Basic data for feeding hamsters

In spire of their widespread use as both per and laboratory animals, the fe eding of hamsters is based mainly on experience obtained with other species , e.g. rats, due to the lack of specific knowledge of hamsters' needs. This report gives a short review of some basic data concerning the biology, dig estive physiology and feeding patterns of golden hamsters, considering both published data and results evaluated in feeding trials carried out by the authors. The significance of the hamsters' forestomach for fibre digestion has been a favoured subject for research in the past. The results indicate that the digesta retention time does not allow an effective digestion of cr ude fibre in the forestomach but, as in other rodents, the caecum is the ma in site of digesta retention. With respect to the feeding pattern, the resu lts of the earlier feeding trials show that hamsters prefer 'concentrated', i.e. energy dense, foodstuffs such as cereals, nuts, seeds and bakery by-p roducts. In addition, they remove the husks of the seeds so the diet that t hey really ingest is high in energy and low in fibre. By eating such a diet , hamsters consume an average of 5.7 g dry matter per 100 g body weight and the daily water intake is about 1-2 ml per g ingested matter. Due to the l ow water intake the hamsters' urine is highly concentrated. In particular, the small volume of urine suggests further consideration of hamsters' nutri tion because the surplus of some nutrients like protein, calcium, magnesium and electrolytes has to be excreted via the urine.