Today’s question: Can hamsters eat carrots? Carrots are not only crunchy and tasty, but also full of vitamins and antioxidants. Carrots are one the best health foods for us humans, but what about for pet hamsters? Can you feed carrots to a pet hamster as well?
Can Hamsters Eat Carrots?
The quick answer is yes, it is safe for hamsters to eat carrots in small amounts. In fact, carrots can make a healthy and delicious treat for hamsters and many hamsters absolutely love chewing on carrots. Carrots can provide your hamster with important vitamins as well as help to keep his teeth down.
Before feeding some carrot to your pet, make sure the vegetable is fresh and properly cleaned. Never feed your hamster rotten fruit or veggies! Thoroughly cleaning the carrot is important to get rid of residue pesticides, which can be toxic to hamsters.
Are Carrots Good for Hamsters?
Yes, carrots are good vegetables to include in your hamster’s diet. They can provide your pet with some essential vitamins. Carrots are especially rich in vitamin A, which plays many important roles in your pet hamster’s body. It keeps the skin and hair healthy, contributes to the eye health and is important for growth in nursing hamsters.
However, too much of a good thing stops being good, so do not overfeed your hamster with carrots. According to Petcha, too much vitamin A can actually harm your pet hamster, especially if your pet hamster is pregnant.
How Much Carrot Is Safe for Hamsters?
Although carrots are safe for hamsters in small quantities, it is recommended that they are given in small amounts and not more often than 2 or 3 times a week. It’s not only that too much vitamin A is bad for hamsters, but also because of the sugar contained in carrots which might lead to diabetes if feed too often.
On top of that, feeding your hamster a lot of carrot at once, is also not recommended because it can upset the stomach and lead to diarrhea.
The best amount of carrots to feed your hamster is one or two slices a few times a week.
Hamsters Are Food Hoarders
When feeding your hamster with raw carrots, it is also important to remember that hamsters are hoarding animals. If you give your hamster more carrot than he is able to eat in a single sitting, then he is likely to store the leftovers for rainy days. And while that might sound like a smart idea, it can actually cause problems.
Carrots will spoil fast in your hamster’s cage and your hamster could end up eating rotten carrots. Rotten vegetables, however, are likely to upset your pet’s digestive tract and cause diarrhea. A good practice to prevent your hamster from eating any rotten carrots or other veggies is to cut up the carrots (or other vegetables) into smaller pieces and to always check and remove any leftovers from your hamster’s cage.
Do All Hamsters Like Carrots?
Carrots are good for hamsters and most hamster love them because the sweet taste and crunchy texture. However, not all hamsters love to eat carrots.
When first introducing carrots to pet hamsters, it is best to check on them after giving them carrot to see if there is any signs of adverse reaction. If your pet hamster has vomited or is suffering from diarrhea because of eating carrot, do not give your pet anymore carrot or try feeding a smaller portion the next time.
If your hamster is not interested in eating carrots, then that is okay too. While carrots can be a healthy treat for hamsters, it is not a necessary part of their diet and you can try to give your pet hamster other vegetables instead.
Best Ways to Feed Carrot to Your Hamster
When planning to feed some carrots to your hamster remember that a tiny amount (one or two slices) is enough for one time feeding. Make sure that the vegetable is clean and prefer giving your hamster raw carrots instead of cooked as raw carrots are more nutritious and better for the hamster to gnaw on.
You might also want to consider feeding your hamsters by hand as this is a good way to build trust with your pet. However, be careful not to put your hand in the hamster’s mouth, because just like all rodents, hamsters have sharp teeth and they can bite.
Can Eating Carrots Keep Hamster’s Teeth Down?
Carrots have a crisp texture, so chewing on carrots might aid in keeping your hamster’s teeth worn down. However, carrots cannot replace wooden chew toys.
Other Safe Fruits and Vegetables for Hamsters to Eat
Other fruits and vegetables that are also safe for your hamster to eat include the following: apples, blueberries, bok choi, broccoli, cantaloupe, cauliflower, celery, cherries, cucumbers, mango, peaches, pears, raspberries, strawberries, sweet potatoes and kale.
- Keep in mind that fruit pits and seeds are a choking hazard to hamsters and they also contain poisonous cyanide. Therefore, all pits, seeds and stones have to be removed before feeding fruits or berries to a hamster.
- And just like with carrots, it’s also important to thoroughly wash all fresh produce to limit the amount of pesticide residue.
Conclusion
Carrots, just like many other fruits and vegetables, are safe to eat for pet hamsters. Just remember to always thoroughly clean the vegetable before feeding and after feeding, check and remove any leftovers from your hamster’s cage.
Dogs do not benefit from eating sugary foods. In fact, the exact opposite is true – sugary treats can be harmful for dogs. As sweets are not a natural part of a canine diet, eating cheesecake or another sweet treat can upset a dog’s stomach and cause diarrhea or even vomiting. Your dog may also act hyperactive and unfocused. Regularly feeding your dog sugary treats can also lead to dental cavities, unwanted weight gain and diabetes.
Mayonnaise is not toxic to dogs, which means that if they eat it, they will not experience any acute illness. In fact, one could argue that mayonnaise is not dangerous to dogs.
We all know that bacteria, fungi, and viruses can make us and our dogs 
Let’s take a look at what your average waffle is made from: flour, sugar or brown sugar, eggs, milk, a touch of salt, and a fat – either butter or oil.
Mixing the couscous with chicken, lamb, or other lean meat proteins is suggested for a well rounded meal. Adding fruits and vegetables with the couscous is also a tasty meal for your pet. When introducing couscous to your homemade dog diet make sure the other ingredients aren’t new.
Fast food chicken nuggets are usually processed in countries outside of the U.S. Some of those places don’t have the same food and safe handling standards. Without really knowing what’s in them it’s a wonder people still eat them. There have been a variety of tainted foods served and reported that came from fast food restaurants. Processed chicken might be convenient for dinner but in the long run you pay for it with your health. This is the same if dogs eat chicken nuggets. It’s just not healthy for them.
No Honeydew Seeds for Your Doggy!
Like most fruit, honeydew contains quite a lot of dietary fiber, which beneficial for dogs in small amounts, but can cause stomach upset and diarrhea in large amounts. Because of that it’s definitely best to avoid feeding your dog fruits in abundance, but how much is okay?
For one, sugar is bad for your dog’s teeth just like it’s bad for our teeth. Your dog’s teeth can survive a rare sugary treat, but if you make a habit out of giving your dog Weetabix or other sugary foods, then it’s very likely to cause 
We already talked about why Weetabix is not good for dogs, but if you still want to feed your dog Weetabix, then know that serving your dog Weetabix with milk is not a good idea.
While proper balance of nutrients is important for dogs in all ages, it’s especially important for puppies who are still growing. Puppies also consume less food than fully-grown adult dogs. Because of that it’s best if you would not feed your puppy Weetabix.
