What can hamsters eat? Safe foods, treats and foods hamsters must avoid

TUREFF• •0

Hamsters are omnivores. In the wild they eat seeds, grains, plants and insects, and they carry food back to their burrows in their cheek pouches. A pet hamster's diet should give it variety and balance without too much fat or sugar.

The basics

A good-quality hamster food as the main part of the diet. A mix that includes pellets or blocks helps stop picky eaters choosing only the tasty bits.
Fresh vegetables in small amounts, a few times a week or daily depending on the vet's advice for your hamster.
A little protein occasionally, such as plain cooked egg or plain cooked chicken.
Fresh water every day.

Hamsters store food, so a full bowl does not mean the hamster is not eating. Check its stash in the nest from time to time and remove anything that is going off, especially fresh food.

Generally safe vegetables and herbs

Offer washed, small pieces:

broccoli, cauliflower, carrot, cucumber, courgette
peppers (not chilli)
small amounts of leafy greens
herbs such as parsley, basil and coriander

Introduce new foods one at a time and in small amounts, which makes it easier to spot anything that upsets the stomach.

Fruit, carefully

Fruit is high in sugar, so offer only tiny pieces as an occasional treat. Apple and pear (without pips) and berries are commonly given. This matters more for dwarf hamsters: Campbell's dwarf and Chinese hamsters are widely reported to be prone to diabetes, so many keepers and vets advise keeping sugary foods to a minimum for them.

Foods to avoid

Onion, garlic, leeks and chives: these can damage red blood cells.
Citrus fruit such as oranges, lemons, limes and grapefruit: too acidic and can irritate the cheek pouches and gut.
Chocolate: contains theobromine, which is toxic to many animals.
Bitter almonds and the pips and stones of fruit such as apple pips and cherry, peach and plum stones, which contain compounds that release cyanide.
Raw potato, rhubarb and tomato leaves and stems.
Sticky foods such as peanut butter in lumps, which can get stuck in cheek pouches.
Sweets, crisps and processed human food, including anything salty, sugary, fried or seasoned.
Sharp or very hard foods that can injure the cheek pouches.

Opinions differ on some foods, such as grapes, so where sources disagree it is safest to leave the food out. If your hamster eats something on this list, call a vet for advice.

Treats

Treats are most useful as a way to build trust during handling. Good options include a single sunflower seed, a small piece of vegetable, or a little plain cooked egg. Many shop-bought hamster treats, such as yoghurt drops and honey sticks, are high in sugar; use them rarely or not at all.

Chewing and teeth

A hamster's front teeth grow throughout its life. Hard foods and safe chews, such as untreated wood, cardboard and hay, help keep them worn down.

Water

Check the bottle every day: tap the spout to make sure it flows, as they can block. Some hamsters drink more readily from a heavy, shallow bowl that cannot tip. Ask about a food you are unsure of, or share your hamster's favourite healthy treat, in the comments.