Hey Pet Parents & Pet Lovers,
I’ve been covering a bunch of foods Hamster can and can’t have like carrots, bananas, and kale, but now it’s time to figure out if they can eat strawberries.
From the other posts, we already learned that some hamsters can have “human food” like fruits and vegetables while others have a harder time digesting the sugar that they contain. So, do strawberries differ from the rest?
Short Answer
While Strawberries are safe for hammy’s to eat, they may become a problem for them if consumed excessively or fed to specific breeds of hamsters.
How Much Should You Feed?
Strawberries are filled with quite a bit of sugar, so only a few bites once or twice a week should be good.
Other things to be cautious of
Make sure you take out all fruits from your hamster cage if they do not eat them right away. You’re going to want to make sure that your hammy eats the whole piece and doesn’t try to stash it in their cheeks. Your hammy will get very sick if they eat a rotten fruit, and worse, they may develop dental issues if they leave the fruit in their mouth for too long.
Make sure you’re feeding strawberries that don’t include pesticides. Remember your hamster is a lot smaller than you (and most other animals) so any form of chemicals will make your little one sick, or worse, develop a disease.
You will also want to make sure you don’t overfeed strawberries because they can cause the hamster to get diarrhea which tends to be detrimental to our little friends.
Benefits of Strawberries
One main reason to feed your hamster friend Strawberries is for the antioxidants that are found inside of this delicious fruit. These will help make sure your hamster’s digestion is right on track. Strawberries are also filled with much-needed potassium, vitamin K and magnesium which is great for bone health.
In some studies, strawberries have shown signs of preventing diseases such as atherosclerosis, which is a disease that causes fat in the arteries. There have also been studies that show that the strawberries help prevent oral cancer, however, this doesn’t mean you want to overfeed strawberries to your hamsters. Remember, a little can go a long way!
They promote eye health! Something you would never really think about, but these tasty treats can help your little one see better and you may even be able to notice a change in the way their eyes look (for the better of course!)
They help your little one have better fur! Also something you would never think about at first. We know it’s a big deal for cats and dogs to have nice fur (which we achieve with omega 3 & 6 fatty acids), but if your hamster seems to have dull or dry fur, try some strawberry and see how much it helps!
They promote weight loss. Overweight hamsters are fairly common, especially in those tiny cages that don’t let them get enough exercise. First, I would recommend getting your little one more toys to play with, or activities to interact with, but I would also recommend some strawberry (because of the antioxidants) to speed up the weight loss! This also makes them great for constipation.
Hamsters that should & should not have Strawberries
Should
Syrian Hamsters // These hamsters can have strawberries on an occasional basis. I’d feed them less than once a week as the sugar and acidic content can be quite high for them, but the nutritional value in them will be beneficial.
Roborovski Hamsters // You’re going to want to feed them very little pieces of strawberries. Even less than Syrian. These little guys are so small, and you shouldn’t feed them a strawberry any bigger than their paw. I know! Itsy-Bitsy!
Should Not
Chinese hamsters // Unfortunately, due to the fact that these little buggers are so prone to diabetes, you’re going to want to avoid strawberries at all causes. There will be other things you can feed these little friends though!
Russian Campbell Dwarf Hamsters // Same as Chinese, due to their ability to develop diabetes, you’re going to have issues with strawberries.
Winter White Dwarf Hamsters // Same, same! Do I need to repeat myself?
I don’t want to feed human-grade strawberries, can you recommend any hamster safe products?
Absolutely! I would recommend Vitakraft Strawberry Drops, Oxbow Simple Rewards, and Kaytee YoChips.
Other Posts in this Series
Can Hamsters Eat Kale?
Can Hamsters Eat Guinea Pig Food?
Can Hamsters Have Strawberries?
Can Hamsters have Carrots?
Can Hamsters have Bananas?