Even if most of the hamster owners provide their pet specific hamster mixes bought from the store it is important to diversify and thus you might ask yourself can hamsters eat raspberries? They love grains, seeds and nuts but they are omnivore so their diet can be a lot more varied and fruits or vegetables will definitely provide them with a vitamin boost.
Raspberries are fresh, are easy to find at food markets throughout the globe and you can also find them in processed forms such as purees, juice or dried fruits. They grow during the summertime but thanks to the new farming technology we can now get them all year round!
Nutritional Value of Raspberries
A quantity of 100 grams has 53 kcal and it also contains 11.94g of carbohydrates and 4.42 grams of sugar. The fat in them is very low at only .65g and there are 6.5 grams of dietary fiber. The vitamins they contain are B1, B2, B3, B5, B6, B9, C, E, K and they also have minerals such as calcium, iron, magnesium, manganese, phosphorus, potassium and zinc.
What does all this mean for hamsters though? They do need the minerals and vitamins but they are a bit acidic so they shouldn’t eat too many and they do contain plenty of sugar. Their stomach is more sensitive than ours and these can cause harm if too many are ingested and this is the reason why citrus fruits are a bad idea for hamsters.
They are safe to eat in small quantities and the recommended amount is of about one tablespoon of fruits a day.
Breed Specifics
Hamsters have many types and they differ in their needs and health concerns so we should take a closer look at each one that should stay away from raspberries.
The Syrian hamsters can have some but the acidity and sugar will mean that they are harmful if eaten regularly or in high quantities. One or two small pieces should be enough for them. Chinese hamsters on the other hand should not eat these at all since the sugar is bad for them. The same idea applies for the Russian Campbell Dwarf hamsters and for the Winter White Dwarf so keep them away since sugar will harm your pet.
Roborovski hamsters can eat raspberries from time to time but since they are so small one or two pieces that they can hold in their paws will be sufficient. Aside from these species the rest could have more raspberries but never feed them more than a tablespoon of raspberries or other fruits in a single meal.
One thing to pay attention to is to make sure that the fruits have no additives and that they are washed properly before feeding them since they may contain some harmful elements on the surface.
Short Answer:
Yes, they are a good source of vitamins and hamsters like them but this should be only a treat so the quantity has to be kept low. Also check above for some specific species that might have problems with raspberries due to their sugar content.
Leave a Comment