FAQ: Food for small pets

Occasionally and in small amounts: a piece of apple without seeds, an orange segment or a strawberry. Because of the sugar, fruit should only be a treat, not everyday food.

About a cup of mixed vegetables per guinea pig per day is often recommended, mostly leafy greens and bell pepper. It is better to split the daily amount into two portions.

Parsley is high in calcium and spinach in oxalates, so too much of either can encourage urinary stones. Give them in moderation and rotate vegetables so the diet stays varied.

Yes, fresh grass is a natural food for guinea pigs. Introduce it gradually, pick it in clean places and give hand-picked grass rather than lawnmower clippings.

Finely chopped grass heats up quickly and starts to ferment, so it can cause bloating and serious digestive problems. Only give freshly hand-picked grass.

Guinea pig babies start eating solid food in their first days. Until about 6 months of age, alfalfa hay and junior pellets suit them, and like adults they need vitamin C every day.

She needs more protein, calcium and vitamin C, so alfalfa hay and extra vegetables are often given. Pregnancy is risky for guinea pigs, so discuss her diet and care with a vet.

No, seeds, nuts and dried fruit are too fatty or too sweet for guinea pigs, and hard seeds can get stuck in the throat. Pellets and hay suit them better.

A good-quality hamster mix or pellets, a small amount of fresh vegetables and a little animal protein, such as boiled egg or mealworms. Fresh water must always be available.

Dwarf hamsters suit smaller seeds and less sugar, as some species, such as Campbell's or Winter White hamsters, are prone to diabetes. Choose a mix made for them without sweet additions.

Yes, hamsters are omnivores. A few times a week they can have a small piece of boiled egg, plain cooked chicken or a few dried or live mealworms.

Hoarding food is a natural hamster instinct and perfectly normal. Check the stash regularly and remove fresh food that is spoiling, but do not take away all the dry stores.

A Syrian hamster usually needs about a tablespoon of mix a day, and dwarf hamsters slightly less. If the stash keeps growing, reduce the portion.

Broccoli, cucumber, carrot, courgette and bell pepper in small pieces are suitable. Remove uneaten vegetables after a few hours so they don't spoil in the hamster's stash.

A hamster must not be given chocolate, sweets, onions, garlic, raw beans, bitter almonds, apple seeds, or salty and fatty snacks. Citrus fruit and sticky foods are also best avoided.

Yes, but only a few: sunflower seeds are very fatty and the hamster picks them first. A good mix should not consist mostly of sunflower seeds.

Syrian hamsters can occasionally have a small piece of apple without seeds or a berry. For dwarf hamsters, because of their tendency to diabetes, fruit is better avoided or given only very rarely.

Sticky or sharp-edged food, such as sweets or nut butter, can stick to or injure the cheek pouches. If a cheek stays swollen for long or there is pus, see a vet.

It is broadly similar, but gerbils need less fat, so it is better to choose a mix made for them with fewer sunflower seeds and nuts.

In the evening, when it wakes up and becomes active. Give fresh food in the evening and in the morning remove anything uneaten that could spoil.