Like most other fruits, apples is rich in several nutrients needed by both humans and animals for survival. Some of these vitamins and minerals includes vitamin C, vitamin K and calcium, so they are good for beefing up on vitamins in your pet’s diets.
But apart from other animals, can hamsters eat apples? Yes, hamsters can eat apples without any problem; however, you will need to serve seedless apples to your hamsters.
Apple belongs to the rose family and comes in different colors (green and red), which are both good for Hamsters consumption.
This post will help you with all the information and nutritional rules you need to know before making your hamsters eat apples.
Let’s get started!
Is Apple Good for Hamsters?
Yes, apples good for hamsters. But if I can serve my hamster apple, just what portion is moderate? The truth is, Hamsters love apples, and you should feed them apples.
Apple is a fruit, contains a lot of nutrients that are beneficial to the health of Hamsters. Some of these are Vitamins B & C, which prevents Hamsters from scurvy and helps boost their immunity, thus reducing their susceptibility to infections.
Apple also is rich in fiber, which aids in the digesting process. Calcium and potassium are part of the composition but are seen in minor quantities. But still, help in keeping your hamster healthy and strong.
Read Also: Can Syrian Hamsters Eat Bananas?
How Much Apple can a Hamster Eat?
Just like Grapes, the quantity of apple given to Hamsters should be species dependent.
Different Species of Hamsters are comfortable with a minimum portion of apples. For example, Campbell and white dwarf Chinese Hamsters are easily prone to diabetes when a grape is given in large quantities, unlike the Syrian and Robovoski species hamsters.
Since apple is a sugary fruit, it’s advisable not to give your little or baby hamsters an apple. On the other hand, you can feed an adult hamster one or half inches square of apple.
How Often Can a Hamster Eat Apple?
It’s necessary to start by giving Hamsters a little quantity twice a week or once daily. Apple served to a hamster should be fresh (when the body is peeled and seeds removed), dried, or dehydrated using an oven.
Dehydrated apples should be given in tiny quantities because it has low levels of water and a high level of sugar, which could upset Hamsters’ stomach, thus leading to diarrhea.
It is also important to remove the apple’s seeds before giving them to your Hamsters because apple seed contains Cyanide, a very toxic substance, and ingestion of it can lead to the pet’s death.
Nutritional Benefits Of Apple to Hamsters
Apples compose of fiber, vitamins, minerals, and flavonoids. As such, it provides a range of valuable health benefits for hamsters.
A medium apple has 25 grams of carbohydrates, with 4.4 grams of fiber and about 19 grams of natural sugar. As such, for one medium-sized (182g) apple (3” in diameter). You will get the below nutritional value;
- Calories: 95
- Fat: 0.3g
- Sodium: 1.8mg
- Carbohydrates: 25g
- Fiber: 4.4g
- Sugars: 18.9g
- Protein: 0.5g
What Species of Apple Can Hamsters Eat?
The taste of an apple can be sweet or sour, and its health benefits or effects can vary depending on what type you’re feeding your hamsters.
Are there species of apple I shouldn’t Serve my Hamsters? No, there are many varieties, including:
- Red Delicious
- McIntosh
- Crispin
- Gala
- Granny Smith
- Fuji
- Honeycrisp
However, no matter the species, most experts recommend organic apples. And that’s because they are grown without the use of pesticides and chemicals. As such, they are considered safer for your pet.
Read Also: Can Dwarf Hamsters Eat Strawberries?
Can Feeding Hamsters Apples Make Them Sick?
There are possible health challenges hamsters undergo if the apple is served without moderation. If served in high quantity, Apple can cause diarrhea, more so when you introduce fresh foods and sweet fruits new to your hamster’s diet.
So, to avoid hamsters getting seek, make sure to serve them a moderate quantity of apples, as their body can carry.
And if it’s your hamster’s first time tasting apple, carefully introduce it in low quantity to your hamster’s diet. And watch their reactions or response to it.
Finally, you need to know that too much fruit can lead to obesity and diabetes. Apples and other sweet, natural treats are best offered in minimal amounts or quantity.
More so, Apple shouldn’t make up a large portion of your pet’s daily fruit intake.
Can Syrian Hamsters Eat Apples?
Shortly, yes, you can feed Syrian hamsters apple, and eating apple is an exciting moment for hamsters. However, take special care when serving apples to your hamster. As a result, scrub it well before you cut it up and make sure it’s freed of acid.
What Other Food Can Hamsters Eat?
Hamsters live on a variety of diets. Fruit and veggies are a good and healthy choice that add antioxidants and healthy fats to a diet. But some foods aren’t safe for your hamsters to eat. Like;
- Broccoli
- Cauliflower
- Kale
- Cucumbers
- Celery
- Bok choy
- Sweet potatoes
- Apples
- Cherries
- Strawberries
- Raspberries
- Peaches
- Mango
- Cantaloupe
- Asparagus
- Baby corn
- Artichoke
- Sweet corn
- Cabbage
- Basil
- Cilantro
- Mint
- Parsley
- Carrot
- Carrot tops
- Romaine
- Potato (cooked only)
- Beets
- Beet tops
- Sprouts
- Arugula
- Swiss chard
- Spinach
- Endive
- Escarole
- Butter lettuce
- Bibb lettuce
- Rocket
- Buttercrunch lettuce
- Green beans
- Cucumber
- Summer squash
- Winter squash
- Pumpkin
- Bell pepper
- Zucchini
- Celery
- Parsnip
- Sweet potato
- Tomato
- Broccoli
- Broccolini
- Cauliflower
- Okra
- Yu Choy
- Watercress
Frequently Asked Questions
Can hamsters eat apples with skin?
Yes, hamsters can eat apple skin as they’re quite nutritious and contains dietary fiber and vitamins. So, there will be no need to remove the peel while feeding your hamsters apple.
But remember to wash the apple thoroughly so you can get rid of any possible pesticides before feeding them to your hamster.
Can hamsters eat apple seeds?
No! It’s not wise to feed your hamsters apple seed as they’re very poisonous to hamsters.
Apple seeds contain cyanide, which is very toxic and could harm your hamsters.
While humans would have to consume a whole lots of apple seeds before they can experience any side effects, hamsters could fall sick immediately or even die after eating just one seed — and this is due to their tiny size.
What kind of apples can hamsters eat?
Seedless apple is the best apple to be fed to your hamster. In other word, make sure there aren’t any seeds in the apple after peeling it.
This is because both Dwarf and Syrian hamsters can easily choke on the seeds, which is also the fact for the small, Roborovski Hamster.
What fruits are bad for hamsters?
Don’t feed your hamsters iceberg lettuce and other veggies or fruits that are high in water content as, such as watermelon as they can cause diarrhea.
Can Dwarf Hamsters Eat Apple?
Yes, apple is 100% safe for Dwarf hamsters. But like I said earlier, don’t give them apple seeds except you want to loose them.
Conclusion | Can Hamsters Eat Apples?
Care should be taken on Hamsters’ dietary intake, especially fruits because apart from the health benefits the fruits give, some also have health risks when given excessively.
The health risk includes diabetes, the passing of loosed or watery stool, and death resulting from eating apple seed containing Cyanide. So, fruits with high water content should be kept to a minimum, both in quantity and in feeding frequency. I know we’ve answered your question; can Hamsters eat apples?
However, on a more general note, fruits that contain water can also fill your hamster up easily and prevent them from eating their regular diet, which is where your hamsters get most of the nutrients required.
