Hamsters are great foodies. They are especially enthusiastic when it comes to fruits and vegetables.
Do you doubt if hamsters can eat celery too? The answer is yeah, they love celery.
Your pet’s health depends largely on its diet.
If you are looking for some pro tips for your dearest hammy’s fitness, stay tuned.
Can my hamster eat celery?
As I have already mentioned, your hamster can eat celery.
It would love to put its cute teeth on the veggie. But don’t feed it celery in large amounts.
Cut it into small pieces before offering it to your hammy.
So, can celery kill a hamster? No… but you still have to feed it in moderation.
What are the nutritional benefits of celery for hamsters?
People are often misguided by the false notion that celery isn’t nutritious enough.
A recent study suggests that celery is more nutritious than the other vegetables.
Take a look at its nutritional benefits below:
Celery provides antioxidant and anti-inflammatory aids:
Celery is rich in antioxidants including manganese, Vitamin C, and beta carotene.
It is also a source of phytonutrients. Phytonutrients provide anti-inflammatory advantages.
They minimize the risk of oxygen damage to the blood vessels and the fat deposits in the animal body.
Celery juice reduces the chances of tumors
It also protects your pets digestive tract
Celery safeguards the digestive tract. It contains polysaccharides and apiuman.
Both of these can reduce stomach secretion and combat gastric ulcers.
They also help improve the stomach lining. Polysaccharides can cure digestive issues in both humans and animals.
Celery provides cardiovascular advantages
Celery contains phytonutrients. These phytonutrients secrete phthalides and phenolics.
Both of these compounds help your heart muscles to relax.
They also ensure a healthy flow of calcium and potassium inside of the heart.
The bottom line? Eating celery would mean enhancing heart health.
This also means eating celery lowers the risk of blood pressure.
With all of the above said, you shouldn’t just load your hammy up with celery.
What should be the ideal diet of my hamster?
Hamsters have a natural fondness for fruits and vegetables.
You can consider several food items to diversify your hammy’s diet.
But, diet swaps should not occur frequently or, your pet will suffer from indigestion.
Celery can be an ideal food for hamsters. Your hammy will surely gobble it up with pleasure.
This crunchy vegetable will appease your darling’s cute little teeth.
Make sure that the vegetables which you feed your hammy are fresh and pesticide-free. Pesticides and other chemicals can damage your pet’s tissues.
They can cause diarrhea and food poisoning as well.
You should include pellets in your hamster’s diet. Also, don’t forget to give it clean drinking water every day.
Don’t hesitate to serve your hammy with small quantities of timothy hay. Your pet can eat it a few times a week.
How do I choose the right celery to feed my hamster?
Choose the one which seems to be tight and crispy when you pull it apart.
If the vegetable is firm, compact and without extended stalks, go for it.
The celery with black hearts indicates the presence of pests. Don’t buy it in such cases.
The celeries with dark green stalks usually taste bitter. Feel free to avoid them.
How to store celery
You can store celery inside a zipper bag. Squeeze out any excess air from the pouch before refrigerating the vegetable.
Make sure to seal the container tightly.
Don’t store it for more than seven days to avoid decay. Spoilt celery is bad for your hammy.
What are some other healthy foods for my hamster?
You can occasionally change your hammy’s diet. It’s not harmful to your pet. It can even rejuvenate your champ’s mood.
Treat your pet with small slices of the following fruits:
- Apple
- Mango
- Pears
- Banana
- Blueberries
Your hammy can also try the following in limited quantities:
- Crickets
- Mealworms
- Boiled chicken
Did you know that crunchy pellets are amazingly healthy for your hammy?
They are rich in nutrients. You can easily collect them from any local pet store.
Which foods are harmful to my hamster?
Some foods can drastically affect the wellness of your pet. They can even kill your hamster.
But relax! You can easily identify those items from the following list:
- Foods that cause indigestion in hamsters: Almonds, eggplants, and fried potatoes.
- Sticky foods: sticky foods can decay the cute teeth of your hammy.
- Spicy foods: Hamsters are allergic to spicy foods. They can cause diarrhea in your hammy.
- Chocolaty items: Chocolaty foods are immensely poisonous for your hammy.
- Large amounts of vegetables:
- Excess veggies like celery and lettuce can lead to excessive urination and vomiting.
It’s better to consult a vet before introducing new foods to your hammy.
Remember not to overfeed your baby. Feed it healthy foods like celery in moderation.
Other Types of Vegetables that Hamsters Eat
The celery is delicious and also great for hamsters. However, other vegetables are as delicious and as healthy as the celery.
Your hamster still needs a well-balanced diet, can be provided by hamster food or commercial pellets.
Vegetables are one part of the overall composition of your pet hamster’s diet.
Vegetables are a nutritional supplement that you can use as treats for your hamster.
Provide fresh vegetables for your hamster at all times. Avoid storing it for extended periods since you might feed it rotten produce and make it sick.
#1. Leafy Vegetables –These are the best kinds of treats to feed your hamster.
Spinach, lettuce, dandelion leaves, Swiss chard, kale, and bok choy are great treats for hamsters.
They can prevent the growth of certain types of cancer in your hamster’s body.
The contents in dark green leafy vegetables dispose of free radicals from your hamster’s body before they can cause harm.
They are an excellent source of fiber, carotenoids, and folate. Fiber can help curb colorectal cancer, carotenoids can stop stomach, lung, and skin cancer, while folate can decrease pancreatic cancer.
They have vitamins and minerals and act as antioxidants in your hamster’s body.
They have vitamins C and K. They have iron and calcium minerals.
They have high water content and are a great source of water for your hamster.
#2. Other Green Vegetables –Broccoli and cauliflower are hamster’s favorite veggie treats. Cucumbers and zucchini come at a close second. Cabbage and asparagus are also acceptable.
Broccoli is rich in vitamins A and C, folate, potassium, iron, fiber, and protein. It contains sulforaphane, a cancer-fighting, and sulfur-rich compound.
Cauliflower contains many needed nutrients for your hamster.
It is high in fiber, has a good source of antioxidants, can aid against hamster obesity, high in choline, also rich in sulforaphane, it is a low-carb alternative to legumes and grains, and easy to add to your hamster’s diet.
Cucumbers are also a delicious treat.
It is rich in vitamins A, B1, B6, C, and D. It has magnesium, folate, calcium, and potassium.
It aids in digestion, flushes out toxins, reduces cholesterol, soothes muscle pain, promotes joint health, and regulates blood pressure.
Zucchini is great for your pet hamster.
It keeps blood-sugar stable, helps in losing weight, reduces blood pressure, has plenty of antioxidants, improves immunity, and good for your hamster’s eyesight.
Asparagus is also a pleasant hamster treat.
It is full of antioxidants, an anti-inflammatory, fights and prevents cancer, a good fiber source, improves heart health, and a great source of protein.
Cabbage is great for your hamster’s daily intake.
It aids in digestion and weight loss. It is an anti-cancer, anti-fungal, anti-bacterial, antioxidant, anti-viral, and also a blood cleanser, a detoxifier, and high in fiber.
It is rich in sulfur, iron, and Vitamin C. It stimulates the immune system and strengthens eyesight.
#3. Other Veggie Treats
The hamster’s other favorite veggie treats are squash, carrots, radicchio, parsnips, sweet potatoes, and bell peppers.
You can feed tiny slices of squash to your hamster.
It is rich in vitamin C and A, magnesium, potassium, and antioxidants.
It helps in preventing cancer, low in calories, it regulates blood sugar, high in alkaline content, anti-inflammatory, and promotes healthy bone growth.
Carrots can be a suitable food source for your hamster. Chewing on it will keep your hamster’s teeth worn down.
Carrots are a good source of vitamin C and can prevent scurvy.
Raw carrots tend to spoil easily, so always keep fresh ones around.
Overfeeding carrots can lead to an upset stomach.
Radicchio is a delicious addition to your hamster’s diet.
It aids in digestion and colon cleansing, high in antioxidants, keeps bones healthy, it lowers bad cholesterol and reduces the risk of certain types of cancer.
Parsnips are a worthy addition to your hamster’s diet.
It is a good source of fiber, promotes healthy teeth and bones, an anti-cancer, and improves bowel health.
You may think that bell peppers are an odd choice to feed your hamster, but it is also a delicious treat.
It helps improve eyesight, high in vitamins, good for metabolism, regulates blood pressure, and helps with hamster obesity.