Can Hamsters Eat Ice Cream? Is It Healthy For Them?
As a delicious treat for humans to eat, especially in hot weather, ice cream is one of the most popular frozen food. And we all love the sweetness of it. From that perspective, it is not illogical if you want to feed your hamster ice cream.
But can hamsters eat ice cream? Unfortunately, they can not. Ice cream is one of the most dangerous foods for hamsters’ health. Even a few drops of ice cream can make them ill. So, avoiding ice cream is the best decision to keep your pet safe.
Your curious mind surely wants to know the reason for it. So, this article is about why hamsters can not eat ice cream and its alternative options.
Can Hamsters Eat Ice Cream?
Ice cream is made of dairy products, sugar, fruits, and other ingredients for flavor. You already know that hamsters can not eat ice cream because the ingredients are not healthy for them. And ice cream is cold, which is not suitable for their body. Here are why ice cream is not healthy for Hamsters.
Therefore, it can lead them to death or severe illness. Although it is a tasty treat for humans, you can consider it poison for your pet friend. So, never try to feed ice cream to your hamster. However, if it accidentally licks ice cream, that is fine.
Why Hamsters Can Not Eat Ice Cream?
There are numerous reasons to avoid feeding ice cream to your hamsters. These reasons are:
- Too cold
- Lack of nutrients
- Excessive sugar
- Theobromine
Let’s discuss the reason thoroughly to clarify the reason and its consequences.
Too Cold
Hamsters run for five to six hours daily to maintain their body temperature. And a sudden temperature drop is going to lead them to death or severe illness. However, ice cream needs to be preserved at freezing temperatures.
So, eating ice cream can cause a sudden temperature drop in a hamster’s body which is not good. In addition, all the cold foods cause similar consequences for a hamster’s body and are not suitable for their health.
Lack Of Nutrients
Hamsters require balanced nutrition to remain healthy. But ice cream has nothing but sugar and fat. So, if you fill their tiny stomach with ice cream, there will be no room for consuming any nutritious food. As a result, it will lead them to a short life span, various diseases, etc.
Excessive Sugar
Ice cream is made of sugar and dairy products which contain a high amount of sugar and fat. As you know, these substances can make them weak and impact their health. Also, it damages hamster caries too. And ice cream slows the digestive system and reduces the immune system.
Theobromine
When you can not feed regular ice cream, you may ask, can hamsters eat chocolate ice cream? The answer is still NO. Perhaps it will do the worse. Usually, ice cream contains a small amount of theobromine, which increases in chocolate ice cream. Research says 0.25mg of theobromine per gram of body weight can cause illness to the hamster’s body.
Usually, a Syrian hamster is about 200 grams, and a dwarf hamster is about 25 grams. Well, a drop of ice cream contains 1.08 mg of theobromine. As per the calculation, a few drops of ice cream can cause health issues to your pet friend.
So, can hamsters eat ice cream cones? No, you should avoid any kinds of ice cream or cold food.
Alternatives Of Ice Cream For You Hamster
Not necessary to mention that you want better health for your pet hamster. Therefore you should give them food with proper nutrition. And adequate nutrition ensures a longer lifespan for your beloved pet. However, you can try these foods if you want to give your hamster a tasty treat instead of ice cream.
Yogurt
It is a dairy product that tastes like ice cream and is arguably safe for hamsters. Although there is no prohibition on feeding yogurt, too much can cause health issues. So, you must give it a tasty treat, not a regular diet.
Cheese
Cheese is an excellent food for both humans and hamsters. And you can feed it as an alternative to ice cream to your furry friends. Moreover, it is also a dairy product that has a similar taste. However, you should give a small amount of cheese in the daily diet to ensure feeding other nutrients. And the type of cheese hamsters can eat depends on their breed.
Green Vegetables
It is the most suitable food for your beloved pet to ensure all the necessary nutrients. And it is rarely possible to get health issues from eating vegetables. You can try broccoli and carrots to fulfill their nutrition.
Usually, this is the main food for them in the wild. They like to roam around the wild and eat fresh vegetables such as broccoli, carrots, cauliflower, cucumber, romaine lettuce, spinach, and other greens. So, it will be the appropriate food for them.
FAQs
Let’s fulfill your curiosity by answering the most asked question on hamsters’ diet.
1. Can Hamsters Eat Ice Cream Wafers?
No, it contains the same high sugary item. Therefore, it will damage the hamster whether regular ice cream or any special flavored ice cream is not suitable for your little friend.
2. Can Hamsters Eat Ice Lollies?
No, hamsters can not eat ice lollies. Although it is less dangerous than ice cream, it is a cold food that is not suitable for them. Also, it contains sugar and other ingredients that have low nutrients.
Conclusions
So that was all regarding whether can hamsters eat ice cream or not. Perhaps you know the answer now. Feeding ice cream to a hamster is like killing them. If the coldness does not do severe damage, the ingredients will do. Instead of that, give them fresh veggies.
Luckily hamsters love fresh vegetables, and it is also nutritious for them. However, the amount of food you should give your hamster depends on size and weight.
