Tomatoes

[Anthorn]

Originally Posted by Gizmoandfriends

Anthorn, we established that we COULD if you did NOT give then the pips, and stuff, as racing hamster said they contain vitamin c and as long as it was only a small bit it would be fine

But where is the evidence which supports that? Everything I've ever read about tomatoes in relation to hamster food states that tomatoes are acidic and should be avoided and I linked to one such source in my previous post.

[racinghamster]

Cooking tomatoes actually raises the lycopene content. As I explained earlier, I only ever fed my Syrian a small cube of tomato (no pips) and he devoured it! I have never read anything to suggest the tomato itself has any negative effects as a `fruit` apart from the acidic side of things, but given that the hamster wouldn`t be eating a small piece of tomato every day, I can`t see the harm in that. Given that food lists will list tomato leaves as being harmful that`s obvious, but the tomato itself isn`t harmful.

Unless someone can find a scientific link that states tomatoes can be harmful to a hamster, I wouldn`t worry too much. It`s all about using the available information and if in doubt, don`t feed. Pets At Home were recently found feeding ORANGE segments to their hamsters? Now that IS something I would question as hamsters don`t require vitamin C. The acidity might have a Ph effect on the saliva or the urine, but whether the fruit itself is really harmful is anyones guess.

Scientific studies usually base their results on diets based on a particular species being fed one food for a duration of days, weeks or even years to conclude their findings. So even if one were found based on tomatoes alone, the hamsters would have had to be fed tomatoes as a daily supplement or actual food, which nobody would do anyway.

[Anthorn]

Reading your last paragraph it's a waste of time providing scientific evidence because it is already discounted.

No-one is denying that tomatoes are acidic and the premise that tomatoes are only fed in very small amounts anyway is in itself proof that tomatoes being acidic are in fact bad for hamsters!

So why feed tomato when there are so many other foods that can be fed safely?

[racinghamster]

Very true. But the `should I, shouldn`t I` question won`t be answered unless tomatoes can be identified as actually being toxic to hamsters rather than just having a small amount of acidity? Hamsters urine for example can be quite alkaline and cause crystals to form, so some acidity may counteract that in a good way. That`s how I see things anyway. I`m not advocating that everyone should feed tomatoes to their hamsters, all I`m saying (and to answer the original question) was that yes, it`s okay to feed a very small cube of tomato as an occassional `treat`, especially in male hamsters who may have urinary tract infections.

[Gizmoandfriends]

Not being funny, but a hamster can have many foods and be fine, like anthorn im sure i saw on a previous post you gave your hamster custard creams! Like many foods are frowned apon for hamsters and other small mammals. Although you can give it to them and they will be okay... It's the same with tomatoes! They will be fine in small amounts just selecting which parts you give..

[Anthorn]

Custard Creams is a bit of an overstatement since they couldn't eat even one full biscuit anyway. But custard creams are sweet and not acidic and only really relevant to weight in a healthy hamster. But I think owners of diabetic hamsters will already know they can't feed sweet foods.

This brings me to another point. Dental caries in hamsters are caused not by sugar but acidic food!

[Gazmo]

well no, its full of sugar and unnateral chemicals!

On another thread you said you feed your hamsters hay too, which I believe to be another dangerous thing; I will come to my own conclusions on what not to feed

[Gizmoandfriends]

As gazmo states you are telling people that you gave your hammy a custard cream which has so much sugar in. I don't think it is good to even give them to animals, most human processed food is bad for them!

[Anthorn]

Originally Posted by Gazmo

well no, its full of sugar and unnateral chemicals!


On another thread you said you feed your hamsters hay too, which I believe to be another dangerous thing; I will come to my own conclusions on what not to feed

Which unnatural chemicals are you referring to? But my hamsters will get a lot more sugar from their Johnsons Fruity Stick (for me the most successful gnawing stick ever) than they will ever get from a quarter of a custard cream.

Getting back to the topic, tomatoes are acidic and that has not been disputed.

[racinghamster]

That`s probably because nobody wants to dispute it because there is a lack of negative information regarding tomatoes. All the information I have seen is based around tomato leaves and stalks, not the tomato itself. It`s common knowledge that a tomato is an acidic fruit, but nobody is going to feed their hamster/hamsters a whole tomato. It`s all about moderation and understanding that a tomato will not be any more toxic to a hamster than a slice of apple every now and then.