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Hamster · Vegetables

Can hamsters eat carrots?

Yes, in small amounts

Yes, in small amounts. Carrot is safe and crunchy, but it has more natural sugar than most vegetables, so vets suggest it as an occasional treat rather than a daily food.

Portion
A thin slice or stick about 1 cm (⅜ in) long for a Syrian; about 5 mm (¼ in) for a dwarf.
How often
Two or three times a week.
Dwarf hamsters
Campbell's, Winter White, their hybrids and Chinese hamsters are prone to diabetes. Keep carrot to a thin 5 mm (¼ in) sliver once or twice a week, and rely mainly on low-sugar vegetables such as cucumber, broccoli and bell pepper.
Sugar
4.7 g / 100 g

How to serve it

  1. Wash or peel to remove soil
  2. Cut into a thin slice or small stick
  3. Serve raw with nothing added
  4. Remove any uneaten piece, including from the hoard, within a few hours

Why

Risks. Carrots contain more natural sugar than leafy and green vegetables, so large or frequent portions add calories. Chop into small pieces to reduce the choking risk.

Benefits. Rich in beta-carotene, and the crunch gives hamsters something to gnaw.

Questions owners ask 2

Are baby carrots OK?

Yes, but chop them into small pieces first. PetMD recommends this to prevent choking.

Can hamsters eat cooked carrot?

Plain cooked carrot is safe, but raw is better: it is crunchier and has nothing added. Never offer carrot cooked with butter, salt or seasoning.

Carrots: nutrition per 100 g
Water88.3 g
Energy41 kcal
Sugars4.7 g
Fat0.2 g
Protein0.9 g
Fibre2.8 g
Calcium33 mg
Phosphorus35 mg
Calcium : phosphorus0.94 : 1
Sodium69 mg
Vitamin A (RAE)835 µg
Vitamin C5.9 mg

“Carrots, raw”, USDA FoodData Central (SR Legacy, FDC 170393). Public domain.

Sources & method 12

The sources below discuss carrots 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 Can Hamsters Eat? — PetMD (written by Angelina Childree, LVT; reviewed by Melissa Witherell, DVM)
  2. What to feed hamsters — RSPCA
  3. What to feed your hamster - safe foods, fruit, veg and a complete feeding guide — Woodgreen Pets Charity
  4. Hamsters as pets — PDSA
  5. 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)
  6. Dwarf Hamster Care Sheet — PetMD (written by Maria Zayas, DVM; reviewed by Melissa Witherell, DVM)
  7. Syrian Hamster Care Sheet — PetMD (written by Maria Zayas, DVM)
  8. Are Dwarf Hamsters Prone to Diabetes? Rodent Health Facts — ExoCare Veterinary Medical Centre (medically reviewed by Dr Asma Fariha)
  9. 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
  10. 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)
  11. Providing a Home for a Hamster — Merck Veterinary Manual (Pet Owner Version)
  12. Owning a Pet Hamster — VCA Animal Hospitals (Gregory Rich, DVM; Laurie Hess, DVM; Rick Axelson, DVM)

Other pets

Can budgies eat carrots?YesCan cockatiels eat carrots?Yes

More vegetables

Yes Broccoli Yes Cucumber Better not Tomato Yes Bell pepper Better not Chili pepper Better not Celery Yes Cabbage Yes Cauliflower Yes Zucchini Small amounts Sweet potato Never Potato Yes Pumpkin Small amounts Peas Small amounts Corn Small amounts Green beans Never Onion Never Garlic Better not Mushroom Never Rhubarb

All 68 foods for hamsters →