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After we discuss why hamsters run on wheels, it’s time to talk about safe plants for hamsters and plants that you should avoid. Apart from ensuring that a hamster’s cage is secure, a balanced and healthy diet is just as important.
To properly take care of hamsters, it is vital to know what foods are and aren’t safe for hamsters to consume. That’s why we compiled a list of plants that hamsters can and cannot eat. Besides that, we will also tackle why hamsters need plants and some tips when feeding your hamsters.
Plants are beneficial not only for people but for other animals as well. Not only does it produce oxygen, but it can be a source of food as well. And of course, hamsters like to play with whatever they have in their cages, so there’s no harm in adding some plants inside as long as you are placing plants that are safe for hamsters to consume.
Help With Their Balanced Diet
Hamsters are omnivores which means that they eat both meat and plants. Make sure that the plants aren’t contaminated with pesticides or vehicle fumes. Try to buy organic plants and make sure that they are correctly washed if consumed by your pets.
Replicate Their Life in the Wild
Hamsters are naturally wild creatures. That’s why they still need to adapt when you take them to your homes as a domesticated pets. They need a familiar environment around them, and one way to do that is to decorate the cage with plants. That way, they would be able to adapt more comfortable and feel less lonely.
It Keeps a Natural Looking Cage
A cage that doesn’t contain any other natural resources aside from the pet itself is empty-looking and boring, both for the people and the pet. Your hamster will most likely be more active if there are many things to keep themselves busy.
IMPORTANT THINGS TO REMEMBER WHEN FEEDING YOUR HAMSTER FRESH HERBS/PLANTS
Even though specific plants are ideal to be eaten by hamsters, make sure that you give them a moderate amount and not too much because it could upset their stomachs.
Avoid feeding them with plants that have thorns or sticky pollens. And of course, make sure that the plants and herbs don’t have any mould on them.
While in general, fresh plants are a healthy and great addition to your hamster’s diet, make sure that the plants you put inside the cages are edible because they will surely eat everything that their cute paws could get to.
As usual, we care a lot about hamsters, and taking care of them includes making sure they have a balanced diet. We compiled a list of herbs and plants that could be safely eaten by your furry friends.
HERBS AND PLANTS THAT ARE UNSAFE FOR HAMSTERS TO EAT
If there are safe plants for hamsters to eat, there are plants and herbs that your hamster needs to avoid eating because they may cause food poisoning.
Most of the plants on this list have high acidity and can cause diarrhoea, which would lead to dehydration, some can even have deadly effects.
When introducing new food to your pet, make sure that you researched if it’s safe for them first before feeding the food to them. With that being said, here are some of the herbs and plants that your furry friends can’t eat:
If some plants and herbs are safe for the hamsters to eat, they can also eat specific types of flowers. The kind of flowers they could eat is short-petal types such as marigold, dandelion, daisy, pansy, and violas. For marigolds, please make sure to look for wild marigolds because French and marsh marigolds are toxic not only for hamsters but for most pets.
Those are the plants, herbs and flowers your hamster could eat. Most of these are easily accessible and can be bought at your local supermarkets. If you want a safer option, you can even grow them yourselves! We hope that this article has been helpful and that you are excited to provide your hamsters with a variation of foods in moderation and in a balanced way.
I hope you found these safe plants for hamsters useful and we helped you understand more about a healthy hamster diet. If we miss anything or you know other plants that are safe for hamsters, let us know in the comments below and we’ll be happy to add them or answer your questions.
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These fruits, vegetables and herbs are all suitable for your hamster. Make sure you give them a good wash before you feed them to your hamster and only feed a small amount each day. ... Don't feed citrus fruits, such as oranges, lemons or grapefruits, to your hamster.
Leafy vegetables such as lettuce, spinach and bok choy are good treats for hamsters. Not only do they provide plenty of vitamins -- especially vitamin A -- but they're also a good source of water. Other leafy vegetables to try include Swiss chard, dandelion leaves and kale.
Chocolate, particularly dark chocolate: It contains theobromine and is toxic in large amounts, which is easy to do with the tiny, sweet-toothed hamster. Garlic: This can cause indigestion and blood disorders in moderate amounts. Kidney beans, uncooked: These are toxic to hamsters; do not feed!
Fresh hay can be given daily. This promotes foraging behaviors and stimulation. Hay can also add fiber to your hamster's diet. Offer your hamster a selection of grass hay including: timothy, oat, orchard grass, or brome hay.
While it is safe, it definitely needs to be given sparingly and in very small amounts. Too much mint can cause stomach problems even in humans, let alone small hamsters.
The kind of flowers they could eat is short-petal types such as marigold, dandelion, daisy, pansy, and violas. For marigolds, please make sure to look for wild marigolds because French and marsh marigolds are toxic not only for hamsters but for most pets.
Roses are a good natural treat for hamsters. All the plant parts excluding the stems are good for hamsters, including the flower and leaves. There're no toxic parts of the rose plant, so you don't have to worry if hamsters eat rose petals.
Fresh (rinsed with water) veggies are good, and examples include carrots, squash, broccoli, cauliflower, cucumber, romaine lettuce, spinach and other greens. Fresh fruits (rinsed in water) are good too, such as apples, pears, bananas, grapes and most berries.
Hamsters should get no more than a pea-sized amount of cheese just once or twice a week. Choose a cheese that is low in fat and salt, like low-fat cottage cheese or mozzarella. Avoid fatty or salty cheeses like aged cheddar, parmesan, and processed cheese products.
Many essential oils, such as eucalyptus oil, tea tree oil, cinnamon, citrus, peppermint, pine, wintergreen, and ylang ylang are straight up toxic to pets.
So, make sure your candle isn't positioned too close to a cage or tank so that your pets aren't over-exposed to the scent or heat. If your pet seems sensitive to fragrances, or if they have respiratory problems, try and keep candles in a separate room.
No, rosemary is one of the herbs that TheHamsterCare.com says is not safe for a hamster to eat. They can, however, eat parsley, basil, dill, basil, thyme, grass, alfalfa, & dandelions.
Fresh food, consisting of fresh fruits and vegetables, is a very welcome addition to your pet's diet. Hamsters can eat leafy greens such as dandelions and clover, but also tasty fruits and vegetables such as pears, carrots and cabbage.
They love rolling, digging, and even playing in smooth, clean, sand as it helps “bathe” their skin and coat in a non-traditional way. Sand baths help decrease natural oils and dirt that may have accumulated in your hamster's coat. They may also deter parasites.
Although not nutritionally necessary for hamsters, soft hay can be given to your hamsters as additional bedding and nesting material. Do make sure that the hay is soft as stiff and sharp ones could poke your hamsters or hurt them when they try to pouch it.
Boiled, baked, or roasted potatoes can be a tasty treat on occasion for your hamster. However, potatoes with seasonings, fried potatoes, or raw potatoes are not safe for hamsters. These can all lead to obesity, stomach upset, and possibly death. Raw potatoes contain a toxin called solanine.
Never feed chocolate to your hamster and always ensure it is stored in a safe spot and out of reach of your pet. If your hamster does eat chocolate and shows signs of distress, take her to the vet immediately. While hamsters can enjoy a variety of human foods, chocolate should never be one of them.
My mom got me new bedding to clean the cage replace old with new when I smell the scent that was lavender. My mom told me she got it at Walmart when she saw it was for hamsters. I searched it up and apparently that bedding scent is definitely not safe for it and can give him infections.
It is just perfect for feeding as part of a natural diet, as a treat or as extra tastiness to hay for added foraging fun! Sunflower Petals add a tasty variety to your little ones diet.
One thing your hamster is going to enjoy, regardless of which type of cage you choose, is a lot of room to roam around and explore. This can help to keep your hamster happy and also provide him with a considerable amount of exercise, which is essential for good health.
Why Does My Hamster Suddenly 'Freeze'? A hamster will 'freeze' temporarily due to fear or surprise. Their eyesight is poor, so they need to listen and sniff to work out what's going on. You can alter your hamster's environment to make it less stressful.
Hamsters can eat certain fresh herbs, including basil, parsley and coriander. To make sure they get plenty of protein, you can also treat your hamster to a few pieces of hard-boiled egg, some mealworms or nuts – just be aware that nuts have a high fat content, and are very easy to overfeed.
Hamsters eat plants, so any plant you decide to place inside the cage is likely to get eaten by your pet. If the plant is even mildly toxic, it could cause serious health problems. Even nontoxic plants can cause an upset tummy if your hamster consumes too much.
Hamsters can eat rice. It is safe to feed them both cooked and uncooked rice. Use caution when feeding cooked rice, too moist or overcooked rice can create issues for your hamster.
So can hamsters eat bread ? Yes, hamsters can eat bread. They should not have much of it though, because they gain very little nutrition from regular, white bread.
Yes, hamsters can eat peanuts. It's safe for them. But they need to be unsalted peanuts. They can be baked or not, and they can be given with the shell as well.
Hamsters require a gentle touch and may be easily startled by sudden movement and loud noises. The motor skills of children under 8 are usually not refined enough to make a hamster feel comfortable being handled.
It'll take discipline, but the first thing you should do is avoid the urge to handle your new hamster for 12 to 24 hours after you first get it. Larger Syrian hamsters are more amenable to holding than dwarf hamsters, on the whole, but all will live longer, happier lives if you create a nurturing environment for them.
Interact with your hamster(s) every day, and handle them as often as you can, but respect their sleeping pattern. Hamsters should not be handled when they are resting or sleeping, unless absolutely necessary as they can find this stressful.
If you're too squeamish to handle insects, hamsters can also eat some cooked meats. Cooked chicken and cooked beef are safe to feed to hamsters. Raw meat should never be given to hamsters, and meat should be cooked without any seasonings.
Hamsters are tiny prey animals. They can scare easily. Something as small as a sudden movement can make your hamster fear you. Your hamster may become suddenly scared due to loud noises, fast or abrupt movements or new animals or people in their environment.
Keeping Your Hamster Warm. Because your hamster is a descendant of these wild hamsters, your pet will probably be most comfortable in an ambient air temperature of about 65°F to 75°F. If temperatures drop much below that, it can put your hamster at risk of various health problems.
"In nearly every measure we had, hamsters exposed to blue light were the worst off, followed by those exposed to white light. While total darkness was best, red light was not nearly as bad as the other wavelengths we studied."
Is basil safe for hamsters? Yes!It's safe to give basil to a hamster – just be sure to give them the right amount and wash it well before you hand it over.
No, rosemary is one of the herbs that TheHamsterCare.com says is not safe for a hamster to eat. They can, however, eat parsley, basil, dill, basil, thyme, grass, alfalfa, & dandelions.
Hamsters can also snack on plants & flowers but always make sure that they are safe before feeding them to your pet. Some that are more commonly fed to hamsters include: dandelion leaves and flowers, hawthorn leaves.
Roses are a good natural treat for hamsters. All the plant parts excluding the stems are good for hamsters, including the flower and leaves. There're no toxic parts of the rose plant, so you don't have to worry if hamsters eat rose petals.
Rabbits, guinea pigs and hamsters are all sensitive to essential oils. Birds can suffer respiratory effects if they breathe the oils, according to Judd. “It is best not to give or apply highly concentrated oils to pets. If a pet has an underlying respiratory issue, do not use oil diffusers in the home.
The best treats for hamsters are foods that are similar to what they might eat in the wild. Fresh (rinsed with water) veggies are good, and examples include carrots, squash, broccoli, cauliflower, cucumber, romaine lettuce, spinach and other greens.
In addition to wood chews, cardboard can be provided for chewing (and hiding). Hamsters also love cardboard tubes from paper towel and toilet paper rolls and there are now commercial tubes that are a bit sturdier and are said to be safe for chewing (e.g. Totally Chewbular Play Tubes).
Introduction: My name is Greg O'Connell, I am a delightful, colorful, talented, kind, lively, modern, tender person who loves writing and wants to share my knowledge and understanding with you.
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