Safe Food List for Hamsters

[xtinawinnie]

Does anyone have/or is there a thread about safe foods for hamsters to eat? I have seen a few on the internet but some are a little conflicting or not necessarily that exhaustive.

Is Iceburg Lettuce bad and Mange Tout?

[xtinawinnie]

Ok sorry I have found the list. This is one I have seen on the internet. I think it would be good if this could be made a sticky that could be added to. I will do some research and see if I can add to it myself.

Foods Safe for Both Syrians and Dwarfs:

Veggies:
Asparagus
Basil
Bean Sprouts
Bok Choy
Broccoli
Brussel Sprouts
Cabbage (in small amounts)
Cauliflower
Celery
Chard
Chestnuts
Chickweed
Chicory
Clover
Cucumbers*
Dandelion flowers and leaves
Endive
Green Beans
Green Pepper
Kale
Orange Pepper
Parsnips
Potatoes (cooked)
Radicchio
Red Pepper
Romaine Lettuce*
Spinach
Swiss chard
Turnip
Water Chestnuts
Water Cress
Yellow Pepper
Zucchini


Meat/Protein foods:
Cooked, unseasoned ground beef (lean preferred)
Baked/Steamed, unseasoned Turkey/Chicken
Low Fat Cottage Cheese
Grasshoppers (pet shop only!)
Mealworms (pet shop only!)
Crickets (pet shop only!)
Eggs (boiled/scrambled, plain!)
Plain Tofu
Plain Yogurt (no sugar added)
Dog Biscuits (make sure there is no garlic/onion in these!)

Other Foods:
Acorns
Alfalfa
Baby Food (no onion, garlic, low sugar, and containing NO preservatives)
Buckwheat
Bran or Wheat Germ
Brown rice (cooked, plain)
Cereals (low/no sugar)
Cheese (mild, lower fat, small quantities)
Dry Toast (whole wheat, NO white)
Flax seeds
Lentils
Nuts (except almonds)
Oatmeal (plain, dry, or soak in skim/soy/low fat milk)
Pasta (cooked, plain, wheat or spinach)
Peanuts (plain, unsalted)
Popcorn (plain, unsalted)
Pumpkin seeds
Sesame seeds
Soybeans (roasted, salt-free)
Squash Seeds
Sunflower Seeds

Additional Foods which should only be fed to Syrians:

Fruits:
Apple (seedless)
Banana
Blackberries
Blueberries
Cantaloupe
Cherry
Grape (seedless)
Honey Dew Melon*
Lychee
Mango
Papaya
Peaches (remove pit)
Pear
Plums (remove pit)
Raspberries
Star Fruit
Strawberries

Veggies:
Carrots
Corn
Peas
Squash
Sweet Potatoes

Foods that never should be fed:
Buttercups (flower)
Chocolate (toxic)
Onion (possibly toxic in some animals)
Garlic (possibly toxic in some animals)
Peanut Butter (can get stuck in pouches)
Sandwich meats (contain too much salt, high nitrates)
Almonds (possibly toxic/ Cyanic acid)
Apple Seeds
Canned foods and other processed foods
Candy/ Junk Foods
Pork
Potatoes (raw)
Kidney Beans
Eggplant
Fool’s Parsley
Grape Seeds
Avocado
Raw Rhubarb
Tomato leaves
Citrus fruits (including orange, tangerine, lemon, lime, grapefruit, etc)
Watermelon
Fruit pits/ most fruit seeds
Jams/jellies
Salt
Spices/Seasonings
Leeks
Scallions
Chives
Pickles

* Watery vegetables and fruits should be fed sparingly as they can potentially upset a hamsters digestive system!

[LocoRocoPanda]

There's a list on the Hamster Central WIKI actually. Lol. We usually just check that list.

[xtinawinnie]

Thank Loco but again that list doesn't cover a lot. I have sat and compiled a list now which you may like to use. I have included my sources at the end.

Christina

[Explorer]

Originally Posted by xtinawinnie

Thank Loco but again that list doesn't cover a lot. I have sat and compiled a list now which you may like to use. I have included my sources at the end.

Christina

Thank you .. this is very useful

[xtinawinnie]

You're welcome Explorer! I was getting frustrated when things weren't on lists so did my own! Glad its of use to you. x

[Clare]

Wow I didn't know they couldn't have almonds, also how come they cant have watermelon?

Are they allowed milk? Not as a drink but all my previous hams have liked porridge mixed with a small amount of milk

[sammyandralph]

I read somewhere they cant have milk :l its confusing :$

[amyXlovesXhamstersX]

I think a very small amount of milk is ok. I mix a little bit in porridge for Ruby. Apparently hamsters are lactose intolerant though so be careful...

[Clare]

Oh really, didn't know that, could use cat milk instead then