What Vegetables Do Hamsters Eat?

Hamster Facts

• Hamsters grow to be approximately 6 inches in length. They prefer a dry, warm climate and live in the wild in Australia, China, Mongolia, Syria and Afghanistan. They are fat little guys that are hoarders. People who have had one for a pet have probably watched them fill their cheek pouches with food and then go to a corner of the cage somewhere and expel it by pushing on the outside of their cheeks. Hamsters breed quickly, able to give birth to 14 pups at a time, obviously it is wise to keep females and males away from each other. Females tend to be more temperamental and are more likely to bite when disturbed than a male. A hamster bite usually only hurts when it is on a fingertip, and bites generally do not draw blood. Hamsters, nocturnal both in the wild and captivity, can be frustrating for owners who have not greased their hamster's running wheel. Hamsters are extremely fast and at times can be hard to handle. They should not be bathed, but allowed only to groom themselves.

Hamsters and Dry Foods

• Because of hamsters originating in dry climates, their favorite foods reflect this. They love to eat seeds, such as sunflower and pumpkin. Nuts are another favorite, such as peanuts, walnuts, almonds and others, the essential thing is to not roast or salt them before feeding them to the hamster. Cereals, such as rolled oats, puffed rice and any cereal that humans like as long as it contains no sugar and that any nuts or seeds are natural with no roasting or salting. They will eat dried insects for variety and can be given both dried whey and dried eggs for protein. Dry toast and dog biscuits are another hamster favorite. Commercial dry hamster food sold in pet stores contains most of the nutrition that a hamster needs. In addition, pet stores also sell hamster treats such as hamster chocolate and puffed cheese snacks.

Hamsters and Vegetables

• Vegetables are something that hamsters should have in extremely limited quantities. Giving a hamster too much of any vegetable can give them severe diarrhea and they can dehydrate and die unusually quickly. Fruits and vegetables that hamsters can have in moderation are seedless apple, banana, cabbage, carrots, lettuce, celery, corn-on-the-cob, kale, mango, parsley, peas, cooked potato, soybean and sweet potato. Carrots should be given in moderation as the keratin can change the color of the hamster's coat. Cabbage and lettuce can be unsuitable for a hamster's liver if given too frequently The majority of these vegetables are in dry commercial hamster foods and with a reputable commercial food diet they can be given the fresh variety as an occasional treat.

Foods Hamsters Should Avoid

• Because hamsters will eat almost anything, it is wise to know the foods that can hurt your beloved pet. Nobody wants to offer their hamster friend a treat and then find out that is why their pet became ill. Foods that hamsters should not be given are canned or frozen vegetables, as the sodium content in these foods can cause the hamster to become dehydrated even with the food itself having liquid in it. Do not give them raw beans or potato's with eyes sprouting. Garlic and onions can be toxic, and candy is always a terrible idea --- hard candies will break hamsters' teeth and the only chocolate safe for hamsters are the singular chocolate treats made for rodents sold in pet stores.