What to do if hamster food gets infested with bugs? A few effective methods to deal with it
The hamster is a very small and cute animal, and many people keep it as a pet. During the keeping process, if the hamster food is stored improperly, it easily gets infested with bugs, so what should you do if hamster food gets infested with bugs?
1. The living habits of hamsters
The hamster is a muroid rodent of the family Cricetidae, widely inhabiting grasslands, farmland, deserts, the scrub at the foot of mountains and in river valleys, farmland, gardens and orchards. Nowadays hamsters are also bred artificially in many places.
Hamsters mainly feed on plant seeds, and also eat tender plant stems and leaves, fruits, and occasionally insects. They do not hibernate. In winter they live on stored food. In addition, some species are omnivorous and can eat vertebrates such as frogs.
Hamsters are mainly distributed in Central and Eastern Europe, Asia Minor, Syria and Iran, Mongolia, Siberia, northern China and Korea. In our country they are mainly distributed in the provinces north of the Yangtze River, including the Qinghai-Tibet Plateau.
2. What should you do if hamster food gets infested with bugs?
You can put the hamster food in the sun to bake it, which can sterilize and kill bugs; you can also put the hamster food in the refrigerator to freeze overnight, which can kill the insect eggs. If the infestation is relatively serious, then the hamster food should not be used any more, so as not to affect the hamster's health.
3. How should hamster food be stored?
After buying hamster food, if the quantity is relatively large, the unopened packages can be placed in a cool and dry place for storage. If the hamster food has already been opened, then prepare an airtight container, put the hamster food in it and store it sealed, and also use it up as soon as possible, because after being opened for a relatively long time, the hamster food is also prone to spoiling and getting infested with bugs.
When feeding a hamster, it is best to choose dedicated hamster food, and do not casually feed the hamster other foods, especially some human foods; those with high salt, high sugar or additives must not be fed.