The answer is yes, Hamsters can eat Avocados. But technically, you should not feed avocados to your hamsters. The reason behind this is straightforward. Avocados do not contain any toxic ingredients as such which can harm your hamster’s health.
However, due to the acidic content and high-fat content, it is just an unhealthy option for your little hamsters.
However, if you want to feed avocado to your hamsters, you can give them a tiny paw-sized piece of the fruit, just to see how they react to it. Keep a close watch to check if your hamster is eating the avocado or not.
In case they reject it, you should immediately remove it from their cage so that it does not rot. Your hamster might just try and eat the old piece of avocado out of curiosity, which can be even more harmful to their health.
How to give your Hamster Avocado?
You should only give a very small amount of avocado to your hamster.
You should cut the avocado into very small portions and feed it alongside their regular diet.
The quantity of avocado you should offer your hamster is determined by its breed. Syrian hamsters are the biggest species of hamster, so they may consume the most food. However, dwarf hamsters are the smallest type of hamster and therefore they can only have a little amount of avocado.
Hamsters like fruits and vegetables as part of their diet, but some hamsters enjoy some more than others. You may find your hamster loves avocado, equally, they may not like it at all.
Benefits of Avocado
Avocado is very rich in nutrients including healthy fats, proteins, and minerals.
- Vitamin K – This is great for your hamster’s blood!
- Vitamin C – Your hamster gains a lot of health benefits from vitamin C!
- Potassium – A wonderful mineral for blood pressure.
- Vitamin B – This provides them with a lot of energy throughout the day. V
- Vitamin E – This improves the condition of your hamster’s eyes and skin
Risks of Avocado
Avocados are non-toxic to your hamster and may even provide benefits in tiny amounts, but we strongly advise against feeding hamsters avocados regularly.
This is largely due to several factors, including:
- Avocados may slice and splinter in your hamster’s mouth, posing a choking hazard.
- Avocados are extremely fatty and high in calories, so feeding them to your hamster can cause him or her to gain weight. While it’s okay to give them little amounts on rare occasions, it’s still not a good idea to offer your hamster such rich food.
- Avocado can cause a variety of dental issues in hamsters. Even though avocado isn’t particularly hard, it can be harmful to your hamster’s teeth. The soft and sticky texture of the avocado flesh might quickly get trapped in your hamster’s teeth, resulting in rapid tooth decay.
- Avocados can’t be fed straight to hamsters because their flesh is too hard. Hamsters have small food pouches in their cheeks, and the soft flesh of an avocado can easily get caught there. It may then become impacted and develop into a painful abscess that might endanger your hamster’s health.
- Hamsters may suffer from ailments such as digestive and dental problems due to the acidity of avocados, which is even in tiny amounts.
Healthy avocado alternatives to feed your hamsters
Since avocado is off the menu, you may be wondering what healthy treats you can give your hamster. Bear in mind that while the following treats are safe for hamsters, they are not necessary for your hamster’s health and should only be given sparingly and occasionally. Healthy treats include:
- Corn
- Beets
- Green beans
- Squash
- Pumpkin
- Tomatoes
- Cabbage
- Carrots
- Spinach
- Lettuce
- Cauliflower
