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What do hamsters eat?
Hamsters eat seeds, grains, plants and some animal protein: they are omnivores, say Wood Green and the RSPCA. In the wild they eat seeds, cereals and insects. As pets, a complete hamster food does most of the work and fresh foods are small extras. Our guide to the everyday hamster diet covers the main food, amounts and how to feed. This page is the food-by-food list.
Three rules hold for every food on it:
- Plain only. No salt, sugar, oil, butter, sauce or seasoning, which Wood Green and the Bunny Jackpot Foundation both rule out.
- Small pieces. The Vet Desk gives a thumbnail-sized piece of veg and a pea-sized piece of fruit. Wood Green uses "the size of your hamster's ear".
- Washed and fresh. Wash produce, and take away fresh food left uneaten after a day, including from the nest.
What vegetables can hamsters eat?
Most leafy greens and garden vegetables are safe in small pieces. PDSA, Wood Green and the Bunny Jackpot Foundation list all of these.
| Vegetable | Safe? | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Broccoli | Yes | Floret and stalk; a good everyday choice |
| Curly kale, cabbage, spinach | Yes | A small leaf at a time |
| Romaine lettuce | Yes | The Vet Desk's top pick; avoid iceberg, which is mostly water and can cause diarrhoea |
| Cucumber, courgette (zucchini) | Yes | A thin slice; watery, so keep it small |
| Bell pepper (sweet pepper) | Yes | Sweet peppers only, never chillies |
| Cauliflower | Yes | Florets and stalk; Wood Green says skip the leaves |
| Celery, asparagus, green beans, Brussels sprouts, bok choy | Yes | Cut celery into short pieces across the strings |
| Carrot, peas, sweetcorn (corn), parsnip, pumpkin, squash | Sometimes | Sweeter; once or twice a week, rarely for dwarfs |
| Sweet potato, potato | Sometimes | Cooked and plain only; never raw or green potato |
| Mushroom | Sometimes | Plain shop-bought mushroom only, never wild ones |
| Tomato | Best avoided | Sources disagree; leaves and stalks are unsafe |
| Onion, garlic, leek, chives, aubergine (eggplant), chilli, rhubarb | No | Wood Green lists all as foods to avoid |
For one of the most common questions, our page on whether hamsters can eat carrots gives exact amounts for Syrians and dwarfs.
Start with one new food at a time, in a tiny piece, and wait a day. The Bunny Jackpot Foundation advises introducing new foods slowly. If droppings go soft, stop that food.
What fruit can hamsters eat?
Hamsters can eat apple without pips, pear, strawberry, blueberry, raspberry, banana, melon and mango, in pea-sized pieces once or twice a week. Fruit is sweet, so it stays a treat. PDSA warns that too much sugary food can lead to obesity and diabetes.
| Fruit | Safe? | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Apple | Sometimes | Remove every pip; Wood Green and PetMD list apple pips as unsafe |
| Pear | Sometimes | Remove pips and core |
| Strawberry, blueberry, raspberry, blackberry | Sometimes | A small piece; easy to over-give |
| Banana | Sometimes | Very sugary; a slice the size of a pea |
| Melon, mango, peach | Sometimes | Flesh only, no stones or skin |
| Cherry | Best avoided | The Vet Desk lists cherry stones as toxic, and none of our sources lists cherry as a treat |
| Grapes and raisins | No | The RSPCA says grapes can be poisonous to rodents |
| Orange, lemon, lime, grapefruit | No | Too acidic; PDSA, Wood Green and PetMD all say avoid |
Our guide to apples for hamsters shows how to prepare apple safely, and the page on grapes explains why we say no where charities disagree.
Herbs, flowers and forage hamsters can eat
Basil, parsley, coriander (cilantro), dill, mint, sage and fennel are all safe, listed by PDSA, Wood Green and the Bunny Jackpot Foundation. The rescue also feeds dried forage: dandelion, plantain, rose petals, marigold (calendula) petals, chamomile and apple or hazel leaves and twigs. Pick only from places that are free of sprays and away from roads and dogs.
What protein can hamsters eat?
Mealworms, crickets, locusts, plain boiled egg, and plain cooked chicken, turkey or salmon, in a pea-sized piece once or twice a week. Wood Green suggests one or two fresh mealworms at a time. The Bunny Jackpot Foundation also lists tofu and cottage cheese. All meat and egg must be cooked and unseasoned, and the Foundation says live insects should never be left loose in the enclosure. Raw meat is a no.
Seeds, grains and nuts for hamsters
Pumpkin, sunflower, flax and sesame seeds, millet and other seed sprays, plain pasta, plain rice, rolled oats and a small piece of walnut or hazelnut are all safe, as long as they are plain and unsalted. Burgess points out that nuts and sunflower seeds are high in fat and prefers pumpkin seeds as a treat, so keep nuts to once a week. Skip bitter almonds, which Wood Green lists as unsafe, and peanuts, which The Vet Desk advises against even though some rescues feed them.
What can hamsters not eat?
These foods are unsafe for every hamster:
- Onion, garlic, leeks and chives
- Raw or green potato, and potato leaves
- Rhubarb and its leaves
- Tomato leaves and stalks, and unripe tomato
- Citrus fruit: orange, lemon, lime, grapefruit
- Grapes and raisins
- Apple pips and cherry stones
- Bitter almonds and raw beans
- Aubergine (eggplant) and chillies
- Chocolate, caffeine and alcohol
- Raw meat and processed meats such as ham or sausage
- Salty, sugary, oily or seasoned food: crisps, chips (fries), cake, biscuits (cookies)
- Honey-coated treats, coloured chew sticks and salt licks
- Sharp or sticky foods that can hurt or clog cheek pouches
The list combines Wood Green, PetMD, The Vet Desk, Burgess and the RSPCA. Our page on chocolate and hamsters says what to do if yours has had some.
If your hamster has eaten something on this list and goes quiet, stops eating, gets diarrhoea or a wet bottom, ring a vet that sees small mammals the same day. The RSPCA says to see a vet straight away for any signs of poisoning, because hamsters lose condition fast.
Where good sources disagree
A few foods appear on one charity's safe list and another's avoid list. Where that happens, we take the more careful answer, because skipping a treat never harms a hamster.
| Food | Says safe | Says avoid | Our call |
|---|---|---|---|
| Grapes | Wood Green, Bunny Jackpot Foundation | RSPCA | Don't feed |
| Tomato | PDSA; Bunny Jackpot Foundation (ripe flesh only) | Wood Green | Skip it |
| Onion | PDSA's vegetable list | Wood Green, Burgess, PetMD, The Vet Desk | Never |
| Peanuts | Bunny Jackpot Foundation | The Vet Desk | Skip them |
| Cheese and dairy | Bunny Jackpot Foundation | Burgess | A crumb of plain cottage cheese at most, rarely |
What can a Syrian hamster eat, and what about dwarfs?
Syrians and dwarfs can eat the same foods, in different amounts. Dwarf hamsters, especially Campbell's and winter whites, are prone to diabetes, says PDSA, so the Bunny Jackpot Foundation keeps carrots, peas and fruit as very occasional treats for them. We share our home with a dwarf hamster and stick to green veg and herbs for the everyday fresh food. A Syrian can have a little more fruit, still only once or twice a week. For a quick check on watery veg, our page on cucumber for hamsters gives sizes for both. For everything else about keeping hamsters, see our hamster care guide.
Hamster safe food questions
What do hamsters love the most?
Hamsters are seed-eaters at heart, so seeds, millet sprays and insects such as mealworms are the treats they usually grab first and stuff into their pouches. Fresh herbs and a piece of broccoli are healthier everyday favourites. Keep seeds and nuts small, because Burgess notes they are high in fat.
What can hamsters eat every day?
A measured portion of hamster food, fresh water, and a small piece of low-sugar veg such as broccoli, kale, romaine lettuce, cucumber or bell pepper, or a sprig of herbs. Fruit, sweet veg, nuts and protein treats are for once or twice a week, not every day.
Can hamsters eat bread?
Only a crumb, rarely. Burgess lists bread with other high-carbohydrate human foods to avoid, and most bread has salt and sometimes sugar. A tiny piece of plain wholemeal bread won't hurt, but it adds nothing a hamster needs. Plain pasta or a few rolled oats are better kitchen treats.
Can hamsters eat cheese?
Rarely, if at all. Burgess says to avoid dairy, while the Bunny Jackpot Foundation feeds plain cheese and cottage cheese as protein. Most cheese is salty and fatty, so we'd keep it to a crumb of plain cottage cheese now and then, and use boiled egg or a mealworm for protein instead.
Can hamsters eat food from the garden?
Yes, if it is a safe plant and free of sprays. The Bunny Jackpot Foundation feeds dandelion, plantain, rose petals and apple or hazel leaves. Wash everything, avoid verges and spots dogs use, and never feed wild mushrooms, bulbs, rhubarb or anything you cannot name for certain.
How much fruit can a hamster have?
A pea-sized piece once or twice a week, says The Vet Desk, which is about the size of your hamster's ear. That is plenty for a Syrian. Dwarf hamsters are prone to diabetes, so for them fruit is a very occasional treat, and green veg makes a better daily extra.
