fbpx

Can Hamsters Eat Guinea Pig Food? All You Need To Know

If you have a guinea pig and a hamster, you might be tempted to buy only guinea pig food for convenience or cost savings. Can hamsters eat guinea pig food? However, these two rodents require distinct dietary requirements for maximum health and safety.

So, what if your neighborhood grocery is out of hamster food? Are there any alternatives? Is it possible to feed your hamster guinea pigs foods? Is it possible to replace Guinea Pig Food? Have you used up all of your hamster food? You don’t want him to wait till am for a bite to eat since all the stores are closed? Then you might be tempted to feed part of your guinea pig’s food to your hamster.

Some people mistake Guinea Pigs for hamsters, yet nothing could be farther from reality. However, both rodents come from distinct areas and have very diverse biology. The Hamster and Guinea Pig are opposed from the start.

It encompasses their way of life, requirements, living environment, and, of course, cuisine. Is it possible for Hamsters to consume Guinea Pig food? If you own tiny animals, you know how tough it can be to locate the correct diet for them.

Pet businesses are so focused on dogs and cats that it might feel like our tiny companions are overlooked. Here’s why hamsters shouldn’t consume guinea pig food

Can Hamsters Eat Guinea Pig Food?

Hamsters have become quite popular as pets in recent years. They are undoubtedly present in the same number of houses throughout the world as cats and dogs, but they could never coexist with these animals.

can hamsters eat guinea pig food

Otherwise, a bowl of warm milk may turn this lovely little mouse into dessert. As pets, hamsters are gentle and low-maintenance, so you won’t have to worry about domestication. If you properly nurture them, they learn quickly and do not cause a mess around the house.

Don’t give pork to your hamster. Mealworms, grubs, and even crickets are available. Although it is not needed, it is advised that you provide some of them to your hamster to improve their health. Finally, giving your hamster guinea pig food has no advantages.

Guinea Pig Food Nutritional Stats

Guinea pigs require a well-balanced diet that is heavy in fiber. Timothy hay, which is one of the essential nutrients and also inhibits tooth overgrowth, should be available to your pet at all times.

Hamster eating from spoon

Guinea pigs’ teeth are continually growing, and they require a diet that provides them with the nutrition they require while also preventing dental issues. If your pet’s teeth grow longer than they should, it will be a problem and impair the piggie’s general health.

Not only will their growing teeth give them discomfort, but they will also be unable to feed, putting them at risk of hunger.

Chewing toys, hard guinea pig pellets, and enough hay and grass in their diet are crucial to ensure they get the appropriate nutrition and keep their teeth from growing too long.

Aside from vitamin C and fiber, your piggies require additional minerals and vitamins, such as vitamin A, which they require in more significant quantities than other rodents and rabbits.

Furthermore, while your pet requires calcium, this mineral can be harmful and cause difficulties in their urinary tract. Guinea pig pellets provide balanced vitamins, minerals, and proteins for Guinea pigs.

While a good source of nutrients, Pellets should not be the sole source of nutrition for pigs.

Guinea Pig Food Nutritional Facts

When it comes to the nutrition in hamster diets, your guinea pig stands to gain a lot. The following are some nutrients that most guinea pig meals contain dietary fiber.

In most guinea pig meals, dietary fiber aids in the smooth flow of the cavy’s bowels while also assisting in the digesting process. This mineral is necessary for the proper functioning of the heart and the prevention of heart-related problems.

These are required for the pig’s body to be free of free radicals. Vitamin A is a fat-soluble vitamin. This vitamin is necessary for both strengthening immunity and improving vision.

Health Benefits Of Guinea Pig Food For Hamsters

Hamster, Rodent, Eating, Pet, Animal

What does it benefit your hamster to consume guinea pig food? Are there any advantages to sharing the guinea pig food with your little pet? Consider the following advantages of giving your hamster guinea pig food:

  • Good digestion: These meals are high in dietary fiber, which is necessary for digestion and bowel movements in general. The hamster diet is the ideal strategy to employ if you want your small pet to have an easier time digesting nutrients. Remember that cavies have a weak digestive system by nature, so helping them out goes a long way.
  • Weight loss: Guinea pig meals might help your hamsters lose weight faster. They have fewer calories, which reduces the total number of calories consumed by the body while also increasing the potential to induce satiety.
  • Blood sugar management: Because guinea pig meals are lower in sugar, they can manage blood sugar levels in hamsters precisely as they can in the guinea pig. Fiber, which is contained in most of these meals, can also help to regulate blood sugar levels. It aids in the reduction of cholesterol. Cholesterol is a poisonous substance found in the human body. When it is too high, it might harm your tiny pet’s heart and possibly cause death. Guinea pig meals can help to correct this problem and lower cholesterol levels.
  • Immune system booster: Guinea pig diets are rich in nutrients to help your cavy’s immune system. It will assist them in fighting illnesses and infections, allowing them to grow into robust and healthy pets.
  • Blood pressure control: Some guinea pig meals have been demonstrated to have the capacity to manage blood pressure in cavies in studies. It indicates that providing these items to your hamsters may help to lower the risk of high blood pressure.
  • Aids in the removal of free radicals: Antioxidants included in some guinea pig feeds assist in the clearing of free radicals from the body. Due to normal metabolic processes in cavies, free radicals are formed, but they can be hazardous if not dealt with properly.

Can Hamsters Have Guinea Pig Food?

We now know what hamsters can and cannot eat, but can a hamster consume guinea pig food? As previously stated, hamsters eat a varied yet specific diet. Guinea pigs have a considerably more limited diet than humans.

They cannot consume dairy or meat products, have a poor tolerance for seeds, and regularly require much hay. Specially prepared food pellets are also included in your guinea pig’s diet.

Guinea pig food pellets are frequently recommended for guinea pigs, rabbits, chinchillas, and other small animals. 

While a hamster is classified as an “other small pet,” diets not mainly designed for hamsters are unlikely to provide all of your hamster’s nutritional needs. The digestive system of your hamster is sensitive, and a non-hamster-specific diet might disturb it.

The Guinea pig diet, for example, is heavy in Vitamin C at amounts that are suitable for them but may be hazardous to your hamster.

Furthermore, while any meal might irritate your hamster’s cheek pouches, foods mainly made for hamsters have a lower risk of causing damage to your hamster’s cheeks.

Is Guinea Pig Food Good For Hamsters?

While certain tiny animals, such as guinea pigs and hamsters, may share food, this is not the case with guinea pigs and hamsters.

Because the dietary demands of guinea pigs and hamsters are so dissimilar, feeding your hamster guinea pig chow isn’t a suitable replacement. Yes, a hamster can consume guinea pig food, but not all.

Hamsters and guinea pigs have varied physiological and dietary requirements and anatomical differences.

Apart from that, hamsters are omnivores, whereas guinea pigs are herbivores. In other words, your hamster can consume meat as well as fresh fruits and veggies, but a guinea pig cannot.

Furthermore, a hamster can survive in a warmer environment, but a guinea pig can die if the temperature exceeds a specific point and prefers cooler temperatures. Nuts, seeds, maize, and crunchy snacks are the most common sources of hamster diet in captivity.

Guinea Pig Food Bad For Hamsters?

We must emphasize once more that while seeds are harmless for hamsters, they can be fatal too. Your hamster can eat seeds, but your guinea pig can’t.

Similarly, whereas a hamster can consume cooked chicken and steak, a guinea pig should never be fed meat or any other cooked food.

Multi-colored guinea pig on a white background eats grains of wheat

Cooked meat is not only excellent for hamsters, but it is also exceedingly harmful to guinea pigs, which are unable to digest meat and cooked meals.

Piggies also require more vitamin C and folic acids than humans, but not as much vitamin D. Hamsters, on the other hand, require the polar opposite.

As a result, feeding guinea pig food to your hamsters is not a good idea. If you decide to give guinea pig hamster pellets, do it in small amounts and just once in a while.

Do Hamsters Like Guinea Pig Food?

You can’t feed Hamsters the same food as Guinea Pigs because of their inclination to store food in their cheeks. Regular Guinea Pig pellets would not keep well in the cheeks of a greedy little hamster and would decay, perhaps endangering your cheeky little fluff’s health.

Hamster, syrian

A Hamster’s small body can’t usually sustain the number of nutrients included in Guinea Pig pellets, except the moisture element of their inner cheeks.

Most Guinea Pig meals contain a certain quantity of supplements, such as vitamins and oils that are not good for Hamsters to eat.

Aside from that, hamsters require a diversified diet to be healthy and happy. They require a high protein diet and a good serving of fruits and vegetables.

Guinea Pigs are Herbivores, meaning they exclusively consume plants, but Hamsters are Omnivores, meaning they eat both plants and meat. As a result, the animals’ diets are pretty diverse.

How Much Guinea Pig Food Can A Hamsters Eat?

The amount of guinea pig food you can feed a hamster must be minimal. Feed them once in a while. Giving guinea pigs food to hamsters may result in fatal health issues. 

How Often Can A Hamsters Eat Guinea Pig Food?

A single guinea pig meal will not make your hamster sick or cause any harm. On the other hand, Pet hamsters should not be fed guinea pig chow regularly.

If your hamster is fed guinea pig food regularly for a lengthy period, they may become nutrient deficient, and their health may suffer.

Dry and weak fur, lethargy, thirst, and a lack of interest in playing with toys or engaging with family members are signs of nutritional deficiencies.

How To Feed Guinea Pig Food To Hamsters?

Vitamin C, which is essential in guinea pigs’ diet, is not included in hamster food. Vitamin C is also a necessary cofactor in forming a variety of enzymes and tissues, including collagen. Spinach, parsley, tomato, bell peppers, and other vegetables are good sources of vitamin C.

Photo of child hands holding a dwarf hamster. Mouse is a fluffy and sitting in kids hand. Hamsters eyes are open. Background is nature and blurred, bokeh. Focus on guinea pig. Close-up, macro-photography. Girl is Caucasian, white. Hands and arms are gentle and little, protecting the animal, securing hamster's welfare. Mouse is white and brown, very cute, seems friendly. Domesticated animal. Safety, bonding, pet love.

Suppose your guinea pig is deficient in vitamin C. In that case, it may exhibit signs such as lethargy, inability to move, sore joints, weight loss, dental problems, bruising or bleeding, diarrhea, and baldness.

Scurvy is a deadly illness that can be cured with enough vitamin C. Pigs, in other words, require a well-balanced diet that includes 10 mg/kg of vitamin C each day. In addition, the demand for vitamin C in pregnant hamsters increases or triples.

On the other hand, Guinea pig food has vitamin C supplements, while hamster food does not. So, if you feed guinea pig pellets to your hamsters, they might die in less than two weeks.

Hamsters require a higher level of folic acid and a lower level of Vitamin D than other rodents.

As a result, guinea pig food has less folic acid and more vitamin D, which is an issue since giving your hamster guinea pig food causes them to have an excess of vitamin D in their body.

Does Guinea Pig Food Affect The Digestive System Of Hamsters?

The digestive system of your hamster is sensitive, and a non-hamster-specific diet might disturb it. The Guinea pig diet, for example, is heavy in Vitamin C at amounts that are suitable for them but may be hazardous to your hamster.

Final Thoughts

Guinea Pigs nibble on their food fast and ingest their nutrients quickly regarding eating habits. They do not hibernate since they are creatures that thrive in hot temperatures. Therefore they do not need to be versatile in winter preparation.

When it comes to Hamsters, on the other hand, they incline to protect themselves from the cold by eating as much as they can, which is why hamsters utilize their cheeks as pouches for holding as much food as they can.

The sheer number of seeds and nuts stored in a Hamster’s cheeks may cause them to stretch so much that their face can become three times as big. However, hamster food does not satisfy all of your guinea pig’s nutritional needs, and it also contains elements that are important for hamsters but not suitable for guinea pigs.

On the other hand, Guinea pig food contains nutrients not required for a healthy hamster diet. Overall, guinea pigs can eat hamster food in moderation and only on rare occasions, but they should never eat meat or seeds, which are beneficial to hamsters.

FAQs

Which smells worse hamster or guinea pig?

Hamsters, in my experience, have a considerably more pungent odor than guinea pigs. Guinea pigs have a longer lifespan than humans (much longer usually). Guinea pigs are day and night species, whereas hamsters are nocturnal (they have several short naps throughout). Guinea pigs only bite once in a while.

What’s the difference between a guinea pig and hamster food?

Guinea pigs, like hamsters, prefer to eat a lot of hay. Thus it’s common to see it in their pellets. It is not something that hamsters require. Hay is a fiber supplement for Hamsters. However, it is not required.
Hamsters are omnivores, meaning they consume both vegetables and fruits, and meat. It implies they’ll require pellets richer in protein and lower in fiber. Hamsters require food that has at least 15% crude protein.
Hamsters will desire seeds, grains, and dried fruits and vegetables. You could also wish to feed your hamsters some fresh fruits and veggies. Strawberries, carrots, kale, and bananas are a few to try.

When you run out of hamster food, what do you do to feed your hamster?

Broccoli, spinach, green bell peppers, cucumber, peas, and squash are excellent choices. Like other tiny animals, Hamsters enjoy crunchy meals, and fresh veggies satisfy their chewing desire while offering nutritious snacks.

What animal can live with a guinea pig?

Other guinea pigs are the only animals maintained securely alongside guinea pigs. I have four rabbits who live in a shed/run (no cage is large enough to keep a rabbit in). They require a 6 x 2 cabinet with an 8 x 6-foot permanently attached run. You seem to have a beautiful collection of animals.

About the author

I'm Gulshan, a passionate pet enthusiast. Dive into my world where I share tips, stories, and snapshots of my animal adventures. Here, pets are more than just animals; they're heartbeats that enrich our lives. Join our journey!