Yes, hamsters can eat apples but in limited quantities. They are omnivores and can eat a wide range of food that includes fruits and green vegetables. Talking about apple hamsters can eat apples but in moderation. Apple should be given in small quantities once a week or twice a month.
Apple cannot be a staple item in a hamster’s diet because it has natural sugar and water content and excessive consumption may lead to diarrhea in the hamster. You need to be aware of when you are going to feed apples to your hamsters.
Nutritional aspects of apple
Apple is good from a nutritional point of view for hamsters as it contains a good amount of fiber, is low in calories, and is also low in sugar content which is beneficial for your hamster. Here is a list of various nutrients that are present in apples.
- Water – 85g
- Protein – 0.25g
- Energy – 50kcal
- Fat – 0.15g
- Fiber – 2g
- Carbohydrates – 13g
- Iron – 0.10g
- Calcium – 6mg
- Phosphorous – 10 mg
- Magnesium – 5 mg
- Sugar – 10g
- Potassium – 105 mg
- Vitamin C – 4.5 mg
- Folate – 2 µg
How often you should feed apples to your hamster?
Apple is a very delicious and nutritious fruit and hamsters love to eat apples. Though apple provides lots of nutrients to hamsters there are some contents too which are not good on daily basis and in excess like it is high in sugar content.
That is why apple is not considered a staple food but feed only occasionally. Therefore feeding them a small piece of an apple once a week or twice a month is enough for them. This will not harm the hamster at all and they will enjoy eating apples.
Is apple safe for dwarf hamsters?
Yes, dwarf hamsters can also eat apples. In fact, they can eat all the things that a big hamster can eat. But the quantity will not be the same for both the hamsters. Dwarf hamsters have a complicated digestive system as compared to bigger hamsters.
Talking about apples, they can eat apples but in a lesser amount, because it contains sugar, and dwarf hamsters are more prone to diabetes. Therefore it is better to feed hamster apples but in a small amount. So, it is advisable to feed hamsters new things in limited amounts whether it is an adult hamster or a dwarf hamster.
Can hamsters eat apple skin and seeds?
Yes, hamsters can eat apples with their skin as it doesn’t cause any harm to them. But talking about the seeds they are harmful to them and should be removed before feeding apples to hamsters. Also, you need to wash the apples to remove the harmful pesticides or dust from them.
Benefits of apples for hamsters
Apple is a nutritious fruit and provides lots of nutrients to humans and animals. But the portions for both are not the same. Hamsters cannot eat many fruits at a time. If they do so then it will not give them any advantage but on the contrary, they will meet with some serious health issues. Feeding in limited quantity and occasionally can give them much better advantages and here are a few of the health benefits the hamsters can have by eating apples.
1. Improve the immune system of hamsters:
Hamsters have a complicated and weak immune system that will not support them to fight serious health issues. They should have a robust immune system to bear all their health problems. Apples provide many beneficial nutrients which help to boost the immune system of hamsters.
Vitamin C which is present in the apple in good amounts helps to strengthen their epithelial barrier to pathogens and also protects hamsters from external effects like pollution in the environment. It also gives them healthy and glowing skin.
2. Helps in the process of digestion:
Fiber plays a major role in digestion and the apple is rich in fiber. There are two types of fibers one is soluble fiber which helps in slow digestion and makes the hamsters feel full for a longer time and the other one is insoluble fiber which helps to move the food through the digestive system of hamsters and also gives them relief from constipation.
The good thing about apple is that it contains both soluble and insoluble fibers. You should feed apples with skin as apple skin is also rich in fiber.
3. Lower the bad cholesterol of hamsters:
Apple contains fiber which helps in digestion and it also prevents the build-up of bad cholesterol in the blood vessel walls. This will also help to lower blood pressure also helps to reduce the risk of heart disease. Therefore it helps lower the bad cholesterol in hamsters thus lowering the risk of many serious health issues.
4. Reduce the risk of diabetes in hamsters:
Even though apple contains a good amount of sugar, it also helps to lower the risk of diabetes in them. Sometimes the owner is not aware that the hamster is suffering from diabetes so feeding them apples in small amounts may lower the level of diabetes in them.
The reason is apples contains soluble fiber and antioxidants present in them reducing the risk of harmful reaction in the body of hamsters. Also, soluble fibers reduce the speed of sugar absorption in hamsters and improve their sugar level in them.
Risks of feeding apples to hamsters
Though apple is nutritious and beneficial in many aspects for hamsters it also has some bad effects on them. They are not many but can be avoided if you pay a little bit of attention to them. Here are some of the disadvantages of apples for hamsters.
1. Contains a high amount of sugar:
One of the disadvantages of apple is that it is high in sugar content due to this their consumption becomes limited for hamsters. This can trigger diabetes in hamsters and it is well-known that hamsters are prone to diseases like diabetes. Therefore apple is not considered a staple food though it is beneficial in some other ways too.
2. Apple seeds are toxic:
It is advisable to remove the seeds before feeding apples to hamsters as the seeds present in them contain amygdaline which is a chemical compound. It’s consumption release cyanide which works as a poison and damages the digestive system of hamsters.
Final thoughts:
Yes, of course, hamsters can eat apples but not as a staple food as it also brings some disadvantages with it. No doubt it is a nutritious fruit and beneficial for the health of hamsters but feeding in limited quantities is better. Its skin is also nutritious as it contains fibers that are helpful in digestion but seeds are poisonous and damage the digestive system of hamsters.
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