Can Hamsters Eat Raspberries?

Hamsters and other small animals are a practical choice for a child's first pet. They live in an easily maintained enclosure, require minimal care and are inexpensive to feed. All in all, hamsters represent a suitable litmus test for a child's willingness to take responsibility for a pet. They are suitably affectionate when handled regularly, and appreciate occasional treats of fruit or berries.

  1. Hamster Diet

    • Hamsters are primarily herbivores. In the wild they eat a variety of plant material and seeds, providing themselves naturally with a balanced diet except in times of great scarcity. It would be difficult for a pet owner to duplicate this range of foods at home, but pet food companies manufacture food pellets formulated specifically for each small pet species. These pellets will provide a hamster with all the components of a balanced, healthy diet. However, like most other pets, hamsters appreciate occasional well-chosen treats.

    Raspberries and Other Fruits

    • Like many other herbivores, hamsters will happily enjoy most fruits or berries that come their way. Fruit should be introduced to the diet slowly, and always in small quantities so your hamster's digestive system can adjust. If the animal develops diarrhea, stop feeding it that particular fruit. With raspberries, half a berry is a good starting point. Always clean out uneaten fruit so it doesn't get moldy. Aside from raspberries, other good fruit and berry choices include blueberries, strawberries, banana, honeydew melon or seedless grapes. Feed tree fruits in small, seedless pieces.

    Other Food Treats

    • Hamsters are designed for a diet of green leaves and seeds, so they will cheerfully accept most grains or salad greens, in suitably small portions. Spinach, lettuce and dandelion greens are all excellent choices. Most hamsters will eat cabbage and its relatives, like broccoli and cauliflower, but they may cause your pet to smell bad. Most hamsters enjoy unsalted pumpkin seeds or sunflower seeds, and they also appreciate an occasional treat of nuts or acorns. A few shreds of cooked lean ground beef, cooked egg are good food choices, and mealworms will replace the insects and larvae that wild hamsters eat occasionally.

    Cautions

    • Remember that these foods should be considered as occasional treats, not as a part of your animal's main diet. Fruit can cause diarrhea if not introduced carefully, and because of its high sugar content too much sugar can cause diabetes. Citrus fruits and tomatoes are too acidic for hamsters, and most raw beans and peas contain substances that will make them ill. The seeds of tree fruits such as cherries, peaches and apricots contain cyanide compounds, and apple seeds contain arsenic, so these should never be given to the hamster.