Quote:
Originally Posted by Engel
Actually it has the ability to be toxic! Its because it contains D-Limonene which can cause cancer, kidney and bladder problems, tumours, cell damage, developmental abnormalities, convulsions and respiratory issues amongst rats, mice dogs and rabbits. Now as a hamster is such a small animal, even the smallest amounts could cause issues as they're very sensitive. Now as the lethal dose for hamsters is unknown its best to avoid it
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Even that is up for debate actually - and it's quite misleading and only serves to spread fear and panic over something that is
not toxic(lemon juice in reasonable amounts). While there have been claims that D-Limonene cause cancer in rats especially, even this isn't showing the full picture and often leads to people irrationally panicking and making it out to be this horrible danger.
Lemon juice also may not necessarily contain significant D-Limonene in the first place. However with that being said, studies supposedly "proving" it as something that causes cancer are giving very pure D-Limonene and likely at far greater values than a hamster would ever consume in baby food. Essentially even the rat studies have been dubious at best, which further complicates things.
When it comes to D-Limonene, it isn't even exclusive to citrus by any means! Many very safe foods also contain it, and obviously just as with any other food they too need to be given in reasonable amounts because any food in overly large quantities will create a problem - digestive, dietary balance, or others.
ETA I think a lot of accidental fear mongering happened in the rat community from what I remember because of this. Even I was a victim of this thought process for a period of time until I actually just took the time to think rationally about it and learn more on my own. The same sort of irrational fear also happened in the rat community over alfalfa at one point and I believe people still think that's somehow toxic to rats!