If you have got hamsters as a pet you might understand you omnivorous they can be. They don’t skip fruits, vegetables, and even processed foods if presented in front of them. However, you have to be careful about giving foods other than pellets or seed mixes designed for them. Offering vegetables to hamsters is not a bad idea as long as you give them a tiny portion.
It is also important to know what vegetables can hamsters eat and what they cannot. If you start offering any kind of vegetables without thinking about the consequence that they might suffer from eating those, that’s no way a good thing to do.
In this article, we are going to talk about the vegetables that are safe for the hamsters and that are not to guide you to understand what vegetables to offer and what not to your hamsters. Let’s go ahead.
Vegetables that Hamsters can eat
Hamsters do not have a sharp brain like yours to understand what is good for them and what is not. It is you who should know and decide what vegetables to feed your hamsters. Let’s see a list of vegetables that can be fed to your hamsters without any risk of harm or deadly consequence:
- Leafy vegetables such as cabbage, spinach, bok choy, and lettuce
- Kale, swiss chard, dandelion leaves, broccoli
- Cauliflower, cucumbers, zucchini, asparagus
- Celery, carrots, squash
- Radicchio, bell peppers, parsnips
- Sweet potatoes, cooked potatoes, hay, squash
- Melon, figs, parsley, turnip, green beans, etc.
Unsafe Vegetables for Hamsters
The names of the vegetables mentioned above are quite safe to feed as long as you don’t overfeed. However, some vegetables come with adverse effects for your hamsters. Some of those might cause diarrhea, stomach upset, and deadly consequences. So, you must be aware while you feed vegetables to your hamsters. Let’s see a list of some of the vegetables you should avoid while feeding the hamsters:
- Raw beans
- Raw potatoes
- Onions
- Garlic
- Eggplant
- Tomato Leaves
- Any unwashed vegetables.
Things to Remember While Feeding Vegetables to Hamsters
- Vegetables are not for regular feeding. It is not a substitution of pellets feed or seed mixes commercially available for hamsters. Vegetables are just complementary foods and can be served just as treats occasionally.
- Do not feed more than a tiny portion of chopped-off vegetables at a time. You should not serve vegetables for more than three times a week to your hamsters.
- Leafy green vegetables are great sources of Vitamin A that will keep the eyesight of the hamsters better.
- Place the vegetables in a dry place. Mould might grow and make the vegetables inedible if kept in a damp place.
- You should be careful while serving watery vegetables to your hamsters. More of these can cause diarrhea.
- If you feed vegetables to the hamsters, make sure that the vegetables you feed are fresh and free of chemicals.
- Choose vegetables that are organic and not made with frequent pesticides. You have to maintain this especially if you want the hamsters to feed vegetables without peeling the skins off.
- Do not serve unwashed vegetables to the hamsters. Their stomach might react badly and results in stomach upset and diarrhea.
- Raw potato is not safe for hamsters. However, cooked potato or cooked sweet potato is fine.
- Whole stalks celery has a chance to choke the hamsters. If you feed celery to the hamsters, make sure that you have cut them into very small pieces.
- Place your vegetables in the cage that’s spacious enough for the hamsters to move freely and consume vegetables. Do not suffocate the hamsters by putting them in an unusually small cage. To know more about the hamsters’ cage, you can read this post.
- Onion damages the red blood cells. So, keep the hamsters away from onions.
- Garlic causes indigestion problems in hamsters. On top of that, it is also responsible for blood disorders.
- Feeding more lettuce can cause diarrhea.
- Uncooked kidney beans are not safe for hamsters to eat.
- Tomato leaves are toxic for your hamsters. Never give your hamsters tomato leaves.
- If you see any sign of toxicity or any health hazard in the hamsters, consult a vet as soon as possible.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)
Is it safe to feed vegetables to the hamsters?
You can feed most of the vegetables to the hamsters except for a few. See the list of vegetables mentioned above to see which are safe to feed and which are not.
Do hamsters love carrots?
Carrots are filled with Vitamin A and other nutritions. Fortunately, it is safe to feed carrots to the hamsters. It is more liked by the baby hamsters.
Can the hamsters eat vegetables regularly?
Note that vegetables are not the staple food for the hamsters. Any hamster can live its entire life eating the pellets and seed mixes available to be bought from the pet stores. Vegetables can be a great source of vitamins and minerals and should be fed only as treats occasionally, not regularly.
Can hamsters eat onions?
You should neither give onions or garlic to the hamsters. While the onion has a negative impact on red blood cells, garlic causes indigestion problems among hamsters. So, avoid both of these for your vegetables.
How often should I offer vegetables to the hamsters?
Vegetables can be offered twice a week or at best thrice. It helps to keep them healthy.
Can vegetables can diarrhea for hamsters?
Yes, there are some vegetables, especially the watery ones like cucumber can cause diarrhea to the hamsters. So, limit the number of vegetables you serve to the hamsters.
Can hamsters eat lettuce?
Yes, but not much than a tiny portion of it. It is better if you can manage Romaine lettuce. More lettuce intake can cause them diarrhea.
Do hamsters eat fruits?
Yes, hamsters love most of the fruits. To know what fruits you should feed them and what not to, you can read this post.
What to do if my hamsters get sick after consuming vegetables?
Stop giving them vegetables if they get sick. Consult a vet for advice.
Final Thoughts
So, that’s our guide on what vegetables can hamsters eat and what they cannot eat. Choosing the wrong vegetables can prove to be deadly for your hamsters. Follow the tips given above while you feed vegetables to your loving pet.