Main Food Source 

Your hamster's main food source should be a mix of seeds and a protein source. The seeds/pellets can simply be a seed and pellet mix from a pet store, but not a pellet-only mix. There needs to be high variety in this mix so your hamster gets all the nutrients it needs and so your hamster is not bored from low variety. A good mix woud have some pellets and lots of different seeds. There are some examples in the Hamster Supplies. For your hamster's main protein source, freeze-dried mealworms is a good option. You can find them in reptile sections. Some people may be a bit grossed out by the mealworms, but they are not alive, so there is nothing to worry about. 

 

You can put your hamster's food in a bowl, but you should also sprinkle some around their cage to encourage foraging which brings enrichment ot your hamster. If you see no food around the cage, do not refill the food right away because your hamster likely brought the food to their burrow - the food may not be completely gone. However, do not wait too long to refill your hamster's food because obviously they need food and will not overeat - hamster typically know how much they need and will eat that amount. A quarter to a third of a cup every two to three days should work - you do not need exact measurements, just do about that much. Based on your hamster's size, feed them more or less, and if you are in doubt of if your hamster has enough food or if it is all gone, you should just refill the food to be safe. It is better for there to be leftovers at the bottom of the cage than your hamster starving. 

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Fruits and Veggies 

You should give your hamster a small amount of fruit or vegetable  every other day to every few days. Remove uneaten fruit/vegetable after about 24 hours. 

(Some) safe fruits: apples (no seeds/skin), pears, strawberries, bananas, blueberries 

(Some) safe vegetables: spinach, romaine lettuce, carrot tops, broccoli spears, artichokes 

* There are always more things that are safe for your hamster. If you do not know if something is, search it up! Also, your hamster may not like everything, so find out what your hamster likes over time! 

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Treats 

You should not give your hamsters treats often as that could be unhealthy. You can give your hamster a treat about every few weeks or every month. 

(Some) safe treats: cheese 

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Herbs and Sprays 

Herbs and sprays can be put around your hamster's cage for enrichment as your hamster finds herbs and picks seeds off of sprays. 

(Some) safe herbs and sprays: flax seeds, dill, basil, thyme, mint, alfalfa, wheat sprouts, chamomile, cornflower, chickweed, wormwood plant, rose petals 

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Some Unsafe Foods 

Apple seeds/skin, avocado, bacon, ham, candy, citrus fruits, chili peppers, chives, onions, eggplant, fruit pits, garlic, grape seeds, iceberg lettuce, peanuts (nuts aren't necessarily unsafe but have lots of calories and fat which is unhealthy), pickles, raw potatoes, spices/ seasonings, yeast

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Water 

Change your hamster's water every few days.