So, can hamsters also eat grass like your cousins’ rabbits and guinea pigs? YES, they can eat grass but over very strict conditions. These conditions include points like the grass should be clean and must not be fed in large quantities. Additionally, considering grass as hamsters’ primary source of nutrition is a big mistake. Overfeeding of grass can lead to numerous ailments in hamsters.
Is Grass Good For Hamsters?
Now, we know that hamsters can eat grass, but is it also beneficial for them? Well, that’s not the case because the bodies of the hamsters are not designed to unlock the nutritions present in grass. In simple words, grass will simply pass through the body of your hamster without benefiting him in any sense.
However, there’s nothing harmful in allowing your hamster to nibble on a few stems if they enjoy it. Still, you must be fully aware of your hamster’s grass consumption, as overeating grass adversely affects hamsters.
How Is Grass Bad For Hamsters
Horses, cows, and even some relatives of hamsters like rabbits survive on grass, so how is it not good for hamsters? As hamster owners, you should be well aware of the fact that hamsters are omnivores. This fact distinguishes hamsters from the animals mentioned above considerably.
Hamsters must have both animal and plant-based energy and nutrition sources for unimpeded functionality. The body of your pet hamster is not designed to consume grass and get all of the energy it needs from grass.
Additionally, the water content in fresh grass is relatively high, which leads to diarrhea in hamsters. And diarrhea, in some cases, can be fatal for your furry friend. However, the situation only gets this bad when you overfeed grass to your hamster.
Hence, while putting some freshly plucked stems in front of your hamster, count them first. It leads to the question, what amount of grass is suitable for a hamster? Let’s find this out in the next part of the post.
What Amount Of Grass Is Safe For Hamsters?
There is no straightforward answer to this question. Down below, we discussed the healthy amount of grass a hamster can eat according to its age:
For Baby Hamsters
Reading a hamster’s behavior and acting accordingly is a very tough job. There could be several meanings for different actions and behaviors of hamsters. When we talk about baby hamsters, they have notoriously sensitive stomachs. Therefore, you should not take the risk of feeding them grass because you won’t be able to notice a problem before it is too late.
For Adult Hamsters
Young adult hamsters have relatively better immune systems and well-developed stomachs. Feeding 3-4 fresh grass stems daily won’t harm your critter. In fact, fresh grass could become a perfect and enjoyable thing for your hamster to nibble on. However, before rewarding your hamster with grass, note their diet.
If the hamster has consumed a considerable amount of green vegetables, forget the idea of giving it grass. Eating too much green stuff leads to diarrhea in hamsters.
For Old Hamsters
Just like baby hamsters, old hamsters’ immune system is also weak. Hence, it is recommended to avoid feeding grass to old hamsters as well. Because if you accidentally overfeed grass to an old hamster and it develops diarrhea, things can take a drastic turn.
Picking The Suitable Grass
As a responsible hamster owner, you should pay a lot of attention while choosing the grass for your pet. Now the correct type of grass for hamster consumption has the following characteristics:
- Must be chemical and pesticides free
- Clean from feces of other animals
- Not including roots
The best rule of thumb is to separate stems and wash them before feeding them to your pet.
FAQs
You can give unlimited hay to your furry friend because it helps hamsters in keeping their teeth in shape. Moreover, the hay has no harmful elements, making it entirely safe for hamsters.
If your young hamster loves nibbling on grass, there is nothing wrong with giving him three to four stems daily. However, even if you see your hamster having the best time of its life, don’t exceed this limit.
Grass and Hamsters in a Nutshell
Owning a hamster is just like having a baby for the very first time. You are skeptical regarding almost everything, and this is absolutely natural. In today’s post, we answered one of the most commonly asked questions by first-time hamster owners.
We learned that grass is not harmful to hamsters under certain conditions. However, precautions must be taken while feeding grass to your beloved pet.
