Many rodents, like squirrels will eat chestnuts. So you may be wondering can hamsters eat chestnuts? The answer is yes some hamsters can eat chestnuts.
When you have a cute hamster as a pet you often want to provide yummy treats for them. And chestnuts are one of those additional treats that you can give your little furry friend.
When feeding your hamster chestnuts, always keep in mind that these are a treat and not the main source of nutrition for your hamster. Chestnuts have a high water content and sugar content, so it is not the healthiest food source for hamsters.
Hamsters That Can Eat Chestnuts
If you have a Syrian hamster or Robowski hamster, you can feed these hamsters chestnuts. They have the ability to digest the sugar and acidic content of chestnuts.
When feeding your Syrian or Robowski hamster chestnuts, make sure to only give small amounts. Do not overdo it with chestnuts as a treat.
Hamsters That Can’t Eat Chestnuts
Smaller breeds of hamsters, like Chinese or Dwarf hamsters, should not eat chestnuts. These small hamsters do not have a robust enough digestive system to tolerate chestnuts very well. And the sugar content of chestnuts can be especially harmful to dwarf or Chinese hamsters since these smaller breeds are susceptible to sugars and developing diabetes.
Related Reading:
- Can Hamsters Eat Cashews?
- Can Hamsters Eat Hazelnuts (aka Filberts)?
- Can Hamsters Eat Almonds?
- Can Hamsters Eat Spinach?
- Can Hamsters Eat Cheese?
- Can Hamsters Eat Basil?
- Can Hamsters Eat Grapes?
- Can Hamsters Eat Carrots?
Nutritional Benefits of Chestnuts for Hamsters
Minus the high water, high acid, and high sugar content of chestnuts, they can provide some extra nutritional benefits when used as a treat for Syrian hamsters.
Chestnuts contain the following beneficial vitamins and minerals (source):
- Vitamin B1
- Vitamin B6
- Vitamin C
- Calcium
- Folate (B9)
- Magnesium
- Phosphorus
- Potassium
- Iron
- Zinc
Health Risks of Feeding Hamsters Chestnuts
In moderation for Syrian or Robowski hamsters chestnuts are ok as an occasional treat. Due to the sugar content and acid content, these can be harmful in large quantities for Syrian hamsters. They can cause stomach issues if they are fed too much. These stomach issues could be things like bloating and diarrhea.
The sugar content makes them a definite no-no for Dwarf and Chinese hamsters, along with the fact that they can’t digest them very well.
Frequently Asked Quiestions About Giving Hamsters Chestnuts
No, hamsters should not be given horse chestnuts. Hamsters should only have the chestnuts that are for humans, aka “sweet chestnuts” as horse chestnuts are different.
No, dwarf hamsters should not eat chestnuts. Their digestive systems can not handle chestnuts like a Syrian hamster can.