to other illnesses.
Safe food for hamsters:
Frequently Asked Questions
1. Can guinea pigs eat hamsters and gerbil food?
Guinea pigs cannot eat hamsters and gerbil food. This is because hamsters are herbivores and guinea pigs and gerbils are omnivores.
2. What are the food items that hamsters cannot eat?
Food items with too much fat or sugar, green parts of tomatoes like leaves, garlic, citrus fruits, eggplants, etc. are to be avoided in hamsters. Fruits seeds should also not be fed to hamsters.
Can a hamster kill a guinea pig?
Hamsters are solitary animals, while guinea pigs are more social. If put in the same cage, they will attack each other, trying to eliminate the opponent. This may even lead to one of the animals’ death, so yes, a hamster may end up killing a guinea pig.
Final Verdict
Hamsters and guinea pigs are both rodents and have many similarities. If you own both these animals and ever think about “can hamsters eat guinea pig food?” Then you would be smart to stop right there.
Both the animals have different diets and have different nutritious needs to grow up healthy. So mixing each other’s food items will not only provide them with the right vitamins and minerals but will also sicken them.
To learn about their diet plan to ensure that both the animals will get the proper food in the right amount.
