Can Hamsters Eat Cantaloupe? Facts You Need To Know!
A hamster’s diet mostly contains nuts, grains, and sugary fruits like apples, grapes, watermelons, etc. But how safe are the juicy, sweet, and refreshing cantaloupes for your little furry pals?
Can hamsters eat cantaloupe? Yes, they absolutely can! Cantaloupes are a great nutritious treat that your hamsters can have occasionally. However, since cantaloupes contain a good amount of sugar content, it’s recommended to keep the quantities of cantaloupes pretty low.
Before introducing cantaloupes into your pet hamster’s diet, you must learn the safe amount for your specific hamster species. Read on as we discuss everything about feeding cantaloupes to hamsters, including the correct amounts, health benefits, risks and more!
Is Cantaloupe Safe for Hamsters?
Yes. Hamsters love munching on almost every foodstuff like cantaloupe! However, you should be careful about feeding them the right food item in the right amount, especially when it comes to sweet fruits.
Considering the packed nutrition in each fruit slice, cantaloupes are safe for your little friends to munch. However, you should be mindful of offering cantaloupes to your hamsters in small amounts.
This is because not only does the sugar content in cantaloupes cause diabetes in your hamsters, but there is high water content in them too.
Can Hamster Breed Eat Cantaloupe?
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As much as you’d love to see these adorable creatures enjoying their cantaloupes, not all types of hamsters can have them. So, can your pet hamster have some? Let’s see!
Chinese and Russian Dwarf
Being one of the smallest hamster breeds, your Chinese Dwarf hamster will not be able to consume it and may even have a choking hazard. It’s similar in the case of the Russian dwarf hamsters as well.
But that’s not all. They are also quite likely to be affected by type 2 diabetes or suffer from digestive issues. Hence, cantaloupes are a big no-no for them!
Roborovski
Although Roborovski hamsters are the smallest in size, they are highly energetic and burn more calories compared to other species. Besides, they also have a better digestive system than the others, which aids them in digesting the sugar, acid, and water in cantaloupes.
However, you should only offer tasty cantaloupe snacks once a week to these adorable pets.
Syrian Hamster
Syrian hamsters, being the largest, can easily digest a more sugar and water diet like cantaloupes. Besides, they aren’t at as much risk of diabetes as the dwarf ones. So, if your little buddy enjoys cantaloupes, you can offer them some, but only once a week and in the smallest portion.
Health Benefits of Cantaloupe for Hamsters
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While overconsumption of cantaloupes can be severely harmful to your hamsters, maintaining the right portions is beneficial for their health. Here’s how-
High Nutritional value
You’ll be amazed to find out all the goods hidden in this sweet snack for your little friends! Take a look.
Nutrients | Quantity |
Calories | 50 (for 156 g) |
Fiber | 1 g |
Sugars | 12 g |
Protein | 1 g |
Vitamin C | 3150 mcg |
Vitamin B6 | 0.112 mg |
Vitamin K | 57 mg |
Sodium | 25 mg |
Phosphorus | 23 mg |
Magnesium | 19 mg |
Potassium | 417 mg |
Calcium | 14 mg |
Zinc | 0.28 mg |
Better Digestion
With a good load of fibers in cantaloupe, your pet will have an improved digestive system in no time! Besides, if you notice your hamster suffering from constipation, cantaloupe snacks once a week are great to assist in regular bowel movement.
Maintains a Stable Blood Pressure
There’s a good amount of potassium in cantaloupes, which helps to stabilize the blood pressure of your fellow hamsters by balancing sodium levels. Besides, this mineral also takes care of the overall cardiovascular health of your hamsters.
Prevents Obesity
Due to the dietary fibers in cantaloupes, your hamsters will feel a full tummy. This way, cantaloupes can keep your hamsters from overeating and gaining too much weight.
Healthy Skin & Coat
Cantaloupes are great for maintaining a healthy and shiny coat on your hamsters as well. How? Well, the B-Vitamin Niacin in cantaloupes accelerates fatty acid synthesis that would otherwise damage the hamster coat.
Better Vision
Hamsters are nocturnal animals, which means they have photosensitive eyes. In mild light, your hamster’s vision is promoted by the rod cells in their eyes.
The vitamin A in cantaloupes helps to keep these rod cells healthy and active. Hence, the little fellas have improved vision with regular cantaloupe consumption in the right amount.
How To Feed Cantaloupe To Hamsters?
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Considering their well-being, you need to keep a few things in mind when serving cantaloupe to your pets.
- If you’re merely introducing the fruit to them, begin with the smallest portions to be sure there aren’t any side effects.
- Pick an organic and ripe cantaloupe always!
- Get rid of all the small seeds in the fruit.
- Make sure to slice them in very small chunks, preferably the size of your hamster’s hands, so your hammie can easily eat them.
- If you notice any signs of diarrhea or discomfort in your hamster after 12-24 hours of having cantaloupe, stop the cantaloupe snacks!
Can Hamsters Eat Cantaloupe Seeds?
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Although hamsters usually feed on a variety of seeds, cantaloupe seeds aren’t one of them. Due to the seeds’ pointy shape and slippery shells, they will stand as a big choking hazard for them.
Besides, the seeds also have cyanide, which can harm your pet’s gut. So, do not feed your hamsters with cantaloupe seeds ever!
Is Cantaloupe Skin Safe For Your Hamsters?
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Well, cantaloupe skin doesn’t pose any threats to your little friends. However, the skin is chewy and tough, which can have adverse effects while digesting. Besides, there’s the fear of chemicals as well, so it’s better not to serve the cantaloupe skin.
What Amount Of Cantaloupe Can You Feed Your Hamsters?
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With high sugar, acid, carbs, and water content, feeding your hamsters too much cantaloupe isn’t recommended. The best you can do is offer only a teaspoon of cantaloupe chunks only once or twice a week.
However, be mindful not to give them the whole teaspoon at once. Divide them into smaller portions and feed them at proper intervals. Besides, when feeding them cantaloupes for the first time, check for any adverse effects within the first 12 hours. If not, your hamster is good to be fed more.
Risks of Cantaloupe for Hamsters
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Of course, you should give fresh cantaloupe treats to your hamsters, but never feed them too much of it. Otherwise, there’s a huge risk of the following-
Diabetes and Obesity
With an increased amount of sugar content, your hamsters may suffer from type 2 diabetes with overconsumption of cantaloupes. Besides, since hamsters love sugary treats, they’ll want to eat more of these, promoting obesity.
Diarrhea
Due to a change in diet and the high water content in the juicy cantaloupes, your hamster will be at high risk of getting affected by diarrhea. However, you can easily prevent this by keeping the portions small.
Hyperkalemia
Cantaloupes are very rich in potassium, which can easily lead to Hyperkalemia. Hyperkalemia can do a lot of damage to the little ones, starting from kidney issues, fatigue, muscle fragility, cardiovascular problems, etc.
Other Safe Fruits Hamsters Can Eat
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If you’re still in a dilemma about offering cantaloupes to your fellow friend, here are a few other fruits your pet can safely enjoy!
Bananas
With an abundant amount of vitamins, minerals, and antioxidants, bananas can be pretty solid treats for little hamsters. However, to be on the safe side, you need to remember to keep the amount moderate due to the sugar content in bananas.
Apples
Apples contain a load of Vitamin C and different antioxidants, which is good for your little friends. Besides, eating apples generates more saliva, washing off the bacteria responsible for teeth cavities. So, an apple slice twice a week for your hamster will keep the doctors away!
Carrots
Apart from being one of the hamster’s favorite foods, carrots add value to the hamster diet with loads of Vitamin A, C, and K, different antioxidants and fibers. You can feed your hamster some carrot treats 2 to 3 times a week in moderate amounts.
Cucumbers
With high vitamin and mineral content and low fat content, cucumbers are an excellent diet choice for hamsters. However, since they contain a lot of water as well, overconsumption will lead to diarrhea in hamsters. You can feed them about 70-80 grams of cucumbers twice a week.
Strawberries
Packed with flavor and nutrients like vitamins A, B, C, and E and minerals like potassium, folic acid, zinc, etc., strawberries stand as a great treat for hamsters. If your pet loves munching on them, you can serve them twice a week.
Final Verdict
Having a pet to share your favorite fruits with is a blessing. And if you love cantaloupes, you can now serve them to your pet hamster too, as we’ve discussed in our can hamsters eat cantaloupes guide. With their high fiber content, vitamins, and minerals, cantaloupes can be a great nutritious treat for hamsters.
Just remember to wash the fruits, remove the seeds, and keep the portions right. And here’s a tip – always remember to clean up the cage of your little friend to get rid of the leftover bits of foodstuffs. Maintaining hygiene prevents your pet from getting affected by diseases. That’s all for today, pet lovers!