Can Hamsters Eat Cinnamon? Learn about their reaction to spices.
Spicy foods are something we like very much, and one such spice that makes our food tasty is Cinnamon. So, you may want to feed your pet hamster foods with Cinnamon to make the food savory. But a question arises.
Can hamsters eat Cinnamon? The answer is no. They can not digest Cinnamon or other spicy foods, and eating spicy food can work against them like poison. Cinnamons have Coumarin in them, and Coumarin can cause them various health issues such as hurting their stomach, eyes, nose, and even give poisoning.
Let’s learn more about the effects of Cinnamon on your hamster’s lifestyle and overall wellbeing.
Can You Feed Cinnamon to Hamsters?
Cinnamons are a kind of spice. You can not feed your hamster spices because spices can make your hamsters sick. They can get stomach upsets, issues with lungs and heart, discomforts in their eyes and nose. And they can even get coumarin poisoning from eating cinnamons.
Heart and lung problems can be seen as well from eating cinnamons. The coumarin content in cinnamon species is given below:
Ingredient (unit) | Cinnamon cassia | Cinnamomum Verum |
Coumarin (mg/kg) | 2650-7017 | <100 |
Percentage of Coumarin | 1% or more | 0.004% |
The result is predictable if you feed your hamsters Cinnamon containing the Coumarin as mentioned earlier. Too much Cinnamon can hurt even humans. So, better not give your hamsters Cinnamon, or else they will get sick, and you may have to bid farewell to them.
Health Risks For Hamsters Eating Cinnamon
![Risks For Hamsters Eating Cinnamon](https://caringtinypets.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/08/Risks-For-Hamsters-Eating-Cinnamon.jpg)
Here are detailed explanations of the health risks of feeding your hamster Cinnamon.
Stomach Problems
Hamsters can quickly get digestive problems because of eating Cinnamon; they are fragile, and their digestive system is also weak. As spices can cause issues in humans after overeating, you can also realize how it can hurt your pet. And Cinnamon can even cause diarrhea in your hamsters.
Lung Problems
You will notice breathing issues in your hamsters because of eating Cinnamon containing food. They will be out of breath easily and can cause choking.
Eye & Nose Discomfort
We know if spices go inside our eyes and nose, our reaction to them can be exhausting. They can cause discomfort and irritation. Similar effects can be noticed in your furry pet if spices go to their eyes or nose. Cinnamon is such a spice that it can cause discomfort.
Heart Problems
Feeding your hamsters cinnamons can cause heart problems. It can cause the heart to beat out of order, thus causing your hamster to get sick.
Coumarin Poisoning
Cinnamons contain a significant amount of Coumarin. According to ESFA, the tolerable amount of Coumarin for 1 kg of body weight is 0.1 mg. But the amount of Coumarin found in cinnamons is much higher. Thus, consuming more elevated amounts of Coumarin can cause liver failure and kidney damage.
What Other Spices Hamsters Can Not Eat?
By now, you have understood the effects of spices on your pet hamsters’ health. Thus it would be best if you learned about the other spices that can cause your hamster discomfort. Cayenne, chili/hot pepper should be avoided from feeding your hamsters.
What Other Foods Hamsters Can Not Eat?
There are also foods other than spices that should be avoided from feeding your hamster. Garlic, onion, green onion, and potato leaves are a hard no, and it would help if you also refrained from giving tomatoes and their leaves to your hamster.
Acorns, buttercups, clematis, and crocus are some flowers you should avoid feeding your hamsters.
What Kind of Foods Hamsters Can Eat?
Rather than giving Cinnamon to your hamsters, there is a vast list of foods to choose from that you can feed them. Hamsters can eat fruits like apples, blueberries, and strawberries, and you can also give them peanuts, cashew nuts, and almonds.
Give them vegetables like kale, potato, lentils, spinach, etc. Among seeds, you can give them pumpkin seeds and sunflower seeds. Cucumber, cauliflower, and carrots can also be their regular food. You can also feed them sweat peas, grass, and watercress.
What Other Species Can Hamster Eat?
You may ask, can dwarf hamsters eat Cinnamon? Unfortunately, they can not. In all cases, you should avoid giving any species to hamsters.
Giving your Syrian hamsters fruits, nuts, and vegetables while feeding green vegetables like lettuce, broccoli, kale, and so on is better.
Frequently Asked Questions
Here are some additional queries that other pet hamster owners have around the world.
1. Can Hamsters Eat Cinamon Toast Crunch?
You may ask, can hamsters eat cinnamon toast crunch? The answer is no. As they are made from rice and wheat, you may think hamsters could eat them, but they also have Cinnamon and sugar.
Both of those ingredients are unhealthy for your hamsters. Also, the sodium in cinnamon toast crunch can affect their kidneys. So, please don’t give them cinnamon toast crunch even as a treat.
2. Can Hamsters Eat Spices?
Can Hamsters Eat Spices?
Similar to Cinnamon, they can not eat other spices. Where cinnamon could hamper their breathing and eyesight, other spices can have the same effect. Their digestion is disturbed as well. That’s why you should avoid giving your hamsters any spicy foods, which is highly risky for them.
3. Can You Feed Cinnamon Cheerios To Your Hamsters?
Can hamsters eat cinnamon sticks? The answer is the same for all the questions. No, they can not eat those foods, as they contain Cinnamon and a substantial amount of sugar.
It can make them fat, thus making them sick. Avoid giving them Cinnamon cheerios if you don’t want your hamster to get ill.
Conclusion
Can hamsters eat Cinnamon? Now you know if they can or not and also answer if anyone asks you, is Cinnamon bad for hamsters? Tell them to avoid giving spices to hamsters. After all, Coumarin in the cinnamons is toxic for them. Avoiding Cinnamon will help prevent your hamster from getting heart and lungs problems. They will also not get stomach upsets, and their eyes and nose will be safe.
Article Resources:
- https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3385612/
- https://www.webmd.com/diet/supplement-guide-cinnamon/
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