We love our rodents and we want to spoil them and to take proper care of them, and the balls for hamsters are a good way to entertain our little friends and to keep them healthy. Also, the tubes for adult hamsters are a perfect choice for anyone who wants to keep his/her small animals from getting bored.
But, nutrition is another important aspect that needs your utmost attention. If you want your pets to stay with you for many years to come, you have to make sure that you include in their diet all the necessary nutrients and vitamins. Also, in the section below we’ve decided to present you certain foods that your hamsters should never eat, as they are toxic to them.
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Onions, garlic, chives, and leeks
Your hamsters are curious little animals that love to sample on any type of food, and that is why you have to make sure that they stay away from these vegetables. You might think it is ok to feed your pet some onions because you like them and you often include them in your diet.
But, hamsters are different than us, and what is good for us doesn’t mean that it’s good for them, too. In their case, these vegetables can cause severe stomach irritation, and they can even lead to gastroenteritis which can be deadly.
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Chocolate and caffeine products
You shouldn’t feed your hamsters anything with caffeine because it can affect their well-being. And, among the ones that are the most dangerous for your little friend’s health we can remember chocolate – it contains both caffeine and theobromine.
What is a delicious and popular treat for us can be lethal for hamsters. Theobromine, in particular, can have a toxic effect on small animals like hamsters. While caffeine stimulates your pets’ heart and causes it to race, the theobromine can actually poison them.
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Beans and potatoes
These foods are very dangerous for your rodents as they can cause diarrhea, which may lead to dehydration and more complicated health issues. Since they are small animals, your hamsters can easily dehydrate to a point where it can be fatal.
That is why you have to be very careful when feeding your pets beans – because they are high in fiber they can cause loose stools. And, most important is to never give your hamsters uncooked beans.
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Citrus fruits
We love citrus fruits because they are very good for our health – they offer our body plenty of vitamins and nutrients. But, because they have a high acid content they can be too acidic for our rodents. These types of fruits can harm your pet’s stomach which will make him/her feel very uncomfortable.
With this in mind, it is recommended that you keep your hamsters from eating citrus fruits because you don’t want them to experience stomach issues that can be easily prevented.
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Potato chips
As we have already mentioned, potatoes are not a good choice for your hamster as they can lead to various health issues. But, when they are fried, potatoes become even worse for your pet’s well-being.
Potato chips are high in fat and because of that, your pet is most likely to experience digestive problems. Also, due to the high amount of calories this junk food contains, your hamster can gain weight which can lead to other severe health problems.
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Celery
When you think about celery you imagine a nice fresh vegetable that offers the ones who eat it plenty of energy and vitamins. Well, this is true but not for hamsters. In their case, celery can be very dangerous.
Because it contains plenty of sodium, this vegetable can make your small animal retain water hence feel bloated. Also, due to its stringy texture, the hamsters can choke on celery very easily. In order to avoid this from happening, you should cut it into small pieces, and make sure to limit the amount your small animals eat.
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Avocados
The next food on the blacklist is avocado. You love it, we love it, everyone loves it! Unfortunately, your rodents are not allowed to experience the delicious taste of the avocado because it contains a toxin called persin, which can be toxic to them.
That is why you should keep your guacamole for yourself only and make sure that your hamsters don’t play with the avocado pit or shell either. Even if the avocado leaves are considered the most toxic for your hamsters, the fruit too has negative effects on their health.
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Apple seeds
Yes, apples are a delicious and healthy snack which can be fed to your hamsters without worrying that they will experience any health issues. But, when it comes to the apple seeds, things are a bit more complicated and you should be extremely careful.
Because they contain a poison that is called cyanide, these seeds can be very dangerous for your little friend. For us, humans, it is ok to eat them because the small amount of cyanide will have no negative effect. But, for your small animals, this quantity is enough to make them quite sick.
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Raisins or grapes
Even if you’ve heard people saying that seedless grains and raisins are acceptable for your rodents, you should know that they have proved to be quite dangerous sometimes. The most common health issues related to the consumption of these foods is kidney failure.
And, the fact that your hamster doesn’t show any symptoms right after he/she eats them, doesn’t mean that everything is ok. It can take a while until you are able to see the negative effects, so our recommendation is to substitute these foods with healthier ones.
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Almonds
It is recommended that you feed your hamsters organic almonds without shells only because the non-organic ones can contain chemicals that can kill your little friends. Also, you should pay attention to the way they look, too, and give your rodents only the ones that have a perfect shape.
Moreover, the skin of the almonds can upset your pets’ stomach, and that is why you should remove it before feeding them to your hamsters.
Hi what can I. Give my hamster to stop her chewing the bars on the cage late at night till morning
Hi there. There are multiple reasons for which your hamster chews the bars. The little guy can be bored or anxious so you can fix this by having more 1 on 1 time or getting a bigger cage. Alternatively, you can try different chew toys and see what he/she likes.
Hi there. My hamster has a big swollen lump on his abdomen. It is gettkng worse and he is itching it alot. It looks like he has mites but not sure. The lump has a whole in it and it is bloody now. Dont know what to do as the vet charges the earth just for a consultation.
We did give our hamster a lot of snacks which I think has done the damage. Can we do home remedies to fix him. 😔
Hi Desiree. I definitely recommend taking your little guy to a vet to check him out as it’s complicated to give advice in situations like these without a consultation.
If my hamsters wheel is squeaking when ever my hamster is running on it can i use anything like oil yo make it not squeak
Hi Casey. I recommend using a non-toxic lubricant for the wheel.
I have given our little hamster avocado As a treat. And he’s still alive. Thank God! I had no idea it was toxic! He’s also eaten cook potato. And seemed to love it as well as almonds! My God it seems I’m doing everything wrong. But , he is almost 4 years old and I feel I’m doing everything right!!
Totally confused now
Hi Pam. Thank you for sharing this with us!
Thank you so much for your insight!
Thank you for your feedback, Leona. You’re welcome and I’m glad the article was helpful!
With out going to a vet what can i do to help my hamster if he was to get more or flies i do have 2 dogs my hampster is around and has been itching a hole late and im worried is there any spats i can buy ro help him out or ro avoid the problem of them for my hamster 🐹 thank you
Hi Amanda. Can you be more specific, please? If your little one is scratching more than the usual, it can be for many reasons. Parasites, skin infection, allergies, etc. For starters, you can get him a flea treatment and see if that helps.
I’m sry but just take your hamster to the vet!!
If the vet you see charges to much then find another vet that is more reasonable and maybe a lil more compassionate towards your pet and you. Sry but I feel like if there’s something wrong with a pet then you should try everything to help them and get the problem fixed, which is done by going to a vet you and your pet are comfortable with.
Thank you so much! I’m so glad because recent gave my robo a bit of avocado for the first time, and also in the past I have given him some celery as well. At least I know now!
Hi there. Thanks for your feedback. I’m so glad the article was helpful!
what can i do to get my hamster to stop climing her and his cage
Hi Isabella. This can happen for many reasons. Your little one can be trying to get away from something in his/her cage. Try looking around the cage for soiled bedding or feces. Another cause is simply boredom.
I am concerned for our hamster as I gave her a teeny tiny raw potato from the garden. What can we do now? What to watch for? Will it make her sick? Granddaughter VERY worried. What do I do??
Hi Elaine. If you see any behavioral changes, I’d recommend taking the little one to the vet. That’s definitely the best thing to do.
Hi, any tips on how to prepare for getting a hamster? my last hamster was very aggressive and wasn’t very fond of me even though I tried giving him treats and a spacious cage. I tried spending time with him and putting my hand against the cage for a few seconds but he would get very angry and eventually passed away. I had no clue what I could’ve done wrong but this time I want to properly prepare.
Hi Jailene. You can check the below article for tips on how to prepare for getting a hamster. If the article is not thorough enough, please let me know:
https://www.wikihow.com/Prepare-for-a-New-Pet-Hamster
I truly respect this young lady so much rt now.
She knows exactly whats shes talking about.
Because I’ve been researching for hours .
I research always when something comes to my attention .
Like this morning when I found my hamster dead.
Thank you so much.!
Hi Gregory. I’m so sorry to hear that. Thank you for your kind words and I’m glad the article was helpful to you.
hi my hamster escaped last night from her cage and in the morning i found her in between the stove and the cabinet, she was oily and i don’t know if she ate anything poisonous to hamsters.
Hi there. If you’re not sure, I’d recommend taking her to a vet or monitor her behavior for the next days.
wtf i fed my hamster some grapes and she didnt die
hey there,
my hamster sneezes a lot and she kind of lost her appetite she doesn’t eat as much as she used to but she is so active actually she runs all the time, could it be something serious? should i get her to the vet? thank you very much
Hi there. Yes, it would be best if a vet would take a look at your hamster.
By getting a bigger cage it wants to have more space then the cage you got
how can you make your hamster happpy?