It’s no secret that hamsters love to eat. We often see them stuffing their adorable chubby little cheeks. Like us humans, hamsters are omnivores. However, just because they can eat anything does not mean you should feed them everything. There are plenty of foods that will not be the treat you hope to provide your pet with. In this article, we’ll be going over a few of the major ones and why you should avoid them.
1. Peanut Butter
While it’s more than fine to give your hamster peanuts, peanut butter is to be avoided. The glue-like spread can get stuck in their cheek pouches and cause serious problems for your pet.
2. Salted Foods
You might think it’s fine to give your hamster a pretzel or potato chip; you love it, they should too, right? Hamsters are not used to encountering foods with added salt or sugar. While it might seem like a tasty treat, the extra salt or sugar will be detrimental to their physical health.
*Hamsters love nuts and sunflower seeds. If you are going to give these to your pet make sure they are unsalted.
3. Almonds
Hamsters go nuts for nuts. However, it’s best to stay away from almonds Believe it or not, almonds have trace amounts of cyanide. Now this isn’t going to hurt a human if they eat it, but we’re 500x bigger than our little furry friends. That’s why it’s best to keep almonds away from them.
4. Chocolate
Just like dogs, chocolate is toxic for hamsters due to theobromine. Best to keep your small pet away from this tasty treat.
5. Unwashed Fruits and Vegetables
Most fruits and vegetables are more than safe for your hamster. Just make sure that you wash them first. Unwashed Fruits and Vegetables may have pesticides on them which could poison your hamster.
6. Onions and Onion Family Vegetables
Again, like dogs, hamsters cannot eat onions or similar foods. These vegetables are poisonous to your small pet. That means no shallots, chives, leeks, or garlic either.
7. Tomato Leaves/Stems
It’s ok for your hamster to eat tomatoes but stay away from the leaves and stems. These dark greens will prove toxic to your small pet.
8. Leafy Greens
Leafy greens are best to be avoided. They provide little nutritional value and can cause digestive problems for your furry friend.
9. Beans
It may be confusing because nuts are ok, but these legumes are to be kept away. Beans can give your hamster gas they will have trouble passing. Additionally, beans are hard to digest. Specifically make sure that you stay away from kidney beans, these are toxic for small pets.
10. Potatoes
This is a tricky one because sweet potatoes are a great treat for your small pet. Unlike, their sweet cousins, regular potatoes are starchy empty calories. These will do nothing other than put some junk in your hamster’s trunk.
While there are plenty of foods hamsters can eat, it’s great to know what you should avoid. As pet owners we want to provide for our pets. Being equipped with the right knowledge will ensure your pet eats well. Give your small pet the life they deserve!