Can hamsters eat broccoli?

Yes — safe in normal portions

Yes. Broccoli is a safe, low-sugar vegetable for hamsters. Offer a small floret a few times a week; large amounts can cause gas.

Portion: A piece about 1–1.5 cm (⅜–⅝ in) across for a Syrian; about half that for a dwarf. Keep all fresh food together to about 1–2 teaspoons a day for a Syrian and about half that for a dwarf.
How often: A few times a week, rotated with other vegetables.
Sugar: 1.7 g / 100 g

How to serve it

Wash well
Cut a small floret or thin piece of stalk
Serve raw, or lightly steamed with nothing added and cooled
Remove any uneaten piece, including from the hoard, within a few hours

Why

Risks. Broccoli and other cabbage-family vegetables can cause gas if fed in large amounts. Introduce it slowly and cut back if droppings become soft.

Benefits. Low in sugar and a source of fibre, vitamins and minerals; the stalk gives something to gnaw.

Questions owners ask 2

Can hamsters eat broccoli stalks and leaves?

Yes. Washed stalks and leaves are fine in small pieces.

Raw or cooked broccoli?

Raw is fine and keeps the crunch. If you cook it, it must be plain, with no butter, oil, salt or seasoning, and cooled before serving.

Broccoli: nutrition per 100 g

Water	89.3 g
Energy	34 kcal
Sugars	1.7 g
Fat	0.4 g
Protein	2.8 g
Fibre	2.6 g
Calcium	47 mg
Phosphorus	66 mg
Calcium : phosphorus	0.71 : 1
Sodium	33 mg
Vitamin A (RAE)	31 µg
Vitamin C	89.2 mg

“Broccoli, raw”, USDA FoodData Central (SR Legacy, FDC 170379). Public domain.

Sources & method 9

The sources below discuss broccoli 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.

What to feed your hamster - safe foods, fruit, veg and a complete feeding guide — Woodgreen Pets Charity
Hamsters as pets — PDSA
Hamster Care Sheet — UC Davis Veterinary Medical Teaching Hospital, Companion Avian and Exotic Pet Medicine and Surgery Service (PDF hosted by Wise Owl Animal Hospital)
Dwarf Hamster Care Sheet — PetMD (written by Maria Zayas, DVM; reviewed by Melissa Witherell, DVM)
Syrian Hamster Care Sheet — PetMD (written by Maria Zayas, DVM)
Can Hamsters Eat Broccoli & What to Feed Your Hamster — Northgate Veterinary Clinic, Seattle
Hamster Nutrition — Dogwood Animal Hospital, Lawrenceville, Georgia
Providing a Home for a Hamster — Merck Veterinary Manual (Pet Owner Version)
Owning a Pet Hamster — VCA Animal Hospitals (Gregory Rich, DVM; Laurie Hess, DVM; Rick Axelson, DVM)