Including apples in your hamster’s diet can provide it with a lot of vitamin C and fiber.Like many other fresh fruits, apples can improve your hamster’s health. Feeding a small amount of apple to your hamster mixed with other fruits and vegetables is considered a balanced diet.Apples are fruits produced by apple trees of the genus Malus. Apple trees are native to central Asia. In 2018, China was the leading producer of apples. There are negligible amounts of protein and fat, 14% carbohydrates, and 86% water in a raw apple. There is an average amount of dietary fiber and 52-72 calories in an apple. Apples are also rich in vitamin C, calcium, fiber, and vitamin K with low sugar. Hamsters are Cricetinae rodents. These small pets are usually active during the twilight period. A hamster’s diet primarily consists of vegetables, fruits, pellets, seeds, and sometimes insects. They are known to hoard their food, carrying it in their cheek pouches to underground storage. When they store food inside their face, their face more than doubles in size. Hamsters can be given apples in moderation as treats, and seeds must be avoided. The amygdalin in seeds converts to hydrogen cyanide, which is poisonous to hamsters. Not only that, but apple seeds can also be a choking hazard, especially for dwarf and Syrian hamsters. However, the skin has good nutrients and can be fed to hamsters.The Syrian or the golden hamster is the most common and best-known hamster pet among humans. There are different types of Syrian hamsters with varying hair lengths and colors. Dwarf hamsters are also quite common. Although hamsters can feed on fresh fruit and vegetables, it is necessary to know which ones are safe for them. Leafy green vegetables and fruit that is not citrus are good for a hamster’s digestive system. Sugar-filled junk foods are not favorable food for hamsters. Hamsters love feeding on peanut butter but it can get stuck in the hamster’s cheek. Hamsters eat their feces to recover digested nutrients.If you enjoy reading these facts about can hamsters eat apples, then make sure to read some more interesting facts about can hamsters eat lettuce and can hamsters eat carrot here at Kidadl.Health Benefits Of Apples For HamstersHealth benefits of apples for hamsters include lowering the risk of diabetes; helping maintain good heart health, gut health, and bone health; preventing diseases; and contributing to a healthy immune system and digestive system.A medium apple that weighs around 0.4 lb (182 g) has 0.05 lb (25 g) carbs, negligible fiber, 95 calories, 5% vitamin A, 14% vitamin C, 6 % potassium, and low amounts of copper, manganese, and vitamins B1, B6, B2, A, and E. A plant compound called polyphenols is responsible for various health benefits in your pet. The apple skin contains a lot of polyphenols and half of the fiber content of the apple. Apples contain a lot of water and fiber, so they are quite filling. Healthy soluble fiber and antioxidants promote the health of the heart. These antioxidants may also lower the risk of diabetes. Studies show that apples contain nutrition that reduces the risk of cancer. Apples contain anti-inflammatory ingredients and antioxidants.Eating apples like treats will not pose any kind of threat to your pet and promotes healthy nutrition. Hamsters can develop both Type I and Type II diabetes if they are fed too much sugar. Apples may prevent this risk in your pet hamster because apples contain antioxidants that can prevent the formation of toxic chemical reactions in the body. These antioxidants in this hamster snack also guard the body against chronic diseases. The prebiotic called pectin found in apples feeds the good bacteria in the gut of your pet. The fiber from this fruit is not absorbed by the small intestine but is absorbed by the colon where the good bacteria grows. Hamsters are very active animals and their bone health is most essential. This fruit promotes high bone density in hamsters. Like in guinea pigs, hamsters can develop scurvy if vitamin C consumption decreases.Risks Of Hamsters Eating ApplesRisks and side effects of eating too much apple in hamsters are diabetes, obesity, constipation, bloating, diarrhea, toxicity, and sugar addiction.Although apples provide many benefits to a hamster’s health, there are also risks involved with feeding too much apple to your hamsters. A moderate amount of sugar if overfed to hamsters can cause obesity and diabetes. These healthy treats cannot be included in the everyday diet of hamsters. Their diet mostly consists of commercial pellets and fresh water. It is suggested to feed tiny apple slices to your guinea pigs only a few times per week to prevent hoarding of apples. If your hamster hoards apples, they tend to rot and can be harmful to these small animals. If your hamster swallows an apple seed by mistake, it can cause death because cyanide in the seed disrupts the flow of oxygen. The fiber in apples can also upset your pet’s stomach. Sugar addiction is also another condition that can occur if hamsters are fed too much foods that contain sugar.Are apple seeds and peel safe for hamsters?Apple seeds are not safe for hamsters but hamsters can eat apple peel or skin.Apple seeds contain the amygdalin compound, which is found in several seeds like those from apricots, peaches, and cherries. This compound is produced as the seed’s natural defense and it is harmless if the seed is intact. If seeds are chewed and digested then amygdalin turns into hydrogen cyanide and is fatal if a large amount is consumed. Hydrogen cyanide curbs the oxygen supply to the cells in the body and if the dose is high it can be fatal. The amount of cyanide in seeds is not quite enough to harm human beings but can be highly fatal to little creatures such as hamsters if excessively consumed. It is best to avoid feeding these seeds to your hamsters. This is also the reason why you need to inspect any slice of an apple before feeding it to your hamster.Some commonly known health benefits of apple skin include prevention of the risk of several cancers like colon and liver cancer, prevention of heart disease, weight control, regulation of levels of blood sugar, boost to immunity, and promotion of good eye health. Your hamster will also get various minerals and nutrients from the skin of this fruit. Apple skin is petty safe for your hamster; however, it is always recommended to wash the skin of this fruit before cutting it into small pieces to get rid of pesticides and chemicals. The best solution is to wash the fruit that has been commercially produced with baking soda before you feed it to your pet.How much of an apple can you feed your hamster?Baby hamsters should not be fed any fruit or vegetable. An adult hamster can be fed tiny apple slices twice a week, around 1-2.5 in (2.5-6.3 cm) in size.Apples with peels on are great treats for your pet. Like any other fruit, introduce apples and watch for any kind of reactions in your pet like swelling. After your pet gets used to this addition you can increase the intake of tiny apple slices to twice a week. Before you cut any apple slice it is best if you can get an organic apple that has no pesticides on the skin, but you still need to wash the apple first. You can wash the store-bought apple with baking soda before slicing. You can then slice the apple into small, square pieces so your hamster can easily feed on them. Remove seeds before slicing. You can feed these slices to your hamster two times per week and it is necessary to watch out for any kind of reaction in your pet. Do not feed your pet an entire apple. Green apples are good for your pet as well and you must follow the same steps to feed your pet as with any other kind of apple. You can leave the skin on these slices for the better health of your pet.If by any chance your pet hamster overeats apple slices then watch for signs of illness. Provide lots of water to your pet with a small amount of salt in it. This is necessary when your hamster overeats to remove excess fluid as urine and this avoids any further negative effects of dehydration.Here at Kidadl, we have carefully created lots of interesting family-friendly facts for everyone to enjoy! If you liked our suggestion for can hamsters eat apples, then why not take a look at can hamsters eat bread or Syrian hamster facts?
Including apples in your hamster’s diet can provide it with a lot of vitamin C and fiber.
