What Fruits Can Hamsters Eat [Helpful Guide]

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What Fruits Can Hamsters Eat

Fruits make excellent treats for hamsters and are of great benefit to them. They’re packed with antioxidants great for hamsters. Add fruits to your hamster’s diet, and your hamster will love you more!

Hamsters can eat all kinds of sweet or sour fruits, such as strawberries, grapes, apples, watermelons, pears, bananas, kiwis, mangoes, plums, and more. But since fruits are high in sugar, you should give them in moderation to your hamster as a snack or reward.

Keep reading as I’ll discuss why certain fruits are good for your hamster. I’ll also discuss what vegetables are suitable for hamsters.

Hamsters Can Eat Various Types of Fruits

Hamsters can eat all kinds of fruits, such as strawberries, grapes, apples, pears, and more. In the wild, hamsters eat different kinds of food, such as seeds, nuts, and even fruits. That said, you can give fruits to your hamster. But limit their fruit intake as fruits are high in sugar.

The following sections explain the different fruits hamsters can eat and how they can benefit your hamster.

What Fruits Can Hamsters Eat
What Fruits Can Hamsters Eat

Strawberries Are Rich in Vitamins and Antioxidants

Strawberries are nutritious and yummy fruits that don’t contain high sugar content, making them an excellent choice of fruit to give a hamster. Strawberries are filled with antioxidants and vitamins, such as vitamin C, vitamin K, potassium, and manganese.

All of these nutrients promote the general well-being of hamsters, encourage healthy vision and skin, and promote bone health and organ function.

Grapes Have High Sugar Content

Grapes are a great snack to give your hamster, but since they have high sugar content, it’s best to provide your hamsters with grapes as a snack sparingly.

Hamsters are tiny and prone to developing diabetes or obesity, so giving them grapes in moderation is essential as you don’t want your hamster to develop health complications!

Grapes contain vital vitamins and minerals, including vitamins B, C, K, and copper. These fruits can boost a hamster’s immune system, promote reproductive health, and encourage healthy blood vessels.

However, grape seeds and peels are dangerous to hamsters, so ensure you remove them when feeding your hamster grapes.

Read What Does Hamster Eat?

Apples Are High in Sugar and Fiber

Apples are low-calorie and high in fiber and vitamins such as vitamin C. However, apples are also high in sugar, so it’s crucial to give hamsters small portions once in a while.

Dwarf hamsters, in particular, are prone to getting diabetes, so it’s best not to provide them with high-sugar fruits often.

Apples are nutrient-dense and are exceptionally high in vitamin C and potassium, which are excellent for a strong immune system and well-functioning digestive system.

Ensure all the seeds are gone when you give hamster apples since apple seeds are a significant choking hazard.

Watermelons Have High Water and Sugar Contents

Watermelons are delicious, but they’re high in sugar. They also have high water content.

It would be best to be cautious when giving your hamster watermelons, as overfeeding your pet can cause them diarrhea.

Watermelons are an excellent source of magnesium, potassium, and vitamins A and C, which are highly beneficial to hamsters and promote overall well-being and healthy fur.

Since watermelons are such a water-dense fruit, it’s a great idea to feed a hamster some watermelon if they’re ever dehydrated. The seeds in watermelons are a choking hazard, so make sure to remove the seeds before treating your hamster to watermelons.

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Pears Are Packed With Vitamins and Minerals

Pears are a vitamin and mineral-packed fruit that offers many health benefits to hamsters. They are rich in vitamin C, antioxidants, and folate, aiding in the formation of blood cells and promoting good cell function.

The fiber in pears promotes a healthy digestive system and can relieve constipation. So, pears can be a natural remedy for irregular bowel movements!

Even though pears contain a significant amount of vitamins and minerals beneficial to hamsters, they still have a considerable amount of sugar. They should be given to hamsters in moderation.

Bananas Are Easy for Hamsters To Digest

Bananas are a delicious and easy-to-digest fruit with plenty of health benefits. They are a fantastic source of vitamin B6, potassium, fiber, magnesium, and vitamin C.

These tasty fruits promote organ function, digestive health, healthy eyesight and skin, and cardiovascular health. Generally, bananas are excellent for hamsters!

Like most fruits, bananas are high in sugar, so only occasionally treat your hamster to bananas. You could even feed your hamster banana skins, but since most store-bought bananas are sprayed with pesticides that are hazardous to hamsters, it’s best not to. Ensure the bananas are organic if you want to feed hamsters banana skins.

Kiwis Contain a Bit of Citrus

Kiwis are a yummy sweet and sour fruit that is juicy and filled with minerals and antioxidants. These fruits contain vitamins A, C, E, K, potassium, fiber, and folate, all of which promote the general health of hamsters.

Kiwis can improve bone health, eye and skin health, and digestive health, and aid in forming healthy red blood cells and blood vessels.

Note that kiwis have a high water and sugar content, so treat your hamster to kiwis sparingly to prevent diarrhea and diabetes. These fruits also contain a bit of citrus, which is generally not suitable for hamsters, so a kiwi treat must be strictly once in a while!

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Mangoes Are Excellent for a Hamster’s Digestive Health

Mangoes are juicy, delicious, exotic fruits packed with nutrients and fiber. They are a source of vitamin A, C, K, potassium, folate, and protein, great for hamster health.

Mangoes can support a hamster’s digestive health, promote regular bowel movements and eyesight, and encourage the formation of strong cell walls.

Although mangoes are mouthwatering, they’re high in sugar and can be dangerous to your hamster if it eats them too often. For the safety and health of your hamster, treat them to mangoes now and then.

Blueberries Are High in Sugar

Blueberries are refreshing summer fruits that contain various vitamins and antioxidants and are one of the easiest fruits to grow in Texas. They are a rich source of vitamins K1, C, manganese, and fiber, which benefit hamsters greatly.

This snack-like summer fruit boosts a hamster’s immune system, supports digestive and bone health, and encourages healthy bowel movements.

When you give your hamster blueberries as a snack/reward, ensure you don’t overfeed your pet, as too many blueberries can result in diarrhea or diabetes due to their high sugar content.

Cherries Are Good for Hamsters With Arthritis

Cherries are a yummy, low-calorie snack packed with minerals and nutrients. With antioxidants and anti-inflammatory compounds, cherries are an excellent choice of fruit to give a hamster with arthritis.

Cherries contain vitamins A, C, K, magnesium, and calcium, which can support bone health, vision, promote a healthy coat and skin, and the general health of hamsters.

The sugar content in cherries can cause stomach issues, weight gain, and diabetes in hamsters, so it would be best to give hamsters cherries only once in a while and ensure you remove their seeds before serving.

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Peaches Are Low in Calories but High in Sugar

Peaches are sweet, low-calorie fruits filled with vitamins and minerals such as vitamins A, C, E, K, iron, folate, and potassium (also the state fruit of Georgia). Their vitamins can support eyesight, boost the immune system, and promote a healthy, shiny coat.

Like most fruits, peaches have high sugar content, so treat your hamsters to peaches sparingly. Before feeding hamsters peaches, always ensure you remove the pit as it’s a choking hazard.

Apricots Offer Antioxidants, Low Calories, and High Nutrients

Apricots are high-fiber fruits that are low in calories and high in nutrients. They contain vitamins A and C, which promote eye health and a healthy immune system.

Since apricots are high-fiber fruits, it’s a great idea to give some to your hamster if they’re dehydrated or constipated, as the fiber will encourage regular and healthy bowel movements.

Apricots are lovely fruits to give to a hamster since they promote general health and are packed with antioxidants; however, ensure you give your hamster apricots occasionally as they have high sugar content.

Plums Are High in Sugar and Citric Acid

Plums are sweet, sometimes sour seasonal fruits that are packed with minerals. They contain vitamins A, C, K, potassium, and calcium, so they offer many health benefits to hamsters. These fleshy fruits can promote healthy vision, and strong bones, aid in blood clotting, and lower the risk of cardiovascular issues.

Since plums contain fiber, it’s a great fruit to give a hamster to promote healthy bowel movements. Although plums are highly beneficial to hamsters, it’s best to treat them to plums occasionally, as these fruits are high in sugar and citric acid.

Fruits make excellent, healthy snacks for hamsters, granted you aren’t overfeeding them.

Since most fruits contain a high concentration of sugar, it would be best if you stick to treating your hamster to a quarter teaspoon of fruit once or twice a week. Depending on a hamster’s size and species, you can give them more or less than a quarter teaspoon.

Always wash and chop up plums before serving, and remove any pits. Enquire with a professional about portion sizes specific to your hamster to be extra sure of how much to give your pet.

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Feed Your Hamster Vegetables in Moderation

Now that you know what fruits hamsters can eat, I’ll share what vegetables are suitable for them. Hamsters are omnivores, so they enjoy a little bit of everything. Vegetables are an integral part of a hamster’s diet and are crucial to keeping them healthy.

No matter where you live in the States, be it Utah, Wisconsin, or Washington, you can surely find the following vegetables for your pet hamster.

The following sections discuss how these vegetables can benefit your hamster and the reasons you should only feed them to your hamster in moderation.

Broccolis Have High Concentration of Water

Broccoli is a nutrient-dense green filled with health benefits. It contains vitamins A, B, C, K, potassium, iron, and calcium.

Feeding your hamster broccoli can promote a healthy coat and skin, eyesight, strong bones, aid in blood clotting, and reduce fatigue.

Broccoli contains a high concentration of water, so keep the serving of broccoli moderate to prevent issues like diarrhea and dehydration.

Cucumbers Have High Water Content

Cucumbers are crunchy, refreshing, and high in nutritional value. They have vitamins B, C, K, magnesium, and potassium, so there are plenty of benefits.

Cucumbers can promote bone health, vision, strengthen the immune system, and reduce the risk of cardiovascular ailments.

Although cucumbers offer many health benefits, they have a high water content that can cause diarrhea and dehydration, so be careful not to overfeed them.

Read Why Is My Hamster Limping?

Carrots Contain a Lot of Sugar

Carrots are vitamin and mineral-packed vegetables with many health benefits. They’re a source of vitamins A, B6, C, K1, calcium, and iron, promoting general health.

These crunchy veggies can boost a hamster’s immune system, promote healthy skin, fur, bones, aid in blood clotting, and reduce cardiovascular disease.

Carrots are a highly nutritious vegetable, but they contain a lot of sugar, so it’s best to feed your hamster carrots in moderation to prevent any health or digestive issues.

Spinach Is High in Water and Acid

Spinach is a nutrient-dense green, containing vitamins A, C, K, iron, potassium, and folate. Feeding your hamster spinach can help maintain a healthy coat, skin, and eyesight, strengthen the immune system and bones, aid in red blood cell formation, and reduce the risk of cardiovascular disease and high blood pressure.

Although spinach has such a wide variety of benefits to hamsters, they have high water and acid content. Don’t feed your hamster spinach daily, and serve it in moderation to prevent stomach issues like bloating and diarrhea.

Cauliflowers Have High Water Content

Cauliflower is a vegetable similar to broccoli and is loved by hamsters everywhere. It is an excellent source of vitamins C, K, calcium, and iron, so they greatly benefit hamsters. This tasty veggie can promote healthy skin and eyesight, maintain strong bones, and aid in the formation of red blood cells.

Cauliflower is also a source of fiber and antioxidants, making it a great choice of vegetable for maintaining a healthy body and bowel movements. Since cauliflower has high water content, feed your hamster cauliflower in moderation to avoid diarrhea and dehydration.

Read Why Is My Hamster Hissing?

Asparagus Has High Water Content

Asparagus is a delicious, nutrition-filled vegetable with plenty of benefits. It contains vitamins A, C, K, fiber, and folate, meaning hamsters can benefit from it significantly.

Asparagus can boost the immune system, promote healthy eyesight and coat, aid in blood clotting, and promote healthy bowel movements.

The antioxidants and minerals in asparagus are great for maintaining a healthy hamster. But ensure you feed your hamster asparagus in moderation, as too much can cause digestive and stomach issues like cramping and diarrhea because of the high water content.

Conclusion

Hamsters aren’t picky about where you take them; New York, Nebraska, anywhere. They’ll be happy as long as their basic needs are met, which includes a balanced diet! A balanced diet will keep your pet happy and healthy.

The best nutrients for a hamster will come from anything it would normally eat in the wild, like fruits and nuts. So, keep this in mind when fixing a hamster their meals. You can give your hamster fruits and vegetables, but be mindful of how much you give them.

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