What Hamsters Should Not Eat

Hamsters require a certain diet and need specific nutrients in their food. Feed your hamster safely and know which foods to not give to your hamster. Just because you can eat a food safely does not necessarily mean your hamster can. Hamsters cannot tolerate the following foods:

• Almonds — contain cyanide, which can kill hamsters in enough quantity
• Celery, whole stalks — stringy texture could choke a hamster
• Chocolate (particularly dark chocolate) — contains theobromine, which causes circulatory problems for hamsters
• Fruits, unwashed — poses danger to your hamster from pesticides
• Garlic — may cause indigestion
• Kidney beans, uncooked —toxic to hamsters
• Lettuce, iceberg — can cause liver problems in hamsters if eaten in excess (more than a few small pieces every three days)
• Onion — N-propyldisulfide causes damage to the hamster’s red blood cells
• Peanuts — contain aflatoxin, which is toxic to hamsters in too large a quantity
• Potato, Potato tops — toxic to hamsters
• Rhubarb, Rhubarb leaves —toxic to hamsters
• Spicy or seasoned products — may cause indigestion in hamsters
• Sugary products — bad for hamsters’ teeth and are fattening
• Tomato leaves — toxic to hamsters
• Vegetables, unwashed — poses danger to your hamster from pesticides

Excerpt from the Popular Critters Series magabook Hamsters with permission from its publisher, BowTie magazines, a division of BowTie Inc. Purchase Hamsters here.