Can Hamsters Eat Mango? [With Health Benefits]

Even though hamsters are omnivores, you might wonder whether they can eat mangoes. There are so many food items in the market that are made for hamsters but are mangoes one of them?

To answer your question, hamsters can definitely eat mangoes. In fact, they love how sweet and tangy mangoes taste, so there is no reason for you to deprive your hamster of the taste of this magical fruit.

Can Hamsters Eat Mango?

Mangoes are safe for most hamsters, but some breeds do not react well. Even though mango is not toxic for your hamster, they should be given in moderation; otherwise, they can be harmful. This is because mangoes contain tons of sugar, damaging a hamster’s health.

Bigger hamster breeds can eat mangoes every day, but for small breeds, we recommend giving them only a spoon or two every other day.

Why American Mangoes are Great for Hamsters

Mangoes have loads of health benefits for hamsters. More than that, they are so juicy and tasty that your hamster will instantly get obsessed with their taste.

Mangoes are loaded with vitamin C and protein. The vitamin C present in mangoes helps keep a hamster’s immune system strong, while the protein keeps their muscles strong.

These fruits also have a high fiber content, which can aid your pet’s digestive system, ensuring they do not get constipated. When you include mangoes in your hamster’s diet, you will find that they have regular bowel movements.

Even though mangoes are full of nutrients that would primarily benefit hamsters, you should avoid feeding too many of these fruits to them.

Why Should You Avoid Giving Your Hamster Too Many Mangoes?

Since mangoes have so many nutrients present in them, why should you restrict them from your hamster’s diet? Let’s find out.

Mangoes have a higher concentration of sugar which can cause a range of problems in your pet’s body, especially obesity. Big hamsters, such as Syrian hamsters, can consume mangoes safely, but when it comes to tiny breeds, the number of mangoes they consume should be kept in tight check.

Health Benefits of Mangoes

1. Loaded with Vitamin C

A mango contains loads of essential minerals and vitamins, including a healthy dose of vitamin C. Vitamin C plays an essential role as it helps grow and heal tissue, speeds up the recovery of wounds, and ensures that the immune system functions properly.

Mango also contains vitamin A, which boosts vision and strengthens the immune system. The vitamin E in mango helps keep the skin and eyes healthy while protecting the immune system.

Another vitamin found in mango is vitamin K. This essential mineral synthesizes protein that helps blood coagulation and bone-building. Vitamin K ensures that less blood is lost if you develop an injury.

2. Source of B Vitamins

Apart from all the essential vitamins, mangoes also contain B vitamins. This includes vitamin B6, which boosts the brain, nerves, and skin function and is essential for the body’s metabolism of sugars, fat, and protein.

Vitamin B9, a vitamin found in mangoes, helps form red blood cells and allows healthy cell function and growth. Apart from B6 and B9, mangoes also contain vitamins B2 and B3. These play an essential role in helping the body convert carbohydrates into energy.

On the other hand, vitamin B2 ensures that the body converts vitamin B6 into a usable form. B3 is important as it allows the body to produce hormones while lowering blood cholesterol levels and reducing the risk of strokes.

3. Rich Source of the Mineral, Copper

Mangoes are great for hamsters as they boost the production of red blood cells and help the immune and nervous systems function properly. Mango is also loaded with other minerals, such as magnesium and potassium.

Potassium ensures that the sodium found in the body does not have a harmful effect on blood pressure while helping the heartbeat remain regular. This is also important for the functioning of nerves in the body, so muscles can contract adequately.

The magnesium found in mangoes allows bones to grow while helping nerves and muscles function well.

4. Contains Antioxidants

Besides vitamins and minerals, mangoes contain antioxidants like kaempferol, benzoic acid, gallic acid, catechins, anthocyanins, mangiferin, and rhamnetin.

These important plant compounds protect the body from oxidative stress resulting from free radicals. Oxidative stress is harmful as it leads to chronic diseases like diabetes and cancer.

Mangiferin is another antioxidant found in mangoes that is great for your hamster’s heart health as it protects the heart from inflammation, oxidative damage, and death. Moreover, it can also help lower triglycerides, cholesterol, and fatty acids in the body.

5. Low in Calories

Did you know that despite how sweet they are, mangoes are extremely low in calories? This means that 100 grams of fresh mango only contains 65 calories, making the calorie density of mangoes low.

Hence, you do not have to worry about your hamster gaining weight if it has mangoes every now and then.

6. Contain Amylases

Amylases are a group of digestive enzymes that help break down food molecules into smaller components that the body can absorb.

Amylases break down complex carbohydrates that the body has difficulty absorbing into simple sugars like maltose and glucose that the body can absorb faster.

Ripe mangoes have a higher Amylase content. Hence, ripe mangoes are sweeter in taste. Moreover, mangoes contain fiber as well as water. Combined, both help ensure regular bowel movements, keeping digestive issues like diarrhea and constipation at bay.

Hence, mango can aid in improving your hamster’s digestive health.

Risks of Feeding Your Hamster Mango

1. High in Sugar

Even though American mangoes are delicious and your hamster will love nibbling on the juicy fruit, they are loaded with sugar.

There are 15 grams of sugar in 100 grams of mangoes, which means that if your hamster ends up having too many mango cubes in one go, the blood sugar levels in its body can spike and, in the long run, lead to diabetes.

2. Weight Gain

Even though mangoes are relatively low in calories, their calorie count is still higher than other fruits and vegetables.

This means that you should give your hamster mangoes in moderation. Too many mangoes during the day may cause your hamster to gain weight quickly and eventually become obese.

3. Dietary Fiber

Even though a single mango does not contain too much dietary fiber, feeding your hamster too many mangoes can result in digestive issues like diarrhea.

A prolonged case of diarrhea can cause your hamster to develop Wet Tails, a scary condition that can be deadly if you are not careful. Hence, you must constantly monitor your hamster’s mango intake.

4. Can Contain Chemicals

If you aren’t sure of where your mangoes come from, there could be a high chance that chemicals and fertilizers have been used to ripen them. We recommend getting your mango supply from a farmer’s market, as those mangoes are usually ethically grown and harvested.

Another trick to check if your mango has been ripened naturally or artificially is putting it in a bucket of water. If it floats, chemicals have been used to ripen it. However, if the mango sinks, you can assume it has naturally ripened.

Which Kinds of Hamsters Can Eat Mangoes?

While mangoes are moderately suitable for hamsters, not all of them can enjoy the same number of mangoes. There are many different hamster breeds, some smaller than others. The mango portions each hamster can eat depends on the specie it belongs to.

1. Cambell Dwarf Hamsters

Cambell Dwarf Hamsters, especially those found in the US, are tiny hamsters, also commonly referred to as dwarf hamsters. Their digestive systems cannot tolerate too much acid and sugar content. Due to their genes, these hamsters are also more vulnerable to diabetes.

Hence, you must pay attention to how many mangoes you give your Campbell hamster. It is best to give sweet fruits in moderation, especially mangoes, as they contain lots of sugar. You can give your hamster 1/4th of a teaspoon of mango once in two weeks if you need to.

2. Chinese Hamsters

Chinese hamsters are also dwarf hamsters and have a higher risk of developing diabetes. Hence, just like Campbell hamsters, these hamsters should not be given mangoes to munch on too often.

However, you can give your hamsters 1/4th teaspoon of mango once in a while. Just make sure not to overdo it, or your hamster could fall ill.

3. Russian Dwarf Hamsters

These are also tiny creatures commonly known as Winter White or Djungarian hamsters. The main difference between these hamsters and Campbell and Chinese hamsters is that Russian Dwarf hamsters do not develop diabetes so quickly.

However, you can never know if you have a hybrid hamster breed, so we recommend giving your hamster 1/4th teaspoon once in two weeks.

4. Roborovski Hamsters

Roborovski hamsters are the tiniest hamster breed. Based on their size, one might think that they can develop diabetes quickly. However, don’t be too quick to judge- despite their size, these hamsters are not prone to diabetes.

This is mainly because Roborovski hamsters are highly active. You will always find them running around, so even if they eat foods high in sugar, they will burn them off quickly. Hence, you can give these hamsters a piece of mango every week.

However, the mango piece should not be too big- your hamster should be able to hold the mango in its paw.