So, can hamsters eat raspberries? Yes! Hamsters can not only eat raspberries, but most of them will love munching on them. However, the tricky part is that raspberries are loaded with natural sugar. This makes them not an ideal food to be a part of your hamster’s regular diet.
Confused that whether you should feed raspberries to your hamster or not? Read this article till the end to know all about feeding raspberries to your little one.
Nutritional Chart Of Raspberries
In order to understand whether raspberries are a good choice for hamsters, it is compulsory to study their nutrients. This is why I added the nutritional chart of raspberries.
Down below is the list of nutrients per serving of raspberries contains:
| Fiber: | 6.5 g |
| Sugar: | 4.42 g |
| Carbohydrates: | 11.94 g |
| Protein: | 1.2 g |
| Calories: | 52 |
| Water: | 85.75% |
The following is the list of minerals and vitamins found in the raspberries:
- Calcium
- Manganese
- Phosphorus
- Magnesium
- Copper
- Vitamin E
- Vitamin C
- Vitamin K
- Vitamin B3, B6
The chart clearly shows that raspberries are packed with some exceptional nutrients, minerals, and vitamins. However, compared to us humans, the bodies of our little friend hamsters are pretty small. Therefore, what seems to be a healthy amount could be excessive for them. Considering this, let’s find out the pros and cons of eating raspberries at the hamster level.
Are Raspberries Beneficial For Hamsters?
Yes, Absolutely! Raspberries could be a great source of essential vitamins and fiber for our hamsters. As mentioned above, these mouthwatering fruits are mostly water. This helps your hamster in staying hydrated.
Other benefits of feeding raspberries to your hamster include:
Great Antioxidants
By eating raspberries, the blood flow of your hamster’s body will significantly improve. This is because these cousins of blackberries are one of the best antioxidants out there. Improved blood flow results in decreasing the speed of the aging process in the hamsters.
Packed With Phytonutrients
As a hamster owner, you must be aware that hamsters are quite sensitive animals. Therefore, you should be very conscious regarding what you feed to your hamster. Raspberries contain a good amount of phytonutrients.
What do these strange nutrients do? These nutrients help you and your little furry friend stay away from fatal conditions like cancer and heart diseases.
Improved Digestion
Fruits contain a good amount of fiber. Fiber ensures the proper functioning of the digestion system. Therefore, the consumption of raspberries every now and then will decrease the chances of stomach issues in hamsters.
Risks Of Feeding Raspberries To Your Hamster
Although there are several proven health benefits of feeding raspberries, just like every other food, these should also be fed in moderation to your hamster. The fiber present in the raspberries is only beneficial for the hamsters when they are provided in small amounts.
Otherwise, excess dietary fiber causes more harm to these little creatures than good. Consumption of raspberries above a certain amount leads to diarrhea and other related issues. In addition, frequent consumption of raspberries can also cause diabetes in hamsters.
The sugar present in the raspberries can not only cause diabetes, but it can also make your hamster fat. Diabetes and obesity both shorten the life expectancy of the hamsters drastically.
FAQs
First of all, you should thoroughly wash the raspberries before handing them out to your hamster. Once the raspberries are appropriately cleaned, check if they are soft and at room temperature. After the berries have passed all the tests, give a small portion to your hamster. The piece you are serving to your hamster shouldn’t be bigger than its paw.
Syrian hamsters are the biggest breed of hamsters out there. Considering their size, you can serve two raspberries to your hamster every fortnight. Smaller breeds like dwarf hamsters can only consume one raspberry per fortnight.
Hamsters and Raspberries Wrapped Up
Raspberries not only look good, but they also taste good. Almost every savvy first-time hamster owner wonders if they can share these delicious fruits with their pet or not. Fortunately, the answer is positive. These little berries are loaded with tons of healthy nutrients.
On top of that, raspberries are low-calorie food making them a beneficial snack for the hamsters.
However, excessive raspberries can cause severe threats like diabetes, obesity, and heart diseases. Therefore, you should act smartly and always feed raspberries moderately to your hamster.
