Hamsters are cute and cuddly.
Due to their tiny size, they’re easy to handle. If one of your hamsters seems to be struggling, you can give him a bit of milk.
Cat or dog milk can also be used. So, can hamsters have milk?
Yes. Hamsters can drink milk.
However, hamsters do not have lactose intolerance like humans do. In fact, most hamsters love milk.
However, as with most things, too much milk can be bad for hamsters. If hamsters drink too much milk, it can lead to diarrhea.
To prevent diarrhea, do not feed hamsters milk on a regular basis. Instead, give them milk occasionally as a treat.
If hamster diarrhea does occur, make sure to give the hamster plenty of food and water while treating it with antibiotics.
Can Hamsters Have Milk?
Contents
Even though hamsters can eat animal products, their digestive systems are not made to handle them well.
It is not poisonous to hamsters, though it can cause digestive issues if given too often.
According to the Journal of Comparative Psychology, their small digestive tracts don’t allow them to properly digest dairy products.
However, hamsters wean sooner than other rodents, and their stomachs are not fully developed when they are born, so their bodies cannot digest dairy products well until later in life.
It’s also not something your hamster will crave as he grows older because he needs to eat a balanced diet in order to stay healthy and strong.
They get the same nutrients from plant-based foods instead of vegetables, which are easier for their bodies to break down.
One of the most difficult things for pet owners is knowing when to feed their hamster and how much food to give it each day to ensure it doesn’t get overweight or underweight.
How Often Should You Give Your Hamster Milk?
The only time you should give your hamster cow’s milk is if you have a baby hamster that was born prematurely or if it is suffering from some kind of illness.
Baby hamsters suckle on their mother’s milk from shortly after birth for 3 or 4 weeks. After this time, the hamster’s stomach starts to get bigger so it can digest the milk properly.
It only takes a few days for the stomach to develop, so most hamsters will not have the enzymes to break down the lactose in cow’s milk and may develop diarrhea as a result.
Despite this, you should only give your hamster a few teaspoons of milk every couple of days or so, rather than giving it regularly. Because it isn’t something a grown adult needs to eat on a daily basis anyway.
If your hamster does not like to drink from a bottle or doesn’t have a good technique to sip from it on its own, you can also mix the milk with water to thin it out slightly to make it easier for it to drink.
How Much Milk Can You Give a Hamster?
The quantity of milk you can safely give to a pregnant female or a nursing mother differs because each has different needs and different metabolisms.
When a mother dies and is unable to nurse her babies, you need to supplement their diet with liquid formula until they reach a certain age.
They do, however, need milk identical to their mother’s so they can thrive and grow properly after birth.
Adult hamsters, on the other hand, don’t require any dairy at all in their diets because they get all the nutrients they need from their other foods.
What Are the Dangers of Giving Your Hamster Milk?
The main problem with giving your hamster milk is that it could get diarrhea, a stomachache, or even bloat because it can’t break down the lactose in milk into energy.
This milk may interfere with its ability to absorb nutrients and cause it to not gain weight as expected, which can cause it to get sicker.
All milk products should be pasteurized to kill any bacteria present, and you shouldn’t give them to your hamster unless they have been heat-treated.
Hamsters are notorious for hoarding their food, so if you do give them a bit of milk, they should eat it all and rush off to play with their toys rather than get more treats after you put it down.
You should also make sure they do not overeat after drinking milk because this could cause them to become constipated and there could be complications as a result of this.
If you give your hamster too much milk over a sustained period of time, it could cause diarrhea because of the lactose in milk and they could start to dehydrate as a result.
A small number of hamsters may not be able to digest milk products well and cause them problems as a result.
If your hamster’s cage gets unclean, the urine and feces can become ammonia-rich, and this is toxic to your pet, so make sure its environment is kept clean at all times.
If you let your hamster drink milk from a saucer on the floor or from a bowl without using a straw, it could drown in it or inhale it when it gets into its nostrils and choke to death.
Can Hamsters Drink Cow’s Milk?
Cow’s milk is the most common type of dairy that people consume, so it is no surprise that it is consumed by many hamsters as well.
While it is a wonderful source of protein and fat for the mother and the babies, it is not ideal for adult hamsters because it contains more fat and protein than they need.
Adult hamsters do not need milk in their diet.
Because they can get all their necessary nutrients from other food sources such as leafy greens and other fruits as well as commercial foods designed for them.
Can Hamsters Drink Oat Milk?
Hamsters can consume oat milk and other types of non-dairy alternatives to cow’s milk, and they can gain all the benefits these have to offer without any of the drawbacks.
It’s dairy-free, low in fat, and it contains a good amount of fiber and protein, which makes it an ideal food for hamsters who are lactose intolerant or those who have issues with dairy consumption.
Another advantage of oat milk is that it is high in antioxidants and it can also help to reduce the risk of developing certain types of cancer because of its phytonutrient content.
Oat milk is necessary for a healthy digestive system and can aid in the prevention of conditions such as irritable bowel syndrome (IBS).
Can Hamsters Drink Soy Milk?
Soy milk is a kind of alternative dairy product that is readily available in most supermarkets these days, and it can be consumed by both humans and pets such as hamsters.
It’s lower in calories and fat than cow’s milk and it contains more calcium than the latter, so it’s a great choice as a drink for pregnant women as well as those who are lactose intolerant.
Having said that, kefir-fermented soy milk is a better alternative than regular soy milk as it offers the benefits of both fermented foods and non-dairy drinks.
Because it is packed with probiotics, enzymes, and other beneficial bacteria that are good for the gut.
Male hamsters given soya milk kefir had lower cholesterol in their blood and reduced levels of harmful LDL cholesterol.
So, it’s safe to say that this type of soy-based drink is great for the cardiovascular system as well.
Also Read: Can Hamsters Eat Yogurt?
Final Words
Your hamster may be helpful to humans, but it should only be given to your hamster as a treat or as a remedy for an illness caused by not getting enough fluids.
Giving it the proper nutrients it needs only comes with the consumption of other healthy foods such as leafy greens or fruits.
