Plants in a Hamster Cage

Hamsters are odor-free small nocturnal rodents that make excellent first pets. Their natural curiosity and antics entertain children who are ready for the responsibility of caring for a living creature. Keep hamsters comfortable by cleaning cages and checking food and water levels, every day. Bindweed and buttercups are toxic to hamsters, but there's plenty of other safe plants for a hamster cage.

  1. Dandelions

    • Dandelions are garden weeds with dark green-notched leaves with tooth-like edges and a bright yellow flower on a single stem. Plants spread by airborne seeds that form in a fluffy ball. Dandelions are not only safe for hamster cages, but are also tasty food for humans. Leaves posses a tangy flavor and are cooked as a green vegetable, eaten raw in salads or used for wine making. Roots are roasted to make coffee. Dandelions originated in Asia, take their name from the French words "dent de lion," or lion's tooth, and are now naturalized in North America.

    Watercress

    • Watercress are green aquatic plants belonging to the cabbage family. Plants produce tiny white and green blooms and their hollow stems allow leaves to float in water. These quick-growing greens can be found in clear ponds and streams across the eastern U.S. Leaves of watercress are sold as vegetable greens in supermarkets. Plants feature slightly yellowish-green leaves with a pungent flavor. They're safe for hamster cages and also one of the oldest leaf vegetables known to be eaten by humans, who add them to soups or stews and salads.

    Clover

    • Clover plants include 300 different species belonging to the pea family. Red or white clovers are safe plants for hamster cages. They are also used as cattle fodder and grown as a replenishing ground cover to improve poor soils. Clover plants feature leaves with three to seven sections and white, purple or pink flowers. They grow quickly and spread easily in locations like meadows and lawns, reappearing soon after each session of grass cutting.

    Cow Parsley

    • Cow parsley is another weed that's safe for use in hamster cages. It's also called wild chervil or wild beaked parsley. It originates from Europe and Asia and is related to carrots and true parsley. Cow parsley plants can reach 170 centimeters in height and produce triangular green leaves and small white flowers on a multitude of thin stems at the top of plants. Plants frequently grow by the roadside, but those from meadows, woodlands and remote hedgerows are less likely to be contaminated by pollution.