Pets can benefit from a healthy diet just like humans do, and it’s important to know what fruits and vegetables are safe for your furry friend. Cherries are very sweet and tasty and they are grown all over Asia and Europe. They are a useful ingredient as they can be used in making salads, ice cream, alcohol and juice. So can hamsters eat cherries?
Can Hamsters safely eat Cherries?
Yes, hamsters can safely eat cherries. They can have small amounts of sweet cherries but not the sour ones since they can cause digestive problems. Cherries are a good source of vitamins A, C and the B vitamins. They are low in calories and fat but rich in potassium, fiber, and they also contain antioxidants that can help keep your hamster healthy.
Cherries are considered stone fruits because they have a large pit in the center of the fruit. They can cause complications like choking or gastric obstruction if swallowed, so be sure to remove the pit from the cherry before feeding it to your hamster.
Can Hamsters be Fed Dried Cherries?
Yes, they can but it is not recommended. This is because dried cherries are sugary, very sticky and can end up getting stuck in a hamster’s cheek pouch. If it is left there for long, it may rot and cause infection.
Can Hamsters Have Cherry Pie?
No, hamsters cannot eat cherry pie. Not only do they contain high amounts of added sugar but they also contain other potentially harmful ingredients.
Can Hamsters Have Cherry Juice?
No, hamsters cannot drink cherry juice. In fact, it is not recommended that they drink juice of any kind. Keep cherry juice away from because it can make them over hydrated.
How Much Cherry Can A Hamster Eat?
The amount that can be given to a hamster varies based on their size. You can give your hamster small chopped up pieces of one or two cherries in a day.
Syrians hamsters can eat the most cherries. They can get enough nutrients from just being fed a teaspoon of cherries once a week. Roborovski breeds are smaller than Syrian hamsters and should be only given half a teaspoon of cherry once a week. The Dwarf hamsters which includes the Chinese, Campbell, and winter white hamsters are way smaller and so, should only be given a quarter of a teaspoon of cherry once in a week.
Try not to feed them too many cherries no matter how much they love it. Too much cherry can lead to diarrhea or stomach upset. It could also lead to rot and infection if your hamster hides them in their cheek pouches to snack on later.
Benefits of Feeding Cherries to a Hamsters
Cherries are not just sweet and delicious but they also provide important nutrients that can improve your pet hamster’s health. They contain valuable nutrients like vitamins, minerals and fiber. They provide the following functions:
- Vitamin C: They can act as antioxidants to ensure that your hamster isn’t exposed to risks from free radicals. Such risks like aging, cancer and other cardiovascular diseases are reduced when antioxidants eliminate these harmful radicals. This vitamin also helps to improve bone health and prevent scurvy.
- Vitamin A – This vitamin is responsible for your hamster’s visual health. They also function as antioxidants like vitamin C.
- Vitamin K – This vitamin is very essential in wound healing. It not only speeds up healing but is necessary for blood clotting. In general, it oversees your pet’s blood health.
- Dietary Fibers – Fibers help with your pet’s gut health. They aid digestion and improve bowel movement. They help with weight loss by adding bulk to diet. They also help to prevent constipation.
- Potassium – This mineral helps to regulate blood pressure in hamsters.
How to Prepare and Serve Cherries to a Hamster?
Cherries are healthy, nutrient-packed fruits that your hamster can enjoy as long as it is given in moderate amounts. Before serving them this delicious red fruit, you have to ensure that they are safe for consumption. First you must have them
- Washed to remove dirt or grime, germs and pesticides that may be present on the skin.
- Cut open to remove the stone or pit.
- Chopped into paw sized pieces that they can comfortably hold
- Prepared without adding extra sugar or salt
Note of Caution
Hamsters cannot eat sour berries so should only be served sweet ones. They should not be given cherries in the form of juice or pies. Do not over feed them and watch them closely to make sure they are not storing food in their pouches.
Other Fruits and Vegetables That Your Hamster can Eat
Hamsters can eat cherries and other fresh, healthy fruits and vegetables moderately. If the fruit has seeds or pit, you must ensure that they are first removed before feeding it to them. Such fresh fruits that a hamster can eat include:
- Apples
- Strawberries
- Blueberries
- Bananas
- Blueberries
- Mangoes
- Blackberries
Such fresh vegetables that a hamster can eat include:
- Lettuce
- Asparagus
- Green beans
- Carrots
- Cucumbers
- Celery
- Broccoli
- Bean sprouts
- Parsnips
Risks of Feeding Cherries to a Hamster
Cherries provide a lot of health benefits to a hamster but things can quickly turn sour if they are fed too much of it. Your pet could be exposed to certain risks like irreversible health issues such as diabetes.
They could also be exposed to
- Obesity due to the sugar content of cherry,
- Choking if they try to swallow a cherry pit and
- Some digestive problems like diarrhea and indigestion.
- Poisoning could also occur if you don’t properly wash off the pesticides and germs
So try and take extra care when feeding cherries to your hamster. Let them enjoy this fruit by giving them moderate amounts of it and serving them properly.
Conclusion
Cherries can make a great treat for your hamster if they are given in moderation. Cherries are low in calories and full of antioxidants that help improve the health of humans, and hamsters alike. They are high in essential vitamins your hamster needs to have a complete diet.
