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Yes, hamsters can eat chickpeas if they are plain and cooked. Half a chickpea once or twice a week is a good treat for a Syrian hamster, and a quarter for a dwarf. Tinned chickpeas in water, rinsed well, or ones you have boiled yourself with no salt are both fine. Never give raw dried chickpeas, salted or roasted snacks, or hummus, which has garlic, lemon and salt.
| Safe? | Yes, cooked and plain |
| How much | Half a chickpea (Syrian), a quarter (dwarf) |
| How often | Once or twice a week |
| Best served | Boiled or tinned in water, rinsed, no salt |
| Watch out for | Salt in tins, garlic in hummus, raw chickpeas, wind or soft droppings |
Are chickpeas safe for hamsters?
Yes. The Bunnyjackpot Foundation, a UK small-pet rescue, lists chickpeas, lentils and beans among safe hamster foods, and Woodgreen includes pulses in its list of hamster treats. Chickpeas fit a hamster's natural diet well: UK Pet Food notes that wild hamsters eat seeds and grain, and chickpeas are a plant seed with some protein and fibre.
They are not needed if your hamster eats a good complete food, so treat them as an extra. Unlike fruit they are not sugary, which makes them a better treat for dwarfs than berries.
How many chickpeas can a hamster eat?
Half a cooked chickpea for a Syrian, once or twice a week. A quarter for a Campbell's, winter white, Chinese or Roborovski dwarf. This follows Woodgreen's guide of a treat about the size of your hamster's ear, once or twice a week. Pulses are filling and can cause wind or soft droppings in a big helping, so start smaller the first time and watch for 48 hours.
A Syrian's main food is still about 10 g (0.35 oz) of dry hamster food a day, or 5 to 8 g (0.2 to 0.3 oz) for a dwarf, as Woodgreen advises. Our hamster diet guide shows how treats fit in.
How to prepare chickpeas
- Choose plain. Tinned chickpeas in water with no added salt, or dried chickpeas you soak and boil yourself.
- Cook them through. Dried chickpeas must be soaked and boiled until soft. Never cook them with salt, oil or spices; Bunnyjackpot warns against seasoned or oily foods.
- Rinse tinned ones. Tip into a sieve and rinse well under cold water to wash off the tin liquid.
- Cool and cut. Let it cool to room temperature, then cut in half or quarters.
- Clear up. Cooked chickpeas spoil quickly. Remove anything uneaten within a few hours and check the stash.
Raw, roasted, tinned and hummus
- Cooked plain or tinned in water, rinsed: yes.
- Raw dried chickpeas: no. They are rock hard, and raw pulses are not meant to be eaten uncooked.
- Tinned in brine: only if rinsed very well. Pick no-salt tins where you can.
- Roasted chickpea snacks: no. Usually oiled, salted and spiced.
- Hummus and falafel: no. Both contain garlic, and hummus adds lemon, which is citrus, and salt. Woodgreen lists garlic, onions and citrus as unsafe.
Who should skip chickpeas?
Any hamster with soft droppings or a sensitive stomach, and youngsters still settling in. Otherwise chickpeas suit most hamsters, including dwarfs, in small pieces.
What to offer instead
Other plain treats in the same family include a couple of cooked peas and a pinch of plain cooked rice. For protein, try a pet-shop cricket or a little boiled egg. See what can hamsters eat for the full list and our hamster care guide for the rest.
Chickpea questions
Can hamsters eat raw chickpeas?
No. Dried chickpeas are rock hard and raw pulses are not meant to be eaten uncooked. Soak and boil them until soft with no salt, or use tinned chickpeas in water and rinse them. Then give half a chickpea at most.
Can hamsters eat hummus?
No. Hummus is made with garlic, lemon juice and salt, and Woodgreen lists garlic and citrus fruit as unsafe for hamsters. It is also wet and sticky, which can get stuck in cheek pouches. Give a plain cooked chickpea instead.
Can dwarf hamsters eat chickpeas?
Yes, a quarter of a plain cooked chickpea once or twice a week. Chickpeas are not sugary, so they suit diabetes-prone dwarfs better than fruit. Start with an even smaller piece and watch for soft droppings for two days.
