The Best Dwarf Hamster Food

Dwarf hamsters are one of the smaller species of hamsters and can either be classified as a pure Russian or winter white dwarf hamster, however when these two species interbreed, you get the hybrid variety. Hybrid dwarf hamsters are the most common form of hamster to own, because it is difficult to come across a pure species of dwarf hamster.

The recent development of hybrid dwarf hamsters has made hamsters owners rethink their dwarf hamsters’ diet and what types of food they require to stay healthy and receive all the nutrients they need.

There are plenty of hamster foods on the market that consist of various pellets, dried fruits, nuts, and seeds, but not every dwarf hamster food is created equal. You should choose the type of food you feed your omnivorous dwarf hamster carefully and ensure that it is high-quality and has a decent guaranteed analysis.

With this in mind, we have created a list of the most popular and beneficial dwarf hamster market foods with a detailed review so you can get insight as to what each food can provide for your pet.

A-Z-Animals’ Top Picks for Dwarf Hamster Food

#1 Best Overall: Higgins Sunburst Gourmet Blend Gerbil & Hamster Food

The best overall dwarf hamster food is Higgins Sunburst Gourmet Blend Gerbil & Hamster Food. This food is quite popular for a good reason as it contains a wide variety of different dried fruits, grains, seeds, nuts, and pre-cooked legumes with the addition of essential omega-3 and omega-6 fatty acids. This high-grade hamster food is free from artificial colors, preservatives, and flavors.

Guaranteed Analysis:

• Crude Protein: 15% min
• Crude Fat: 7% min
• Crude Fiber: 9.5% max

The guaranteed analysis for this food looks decent, however, the protein is slightly low for young dwarf hamsters. A great aspect of this food is that it does not contain any artificial dyes or harmful preservatives, however, it does have a high amount of sugar from the molasses. The overall guaranteed analysis for this food is standard, but the variety is excellent. Higgins Sunburst includes probiotics in this food to aid in healthy digestion. You will find that this food contains some unique ingredients, such as pineapple, apple, papaya, cashew, coconuts, bean, and pumpkin seeds. This is the first food you want to pick when searching for a dwarf hamster food that contains a wide variety of ingredients that can be combined with a lab block to increase this food’s protein content.

Some reviewers said that it contained too much millet.

Pros and Cons of Higgins Sunburst Gourmet Blend Gerbil & Hamster Food

Our Top Pick

Higgins Sunburst Gourmet Blend Gerbil & Hamster Food

• Promotes growth and development with an adequate amount of protein
• Contains vitamins to support growth
• Contains no sunflower seeds for weight control
• Supports active, beneficial bacteria with the use of protected probiotics

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2.  Best for Variety: Sunseed Vita Prima Dwarf Hamster Food

Sunseed Vita Prima Dwarf Hamster Food is specifically formulated for dwarf hamsters. It features a variety of different ingredients that your dwarf would naturally forage for in the wild. The overall quality of the food is good, and it has a few unique ingredients such as soybeans and lentils along with probiotics. It has very little added sugar, however, it does contain a lot of corn in the form of a filler. Although this food is free from risky preservatives and flavors, it does contain artificial colors which is a downside.

Guaranteed Analysis:

• Crude Protein: 14% min
• Crude Fat: 4% min
• Crude Fiber: 12% max

This dwarf hamster food has a good fat and fiber content; however, the protein is on the lower end which makes it more suitable for older dwarf hamsters (above six months of age) unless it is supplemented with extra protein. This blend offers a wide range of quality ingredients such as grains, oats, seeds, vegetables, fruits, and pellets while being fortified with omega-3 fatty acids. The addition of pellets ensures that your hamster is receiving the vitamins and minerals and can also help with your hamster’s dental hygiene and keeping their teeth trim.

Pros and Cons of Sunseed Vita Prima Dwarf Hamster Food

Best For Variety

Sunseed Vita Prima Dwarf Hamster Food

• Specifically formulated for dwarf hamsters
• No preservatives and flavors
• Good fat and fiber content
• Contains a variety of different ingredients

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3. Best For Quality: Tiny Friends Farm Hazel Hamster

A popular favorite amongst the hamster owner community is the Tiny Friends Farm Hazel Hamster Food. This food lacks the variety many other hamster foods contain; however, it is a better option for dwarf hamsters that are picky eaters because most of the food consists of brightly colored pellets. It contains larger pieces of pellets mixed with sunflower seeds, shelled peanuts, pumpkin seeds, and peas. It has no added sugars and no risky preservatives, but it does contain artificial dyes which give the pellets their bright appearance.

Guaranteed Analysis:

• Crude Protein: 18% min
• Crude Fat: 6% min
• Crude Fiber: 6% max

Compared to other foods, Hazel hamster food has a very decent guaranteed analysis. The protein is good and additional supplementation is not necessarily required. The fat content is standard; however, the fiber is slightly low. This is a good food to feed on its own to dwarf hamsters and is higher quality than other competing brands. You may also find that this food is the better option for dwarf hamsters that are picky eaters since most of the nutrition in this food comes from the pellets.  

Some reviewers said that their hamsters wouldn’t eat the pellets.

Pros and Cons of Tiny Friends Farm Hazel Hamster

Best For Quality

Tiny Friends Farm Hazel Hamster Food

• Consists of brightly colored pellets
• Contains sunflower seeds, shelled peanuts, pumpkin seeds, and peas
• No added sugars and preservatives
• Better option for picky eaters

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4.  Best for Affordability: Kaytee Forti-Diet Pro Health

The most affordable food on the list is the Kaytee Forti-Diet Pro Health hamster food. This food comes in three different bag size options and is the ideal choice if you are looking for decent hamster food without breaking the bank. This food contains a lot of sunflower seeds that have essential minerals and vitamins, but they do increase the fat content of the food. This food also has a lot of crunchy pellets and pieces that can help keep your dwarf hamsters’ teeth in good condition. Many customers are pleased with the freshness, bag volume, and variety of this relatively cheap hamster food.

Guaranteed Analysis:

• Crude Protein: 13.5% min
• Crude Fat: 6% min
• Crude Fiber: 12% max

The protein in this food is very low which means that supplements will be needed to increase the protein content. Fat is decent and the fiber percentage is excellent to keep a dwarf hamster’s digestive system functioning well. The only downside to feeding this food is that you will need to supplement your dwarf hamsters’ diet with extra protein as it is not the best option to feed singularly.

Some reviewer reported that their hamsters picked out the ingredients they liked and left the rest.

Pros and Cons of Kaytee Forti-Diet Pro Health

Best For Affordability

Kaytee Pro Health Hamster and Gerbil Food

• Very affordable option
• Contains essential minerals and vitamins
• Help keep teeth in good condition
• Contains a variety of food

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Choosing the Best: What to Look For

When choosing the best dwarf hamster food, you need to consider the quality, price, and nutritional value of the food. Here is how to consider the dwarf hamster food by considering each of these factors:

Quality

The quality of the food is one of the most important considerations to make when choosing a good dwarf hamster food. Some foods will contain risky or potentially harmful ingredients such as onions, whereas others might contain artificial colors, preservatives, and flavors which you should try and avoid.
There are also some hamster foods that contain way too many fillers in the form of corn or peas (usually labeled as split or dried) along with foods that end in the word “meal.” Fillers are used in place of beneficial ingredients to bulk up the food and have no real value when it comes to the nutrition that your hamster needs.

When it comes to choosing quality ingredients for your dwarf hamster, you should pay close attention to the ingredients list and ensure that it contains grains, nuts, seeds, vitamins, and minerals as the first ingredients rather than corn or split peas.

Price

Some hamster foods are more expensive than others, even if they are not of good quality. It is important to look at the food’s overall quality and compare it to the price to determine if it is worth it. If you choose an expensive hamster food that needs additional supplementing because of the lack of variety or low protein, fat, and fiber content, then keep in mind you may need to purchase additional food to help increase the food’s overall quality, which means you will be spending more money.

Nutritional Value (Guaranteed Analysis)

The guaranteed analysis section is usually the first-place hamster owners will look at when choosing food for their dwarf hamster. This is necessary because it will give you a good indication of what the food has to offer your dwarf in terms of crude protein, fat, fiber, and moisture content.

Some brands of food will also go into detail as to how much vitamins and minerals are found in the food. You want to look for a food that has a decent percentage of protein (between 17% to 21%) and a lower fat content (between 3% to 8%) along with fiber (between 5% to 13%).

In cases where food does not meet the minimum guaranteed analysis for your hamster, you will need to add additional supplements to increase certain percentages of the food.

The Different Types of Dwarf Hamster Foods: Pros and Cons Compared

Finding a good food for your dwarf hamster is important, which is why you should compare the pros and cons of each food available for dwarf hamsters. Although there are plenty of good hamster foods available on the market, it is important to consider the grading of the food.

Each hamster food is graded according to the overall quality of the ingredients and the variety in the food. Since hamsters are omnivores and naturally forage, ensuring that you choose a high-grade food rich in variety will be important for your dwarf hamsters’ overall health. It is best to avoid unsuitable foods that contain harmful ingredients since your hamster will be fed this food throughout most of their life.

• High-Grade Commercial Foods: These are the higher-quality foods and the ones that are most recommended for their good balance of variety, nutrition, and overall quality. These are good foods to feed your dwarf hamster, but in some cases, they will need to be supplemented.
• Low-Grade Commercial Foods: These consist of the lower-quality foods available on the market for dwarf hamsters and should not be fed as a staple diet without supplements to achieve a good, guaranteed analysis.
• Poor-Quality Foods: These foods are considered nutritionally poor and could potentially contain toxic ingredients such as almonds, leaks, or onions that your dwarf hamster should not be consuming. It is best to avoid these foods as they can also contain harmful additives like artificial colors and preservatives.

Let’s look at the pros and cons of each type of food!

High-Grade Commercial Foods

Low-Grade Commercial Foods

Poor-Quality Foods