Hamsters are becoming quite popular to have as small pets. And when you have such a cute pet you often like to give it treats. Some treats can be great for your hamsters and other treats can cause harm. So it is important to make sure that your hamster can have a certain treat. Strawberries are one of these treats that people wonder if they can feed to their hamsters. Can hamsters eat strawberries? The short answer is yes and no, some hamsters can eat strawberries, and some hamsters shouldn’t eat strawberries. Read on below to find out the details about giving strawberries as a treat to your hamster.
Are Strawberries Good for Hamsters?
Most people love to have strawberries as a sweet treat and know that they can be good for you. But are they good for your hamster to have as a treat? Strawberries can provide good nutrition to hamsters because they are chock full of beneficial nutrients without a lot of calories or fat. Compared to other hamster treats, such as chestnuts or pecans, strawberries can give much more benefits as a treat.
Like many types of fruits, strawberries are higher in sugar, this can be troublesome for certain types of hamsters such as dwarf hamsters or hamsters that are overweight or diabetic.
Strawberries can have some beneficial vitamins, antioxidants, and minerals that are good for your hamster. According to the USDA, strawberries have Magnesium, Phosphorus, Potassium, Vitamin A, Vitamin C, and Vitamin K.
They also contain fiber and water which can help your hamster’s digestion and help them stay hydrated.
Can Syrian Hamsters Eat Strawberries?
Yes, Syrian hamsters can eat strawberries. But this does have some caveats. If your hamster is overweight or diabetic it is better to give them other treats besides fruit that has high sugar content such as strawberries.
How Many Strawberries Can a Syrian Hamster Eat?
When giving strawberries to your Syrian hamster you only want to give about 1 teaspoon-sized amount of strawberries per week.
It is good to cut up the strawberries in small pieces for your hamster. This way it can make it easier for your hamster to eat and make it easier for your to measure out how much strawberry fruit you are giving to your hamster.
Can Dwarf Hamsters Eat Strawberries?
Yes, Dwarf hamsters can be given strawberries as a treat. They will need smaller amounts than what larger hamsters such as Syrians are given.
How Many Strawberries Can a Dwarf Hamster Eat?
Since dwarf hamsters are smaller than Syrian hamsters it stands to reason that they would need fewer treats. They are also more prone to diabetes, so the high sugar content of a strawberry could have more damaging effects on them.
You would want to only give a 1/2 of a teaspoon of strawberry fruit per week to a dwarf hamster. Cut the strawberry up into little pieces, this way you can measure the amount given accurately and your hamster can have an easier time eating it.
Just like with Syrian hamsters, if your dwarf hamster is overweight or diabetic do not give it strawberries. Pick more fibrous treats with less sugar such as broccoli.
Are There Risks Feeding Strawberries to Hamsters?
Like anything in life, there can be some cautions that go with giving your hamster strawberries as a treat. Too much of a good thing can always have consequences.
The first thing that you want to be cautious about is leaving a strawberry in the cage for too long. If after 8 to 12 hours your hamster hasn’t eaten its strawberry, remove it from the cage.
Do not feed your hamster strawberries two days in a row. They have high sugar content and with such small bodies, they can be very sensitive to being given sugar each day.
Make sure that you use fresh strawberries that are of good quality. Organic would be best to avoid many of the harshest chemicals that are used on non-organic strawberries. Strawberries are well known for the level of chemicals used on them while growing. Even for humans, it is recommended to use organic strawberries as they are Number 1 on the Dirty Dozen fruit list.
Always wash the strawberries before you give them to your hamster. Even when using organic strawberries there are still pesticides and other dangerous things that could be on the fruit, even if it is considered all-natural.
Cut up the fruit before giving it to your hamster. With the sugar content of strawberries, making sure you are giving the correct amount is essential. It is easier to measure small pieces of a strawberry rather than trying to guess which strawberry is about the right size.
Frequently Asked Questions About Feeding Strawberries to Hamsters
It is not a good idea to give strawberries to baby or juvenile hamsters. Strawberries’ sugar content can be high for adult hamsters, this is intensified when the hamsters are very young and not fully grown. Also in young hamsters, special treats such as strawberries can cause GI upset even in small amounts.
You can use frozen strawberries, but always be sure to thaw them first. Do not give a fully frozen strawberry to your hamster.