Nuts can be dangerous for hamsters
Nuts contain vegetable protein, a whole list of vitamins, minerals, and healthy oils.
Many plant fruits have a pleasant, sweetish taste, which is liked not only by people, but also by some animals. Hamsters are big fans of nuts. They are ready to eat them all day long, but you cannot often feed your furry pets nuts. And some fruits can even lead to death in rodents.
Can hamsters have walnuts?
Walnuts are a favorite treat not only for humans, but also for hamsters. They contain a complex of useful substances necessary for the health of the animal:
- Vitamins B1, B2;
- Iodine, calcium;
- Magnesium, zinc;
- Amino acids.
The substances improve the functioning of the cardiovascular system and stabilize the functioning of the intestines. In addition, this food is very nutritious and high in calories. A small piece quickly satisfies the feeling of hunger. It is recommended to give rodents several small pieces 2-3 times a week. Dzungariku and even less. Due to the high percentage of fat content, walnuts contribute to weight gain. And Djungarian hamsters are prone to obesity.
Delicious food serves not only as a delicacy. It can be used to accustom an animal and reward it during training. After each trick performed, offer the Djungarian hamsters a nut. Then the training will be associated with a tasty treat.
Almond
A forbidden treat for hamsters is almonds. This nut contains hydrocyanic acid, which is poisonous to rodents. Plum, apricot, and peach pits are no less dangerous. They are capable of killing a pet.
Whatever nut is offered to the hamster, it must be shelled. It is difficult for a furry pet to clean the fruit on its own. Even if he succeeds, the shell can damage the rodent's oral mucosa.
If you follow the above recommendations, sometimes treating your hamster to nuts that are healthy for him, he will delight his owners with his activity and cheerful disposition.
What nuts should you not give?
Among the nuts there are also those species that undermine the health of the hamster and often cause his death.
These include:
- Almonds – their kernels contain hydrocyanic acid, the salts of which are called cyanides. Once in the body, they inhibit vital processes, causing oxygen starvation of the brain. Hydrocyanic acid also affects the nervous system, severe intoxication develops, as a result of which the hamster dies.
- Acorns - usually contain too much starch, sugars, and tannins. They are harmful to metabolism and can cause digestive and urinary problems. Toxic quercetin was also found in acorns; fruits collected in September are considered the most dangerous. In addition to poisoning, they can cause infectious diseases.
- Brazil nuts are difficult for the hamster to digest due to their high fat content. The stomach may not be able to withstand such a load and simply stop. This nut also contains barium and radium in micron doses.
Results
To summarize and answer the questions regarding, can hamsters eat nuts and what kind? The answer will be - it’s possible, but within the permissible norm, literally a couple of nuts a day. Various types of nuts are possible - peanuts, hazelnuts, cashews, walnuts and pine. The main thing is to know that proper nutrition will ensure a long and healthy life for your pet.
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Is it possible to give hamsters pine nuts?
If you have a question, can hamsters eat pine nuts? Don't doubt it, of course it's possible. In addition to walnuts, hamsters eat various dry food, grains, beans, wheat, various types of nuts and dried fruits, including pine nuts, walnuts, peanuts, hazelnuts and others.
The hamster's diet can be changed by introducing a new type of product every day. You should not give your hamster more than two or three nuts per day. Pine nuts are quite nutritious and high in calories for a hamster, they contain carbohydrates, vitamins, sucrose, and various oils.
You can give a little more pine nuts than walnuts, since they differ significantly in size. But again, do not forget about the norm; you should not overfeed your pet to avoid problems with digestion and health.
Can hamsters eat hazelnuts?
Is it possible to give nuts to hamsters? Will he like them? Will they be beneficial? Such questions concern many lovers of these small pets.
Should you give hamsters nuts?
The answer to this question is definitely positive. Many pet hamsters enjoy such delicacies.
But to prevent your rodent from gaining extra pounds and subsequently suffering from obesity not abuse this high-calorie product, first of all, this applies to widely available and widespread walnuts (2-3 nuts per day will be more than enough).
The hamsters' diet may contain both the already mentioned walnuts and other types of dry fruits, such as peanuts, hazelnuts or cashews . You can also pamper your pet with seeds : sunflower, pumpkin or sesame. Naturally, these should be NATURAL products, preferably from pet stores specifically for rodents. Fried, salted, and even with seasonings and preservatives, nuts and seeds are not for your pet.
Nuts are rich in plant protein, vitamins and minerals, which are very beneficial for these cute animals. These products should be given in purified form. Some owners are too lazy to peel seeds and nuts and give their pet the product, so to speak, in its natural form. It's better not to do this!
The hamster hides the received food in its cheek pouches with fairly quick movements and can easily injure itself with sharp fragments from the nut shell, injure the mucous membranes of the mouth or damage the teeth.
But not all types of nuts can be fed to your pet. Some of them may pose a danger to the health of the animal.
Nuts that are prohibited:
• Apricot, plum, peach pits and almonds, which contain hydrocyanic acid and toxins that act like poison on the hamster's body.
How to properly give nuts to a hamster?
To avoid indigestion and other diseases, follow these rules:
- Give your hamster nuts occasionally as a treat. Feeding every day is unhealthy ;
- First, peel and shell them;
- Stick to variety, offer a new variety of nuts each time;
- Only raw kernels are allowed, devoid of any additives - salt, sugar, flavorings;
- The seeds are less harmful to the baby’s body; they can be given in the amount of 1 piece every other day.
Is it acceptable to feed a hamster bananas?
Can hamsters eat hazelnuts?
Do hamsters eat nuts: which ones can be given and which ones cannot?
Hamsters are cute representatives of the subfamily of rodents, whose teeth are designed in such a way that it is not difficult for them to chew solid food. Nuts give furries special pleasure, but not everyone will benefit. What nuts are dangerous for the animal, whether overseas delicacies are healthy, in what quantity and how to properly introduce them into the diet - the article will give answers to these questions.
What varieties can be given to hamsters?
Walnuts are an excellent source of protein. They contain many nutrients, healthy fats and are especially recommended for pregnant females.
Walnuts improve the functioning of the intestines and heart muscle. However, their nucleoli are quite large in size and contain a large amount of fat. To prevent your pet from gaining excess weight, nuts are given in small quantities - 1/2 a piece every 2-3 days.
In addition to walnuts, you can include hazelnuts , but due to their high fat content, their quantity is also limited. Syrian hamsters are given half a hazelnut kernel, while small breeds will need a quarter.
Peanuts are a healthy food for rodents, but this only applies to unroasted grains. Thermally processed product, salted, glazed, with various flavoring additives is strictly prohibited to be given to hamsters. You should not give your pet peanut butter , or worse, peanut butter. They are harmful products for animals.
Cashews contain vitamin E, which helps prevent baldness. The nut has antibacterial, anti-inflammatory and tonic properties. The recommended amount per day is half a nut, no more than 2 times a week.
Hamsters enjoy eating pine nuts, but you should also not overfeed your pet with them. This can have a negative impact on the functioning of the liver and intestines.
Syrian hamsters are given 3-4 pine nuts without shells, Djungarian hamsters - half as much.
Can hamsters eat pistachios? Veterinarians have differing opinions on this matter. Some people don’t see anything wrong with giving an animal a kernel that has been cleared of salt and shell. Other zoologists advise not to do this, but to feed the rodent safer food.
It is interesting to watch how hamsters gnaw nuts. At this moment they close their eyes, which means that they are enjoying the treat. Please note: Before giving your hamster a nut, it must be shelled .
This is an important rule that cannot be ignored. The shell is too hard: it can injure the cheek pouches, the digestive tract, and damage the teeth.
In addition to nuts, the rodent is given healthy seeds - sunflower, pumpkin, sesame. They are first peeled and the pet is treated to one piece every 2 days (raw).
Cheese for a hamster: should I give it or not?
What other nuts can you give to a rodent?
The diet of rodents can be varied not only with walnuts, but also with hazelnuts, peanuts or cashews. Sometimes you can pamper your pet with pumpkin, sunflower or sesame seeds.
Some owners do not consider it necessary to peel these healthy products and offer their pets an unpeeled treat. This must not be done under any circumstances!
Rodents store food in their cheek pouches and can be injured by sharp pieces of shells, cause damage to the oral mucosa, and even break teeth. You should also not treat your pet with fried or salted nuts and seeds.
Can hamsters eat nuts?
The diet of any pet should include a balance of food that it could receive in natural conditions. In nature, there is a wide variety of nuts depending on the area, and hamsters enjoy them and make winter reserves.
Walnuts and pine nuts, cashews, peanuts and hazelnuts are guaranteed to delight the animal. But in home conditions, a bowl filled with a hearty treat can lead to disastrous consequences - after all, the high content of fat and calories in a healthy product leads to excess weight and, as a result, pathologies of internal organs.
The stamina of pets is greatly reduced, so hamsters can eat nuts, but not any and only in limited quantities.
Some varieties should be completely excluded from the diet. Nut kernels are great if your goal is to make friends with the new inhabitant of the house. For this purpose, treat the hamster with a quarter of a walnut from an open palm. If the baby gets scared and refuses the treat for the first time, leave the treat in the cage, the hamster will eat it on its own, then try again the next day.
Can hamsters eat nuts and which ones?
Nuts are a favorite treat for all domestic rodents, which is why happy hamster owners often treat their pets to various nuts. After all, these fruits have a lot of useful properties and are an indispensable source of a whole vitamin complex necessary for the proper nutrition of rodents.
However, before introducing nuts into your pets’ diet, you should carefully study all the nuances, namely, which of them can be given to hamsters without harm to health.
Precautionary measures
Adding a new product to the diet of dzhungarika requires some precautions:
- When offering your pet nuts, consider its age, breed and size. The smaller the animal, the smaller the portion should be.
- Do not serve peanuts in the shell. Putting food in the cheek pouches can cause injury to your hamster. Peanut shells can cut your baby's esophagus and stomach.
- Do not overfeed your pet. Peanuts and hazelnuts have a high fat content, which disrupts the functioning of the animal’s digestive system. By overfeeding your animal with high-calorie foods, you harm its health.
- The animal must eat natural products. Peanuts should not be given after heat treatment.
- The rodent's diet should be varied. Offer him a different product each time.
- Do not give sweet, salty or spicy foods. Salted peanuts are harmful to the kidneys and liver.
Nuts are a tasty and nutritious treat. They have properties that are beneficial to the health of the hamster. However, it should be remembered that not all fruits can be included in your pet’s diet. Follow the feeding rules, and your pet will be healthy, cheerful and active.
What other nuts can you give to a rodent?
Hazelnuts are a valuable source of plant protein, but you should watch your intake. Since this type of nut contains a high percentage of fat (from 60 to 70%), it is not recommended to treat your pets with hazelnuts more than twice a week. The Dzungarians actually need to divide it into four parts, giving only one piece at a time.
You need to be extremely careful when introducing peanuts into your diet. It is strictly forbidden to give rodents salty or sweet foods that have been subjected to heat treatment. Hamsters should be given fresh peanuts to eat 3 times a week, offering pets half each.
Without exception, all domestic rodents love pine nuts. You can safely pamper your pets with them without being greedy in portion sizes - 4 pieces for Syrian hamsters and 1 nut for a dwarf hamster.
Cashews are rich in vitamin E, a deficiency of which can lead to skin diseases in hamsters. Therefore, half a cashew fruit per day for a rodent is a real preventive measure for health.
The question of the acceptability of pistachios in the diet of hamsters raises controversy among experts. According to some sources, adding variety to the usual menu of rodents will not affect their health in any way. However, before deciding to offer pistachios to your pets, you should first get advice from an experienced veterinarian.
Nuts for different breeds
Next, let's look at which nuts can be given to Djungarian hamsters and which to Syrian ones?
- Djungarian hamsters. These kids happily eat all types of nuts: walnuts, hazelnuts, peanuts, cashews. However, they are given to dwarf rodents in limited quantities and no more than once every 2 weeks. Djungarians suffer from obesity and diabetes more often than other breeds, so you should not overfeed them with fatty foods.
- Due to their larger size, Syrian breeds are allowed to treat twice a week.
Is it possible to feed rodents nuts?
Nuts are healthy for furry pets; animals chew them with great pleasure. But these plant products are characterized by high calorie content, so feeding them to animals is not recommended. Hamsters that overeat on hearty delicacies quickly gain extra pounds and become obese. Therefore, rodents should not be spoiled with nuts; it is advisable to put no more than two or three kernels in the feeder per day. If possible, you should make the menu of little pets varied: treat them with different fruits every day.