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Hamster · Fruit

Can hamsters eat bananas?

Yes, in small amounts

Yes, in small amounts. Banana is safe for hamsters, but it is one of the sweeter, starchier fruits, so offer only a small piece of peeled banana now and then.

Portion
A piece about 1 cm (⅜ in) across, no bigger than your hamster's ear, for a Syrian; about 5 mm (¼ in) for a dwarf.
How often
Once a week at most for a Syrian; once every two weeks at most for a dwarf.
Dwarf hamsters
Campbell's, Winter White, their hybrids and Chinese hamsters are prone to diabetes. Give banana only rarely, as a 5 mm (¼ in) taste no more than once every two weeks, or skip fruit and use a low-sugar vegetable such as cucumber as a treat. Roborovskis are less studied, but they are tiny, so keep their portions just as small.
Sugar
12.2 g / 100 g

How to serve it

  1. Peel the banana; do not feed the skin
  2. Cut a small piece of ripe banana
  3. Offer it by hand or in a dish
  4. Remove any uneaten piece, including from the hoard, within a few hours

Why

Risks. Banana is high in sugar and starch, so frequent or large pieces can lead to weight gain and upset digestion. The peel is tough and may carry residues.

Benefits. Soft and easy to eat, with some potassium and fibre; most hamsters like it.

Questions owners ask 2

Can hamsters eat banana peel?

No. The peel is tough, hard to chew and may carry residues. Offer only a small piece of the peeled flesh.

Can hamsters eat banana chips?

No. Banana chips are dried, often fried and sometimes sweetened. Vets advise avoiding dried fruit because it is very high in sugar.

Bananas: nutrition per 100 g
Water74.9 g
Energy89 kcal
Sugars12.2 g
Fat0.3 g
Protein1.1 g
Fibre2.6 g
Calcium5 mg
Phosphorus22 mg
Calcium : phosphorus0.23 : 1
Sodium1 mg
Vitamin A (RAE)3 µg
Vitamin C8.7 mg

“Bananas, raw”, USDA FoodData Central (SR Legacy, FDC 173944). Public domain.

Sources & method 10

The sources below discuss bananas for hamsters (or for pet rodents generally). Confidence: high. Rated on the JOMIZOO Feeding Scale; when good sources disagree we choose the more cautious level.

  1. What to feed your hamster - safe foods, fruit, veg and a complete feeding guide — Woodgreen Pets Charity
  2. Hamsters as pets — PDSA
  3. Dwarf Hamster Care Sheet — PetMD (written by Maria Zayas, DVM; reviewed by Melissa Witherell, DVM)
  4. What Can Hamsters Eat? — PetMD (written by Angelina Childree, LVT; reviewed by Melissa Witherell, DVM)
  5. Can Hamsters Eat Broccoli & What to Feed Your Hamster — Northgate Veterinary Clinic, Seattle
  6. Are Dwarf Hamsters Prone to Diabetes? Rodent Health Facts — ExoCare Veterinary Medical Centre (medically reviewed by Dr Asma Fariha)
  7. The Chinese hamster as a model for the study of diabetes mellitus (Gerritsen GC, Diabetes 1982;31 Suppl 1:14-23) — Diabetes (American Diabetes Association) - PubMed record
  8. Fine structural studies of the islets of Langerhans in the Djungarian hamster (Phodopus sungorus) (Voss KM, Herberg L, Kern HF, Cell Tissue Res 1978) — Cell and Tissue Research (Springer)
  9. Providing a Home for a Hamster — Merck Veterinary Manual (Pet Owner Version)
  10. Owning a Pet Hamster — VCA Animal Hospitals (Gregory Rich, DVM; Laurie Hess, DVM; Rick Axelson, DVM)

Other pets

Can budgies eat bananas?Small amountsCan cockatiels eat bananas?Small amounts

More fruit

Small amounts Apple Small amounts Blueberry Small amounts Strawberry Small amounts Raspberry Never Grape Never Raisin Small amounts Watermelon Small amounts Cantaloupe Better not Orange Small amounts Mango Small amounts Pineapple Small amounts Pear Small amounts Cherry Small amounts Peach Small amounts Kiwi Never Avocado Small amounts Coconut

All 68 foods for hamsters →