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Animal protein for rodents - essential for a balanced diet
For many rodents such as hamsters, mice and gerbils, the intake of animal protein is essential. In their natural environment, they supplement their plant-based diet by eating insects to cover their protein requirements. An adequate protein intake supports the growth, muscle development and general well-being of your little pets.
Our range of animal protein sources offers a variety of options, including dried mealworms, gammarus, grasshoppers and freshwater prawns. These natural protein sources are gently dried to preserve nutrients and are a tasty addition to the daily diet.
Integrate animal protein into your rodent's diet to ensure a species-appropriate and balanced diet. Our high-quality products support the health and vitality of your animals in a natural way.
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Order animal protein for rodents online
Here you will find various types of animal protein for your rodent. We offer gammarus, grasshoppers, maggots, mealworms and freshwater shrimps. It's all about variety, because not every rodent likes every type of animal protein. Many rodents have already been through a lot. Many hamsters, for example, have certain preferences. Some love their mealworms, others don't like them at all. For many new rodent owners, it is a bit of a shock to realise that you have to feed dried insects to mice, chinchillas and hamsters when keeping pets. However, it is exactly the same in nature. Although these rodent species feed mainly on seeds, herbs and plants, protein is also essential. For example, the small rodents eat small insects, flies, worms and other animal proteins that they come across. In order to fulfil this need, we have to supply the rodents with protein via dried insects.
The right amount makes the difference, adjust the amount of animal protein
Of course, each species is slightly different when it comes to the amount of animal protein. For golden hamsters, for example, it is assumed that it should make up approx. 15 % of their food. This means that 100g of hamster food should contain 15g of animal protein. For dwarf hamsters, the amount of animal protein can even be up to 50 %. That's how different the requirements are. Coloured mice and gerbils also need a regular supply of animal protein. With mice it can be 2-3 mealworms per week, with other animal proteins a little more, mealworms are quite fatty. But be careful, too much protein is not good either. Too much protein can accelerate tumour growth, for example. Therefore, make sure your pet has a balanced amount of animal protein.
Animal protein for rodents, variety is a must
If your rodent is tired of mealworms and gammarus, why not try maggots, grasshoppers or freshwater shrimps? What small rodents like changes over the course of their lives, so it's always good to be a little flexible here. That's why we also have several types of protein in our food mixes, so your pet can also get the protein if it doesn't like a certain type. You can also make delicious biscuits from the mealworms, grasshoppers and the like, for which it is best to use buckwheat flour and make sure you don't just use animal protein. But as a topping or something similar, they make excellent treats. You can also use other types of animal protein as treats than those found in your main food. Your rodents will look forward to them in particular.
Protein for hamsters, mice and co.
Of course, protein can also be fed in non-dried form. Many people feed their hamsters some skimmed quark, for example, or sometimes a little egg (only the white!) to add variety to their rodents' diet. Skimmed milk yoghurt, mild cheese as a treat or even tofu and soya are suitable sources of protein. The dried animal protein sources available from us can of course also be fed live. However, make sure that they cannot form their own population in your enclosure. It is best to feed live insects only under observation of the rodent. Never catch insects yourself, but buy them from a specialised shop; insects living outside can have diseases.
Further links
- Getzoo Mealworms
- Getzoo Grasshoppers
- Getzoo Freshwater shrimps
- Getzoo Gammarus
- Getzoo Grasshoppers
- Getzoo Maggots
- Getzoo Staple food
Tips for animal protein for rodents
- Adapt the amount of protein to your animal
- Do not feed too much animal protein, which is usually very fatty and high in energy
- If you feed live insects, always buy them from a specialised retailer
- Provide variety with different types of animal protein
Frequently asked questions about animal protein
Have you tried all the varieties we offer in our range and your rodent doesn't seem to like any of them? This is rare, but can still happen. You now have the option of trying live food. It is possible that the rodent's hunting instinct is so strong that it would only pounce on live protein sources. Alternatively, there are other sources of animal protein that you can provide:
- A hard-boiled and cooled egg may be given to the rodent in fingernail-sized pieces once a week. Make absolutely sure that it is not bunked!
- A little natural yoghurt, which you let the rodent lick off a spoon once a week. Alternatively, a purely homemade fruit yoghurt that is lactose-free (almost all mammals have a natural lactose intolerance!)
- The same amount of quark may also be fed, but only lactose-free and never cream quark!
- A piece of dog biscuit the size of a fingernail once a week if it is sugar-free - and preferably home-made! The same applies to cat treats if they don't contain added taurine.
- A piece of cottage cheese the size of a fingernail, also once a week. However, it must be low in salt and lactose-free.
- Dried and unseasoned meat is also a good source of protein. This must be composed of 22% crude protein and 4 to 5% crude fat and must also be sugar-free.
Please note: The alternatives mentioned must not be fed in addition! It is of course possible to create variety, but these rations are the maximum amount of protein that hamsters, mice and rats should be given each week.
Be sure to avoid meat substitutes for vegans. Soya, tofu and similar products are not suitable for rodents!
