Hamsters are by far one of the most popular pocket pets. Who can resist feeding these cute little friends some sweet treats like juicy cucumber. But wait…. not all foods are safe for hamsters! Can hamsters eat cucumber?
Dr. Jess explains the answer below:
What is a Hamster?
A hamster is a small rodent that is commonly seen as a pocket pet here in the U.S.
Hamsters are covered in a soft fur, with large eyes, round bodies, and short stumpy tails.
They are quite active and can make great pets as long as you know how to properly care for them and all of their needs.
Hamster Basics:
Hamsters are small mammals. Their coats are soft and come in many different coat colors and color patterns. There are many different types and breeds of hamster.
A common hamster is about 4-10 inches long, with some breeds shorter than that average and some breeds longer than that average.
Adult hamsters can weigh anywhere from half an ounce to over 10 ounces, depending on age and breed of hamster.
Hamsters are nocturnal, meaning that they typically sleep during the day and are active at night. Therefore, if you or a family member is a light sleeper or has issues sleeping at night, it is not suggested to house your hamster in that same room, as they will be active during the night.
A hamster’s teeth are continually growing. Therefore as a reliable pet owner, you need to provide your pet hamster with materials to help them keep their tooth length at bay.
Hamsters are omnivores, eating both plant material and animal materials.
In captivity, hamsters typically have a diet that consists of items such as hamster pellets, hay, grains and nuts, and fruits and vegetables, to name a few foods.
No matter what you and your veterinarian decide is the best diet for your hamster, make sure that it is balanced for your hamsters lifestyle.
Hamsters have a cute personality. Some are outgoing and friendly with others,while other hamsters like to live a life of solitude.
Hamsters like to burrow and tunnel, so having some sort of tunnel system is fun for many captive, caged hamsters.
What Do Hamsters Typically Eat?
These little buddies eat an assortment of things to keep them healthy and happy.
- High-quality hamster food and Timothy hay should be the main staples of their diet.
- Up to about 10% of their diet can be made up of an assortment of vegetables and fruits, with fruits and vegetables over 12-24 hours old being discarded as soon as possible.
- Hamsters do best with diets low in fats and sugars. [source]
- Clean, fresh, filtered water. ‘Fresh water‘ means that is is changed daily. ‘Changed daily‘ means that new water is placed into a CLEAN water dispenser!
- Seeds and protein (in the form of hamster-safe insects and cooked hamster-safe meats) can also be given to hamsters in safe portions determined by your veterinarian
Let’s Talk Cucumber…
Cucumbers are a long, green fruit that is typically seen and used more as a vegetable in the United States, than a fruit.
They are commonly placed into categories like pickling cucumbers, seedless cucumbers, or slicing cucumbers, depending on their use.
Cucumbers are grown on a vine that trails the ground and can climb up a trellis with its tendrils, when given the opportunity.
Cucumbers have a thick, waxy-like outer rind, and change from a white or yellow color, to green when ripe.
The center of the fruit is more tender and has a mildly sweet taste.
Cucumber has a high water content and is used in a lot of cool dishes and recipes, like many salads, especially in the warmer summer months here in the states.
Cucumber Nutrition:
Livescience.com states that cucumber:
“Cucumbers are naturally low in calories, carbohydrates, sodium, fat and cholesterol…..”
https://www.livescience.com/51000-cucumber-nutrition.html
Verywellfit.com describes a more detailed description of cucumber nutrition as:
“Cucumbers are crisp and refreshing, due to their high percentage of water. However, with 95% water content, you may be wondering whether cucumbers have much to offer by way of nutrition. Along with potassium, beta carotene, and vitamin K, cucumbers have several phytochemicals with promising health benefits.“
https://www.verywellfit.com/cucumber-nutrition-facts-calories-and-health-benefits-4118563
- Lower or Higher Nutrient Contents: High in good things like water and lower in things that could be harmful, such as carbs and calories!
- Inflammation/Antioxidants: Multiple studies show that cucumbers are a great source of anti-inflammatory compounds that help in fighting against inflammation.
- Vitamins: A cucumber contains vitamin C and K. Hamsters need vitamins to stay healthy and to allow their bodies to function properly. Vitamin C helps hamsters stay safe and adequately protected from diseases and strengthens their immune system.
High Water Content:
With a high water content, you can be sure that there is only so much room for other unhealthy items… and cucumbers don’t have much in the form of unhealthy components.
High water content may help your little friend stay hydrated.
Low in Calories/Fat/Carbohydrates:
Hamsters and other pocket pets are prone to weight gain and obesity.
Lower calorie, lower fat, and/or lower carb foods will help keep these issues at bay.
The easiest way to combat weight gain in your hamster is to not let them eat the weight in the first place!
Vitamins and Minerals:
The vitamins and minerals contained in cucumbers are al very important for your hamster in moderation.
For instance, vitamin K is essential when it comes to blood clotting. Without it, your hamster would die. This vitamin may also be helpful in your pet’s bone health.
Antioxidants:
Multiple research studies have shown that cucumbers are a source of anti-inflammatory compounds, which effectively can help fight different forms of inflammation found inside the body.
As mentioned above, cucumbers contain these potential anti-inflammatory molecules called antioxidants.
Antioxidants are thought to help reduce inflammation inside the body by binding (attaching) to and suppressing (decreasing) inflammation-promoting molecules known as free radicals. [source]
Can Hamsters Eat Cucumber?
Well after learning about some of the health benefits and some of the risks that the consumption of cucumber brings with it , wouldn’t it be nice it you could just safely feed it to your hamster?
Well, you can…. in moderation.
That’s right, feeding a small amount of cucumber as a treat to your hamster on occasion is totally fine and they will likely LOVE you for it!
Moderation = Approximately a teaspoon-sized amount of cucumber is enough cucumber for one hamster.
If you have a smaller hamster or a dwarf variety, cut the teaspoon on half and just give your smaller hamster no more than 1/2 teaspoon worth of seedless cucumber per week as a treat.
If your pet does not eat all of their fruits and vegetables within 12-24 hours, then you need to dispose of it for them.
They will likely not eat it, and it will only sit in their cage and get old and eventually become unsafe to eat.
The rest of their diet, the other 90 or so percent, should be made up of hamster food and hay.
You should feed this amount no more than once per week and no two days in a row.
How To Feed Cucumber to Hamsters:
How To Feed Cucumber to Hamsters
How to safely and properly feed cucumber to hamsters.
Materials
- 1 ripe, fresh cucumber
Tools
- 1 kitchen produce knife
- cutting board
Instructions
- Begin by washing the vegetables thoroughly as you’ll need to remove any bacteria, pesticides, or other chemicals that may have been placed on the cucumber.
- Then, you’ll want to cut off and discard the thick stem.
- You don’t have to peel the cucumber but if you have a pickier hamster that eats around the skin then you can peel it if you feel compelled.
- Cut the cucumber into thin slices or small bite-sized cubes.
- You may want to remove the seeds present for the sake of tidiness or pickiness.
- Remove any uneaten cucumber from the cage within a few hours of serving so that bacteria does not form and grow on it.
Notes
Contact your veterinarian before changing parts of your pet's diet. Stop the feeding of cucumber immediately and contact your veterinarian if any signs of ill health appear.
How About Cucumber Seeds?
And then there are the seeds, a potential choking hazard in and of itself. If you are worried about your hamster choking on seeds, then don’t feed cucumber seeds to your hamster.
Either remove them before offering up cucumber pieces, or feed your hamster a seedless cucumber.
The seeds of a cucumbers are slippery, hard, and slimy.
They are also the perfect size to get lodged in a hamster’s throat and cause them to choke, however, many hamsters are offered cucumber with the seeds intact, and they handle it just fine.
Can Hamsters Eat Pickles?
No, you should never feed your hamster a pickle.
Pickles are made with ingredients such as vinegar and spices, that can be very harmful to your pet. never offer them a pickle, even a small piece of one!
Is Cucumber Harmful to Hamsters?
Before we can decide whether cucumbers are safe to feed our hamsters, we need to first understand some of the risks involved if we do feed our pets cucumbers.
Yes, cucumbers can be.
Remember that too much cucumber fed to these little buddies can give them side effects like an upset stomach, gas, bloating, and diarrhea.
This can lead to a multitude of problems including things like dehydration and electrolyte imbalances that could impart a trip to the veterinary clinic for your pocket pet vet to fix.
The higher sugar content in cucumbers can also lead to some pretty big health concerns as well.
Not only does excess sugar leave your hamster prone to weight gain and obesity, but also diabetes and gastrointestinal (digestive) upset due to the sugar-overload in their systems.
I am not saying that you shouldn’t have any concerns with feeding your hamster cucumber, because there are a few key things to keep in mind.
These three factors to keep in mind include:
Harmful Reason #1: Loose Stool/Diarrhea
Too much of any fruit or vegetable can produce hypermotile, or increased movement, of one’s digestive tract.
Some hamsters are more sensitive to additional foods or changes in their diets, so they are more likely to have loose stool and in some cases, full-blown diarrhea.
Other hamsters will not be impacted by any additional changes in their diets.
Harmful Reason #2: Allergic Reaction to Cucumbers
A hamster can develop an intolerance or an allergy to any food, so there is always the possibility that your pet is allergic to cucumbers.
If you suspect your hamster is allergic to cucumbers do NOT feed this food to your pet.
If your hamster is allergic to cucumbers and accidentally ingests it, go to your nearest animal emergency room immediately.
When this happens, the attack sets off a hypersensitivity reaction and can result in any of the following symptoms:
Common symptoms of adverse/allergic reaction to food:
- Nausea/vomiting
- Diarrhea
- Itching/Increased grooming
- Fever
- Lethargy
- etc.
Can Hamsters Eat Cucumber Rind?
Another issue is the rind…….
The thick rind needs to be served in small pieces and small amounts to your pet or it can become a digestive issue for them.
Cucumber rind can be served to your hamster. The lighter fleshy center of the fruit is easier for your pet to chew and ingest than the outermost green, thick and tough rind.
These servings of cucumber rind should be done in moderation, as the cucumber rind contains fiber which, if too much is ingested at one time, can cause diarrhea as well.
What About Cucumber Juice?
You should not offer your hamster cucumber juice. This is because cucumber juice has a high sugar content, which is not going to be good for your pet.
High sugar content can cause diarrhea, obesity, etc., creating more problems than good. No cucumber juice for your hamster please!
Alternative Foods For Hamsters:
Find Out If Hamsters Can Eat…
Wrap up:
Weigh the pros and cons of feeding cucumber to your hamster before tossing them a sweet and juicy snack, and if you do decide to give them a treat, remember, it’s safe in moderation.
If you have questions about your pet’s diet, contact your veterinarian before changing or adding items to their diet.
If you notice any adverse reactions after feeding your pet, let your vet know immediately for help.
