Blueberries are amazing! They are one of the best sources of antioxidants and have a ton of health benefits for us humans. Studies have shown that having some blueberries in your daily diet can improve memory, help to regulate blood sugar and keep our eyes healthy.
So, it’s definitely good for us humans to regularly consume blueberries, but what about our beloved hamsters? Would it be okay to give blueberries to a hamster to eat?
Can Hamsters Eat Blueberries?
The short answer would be yes, it’s okay for hamsters to eat blueberries, but only in small amounts. One or two blueberries a few times a week should be an okay amount of blueberries for a hamster.
It might sound like an extremely small amount, but don’t forget that your pet hamster is also very small. A larger amount of blueberries in a single sitting is very likely to upset you pet’s stomach and cause diarrhea.
Feeding Your Hamster Fruits & Berries
The same rule that only a very small amount is okay for hamsters applies to other fruits and berries too. The main part of a hamster’s diet should still be a high quality hamster food mix.
Hamsters can eat blueberries as well as many other fruits & berries, however, do not assume that all fruits & berries are safe for your pet. Because of the acidity, citrus fruits are not safe for hamsters.
Another important thing to note is that it’s best to feed your hamster raw fruits & berries. That is simply because fruits & berries are most nutritious when they are raw.
On top of that, processed fruit and berry products like jams and compotes contain added sugar, which is not good for hamsters.
In Conclusion
Yes, it is okay to share a few blueberries with your hamster every once in a while. Studies on laboratory animals have actually shown that blueberries can help to protect eye health in animals, so having a few blueberries in her diet, is very likely to be beneficial for your pet hamster as well.
My hamster is eating his own poop. Is it normal?
Hi, Andy! Does this happen after your hamster has eaten some blueberries? Anyway, yes, this kind of behavior is completely normal for hamsters. Hamsters’ bodies simply cannot get all the nutrients from the food with the first time, so they give it another go.