3D illustration: a hamster next to a dish of celery
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Hamster · Vegetables

Can hamsters eat celery?

Better not

Better not. Celery is not toxic, but VCA vets advise against it because it is mostly water with little nutrition, and PetMD warns its stringy fibres are a choking hazard.

Sugar
1.3 g / 100 g

If your hamster already ate some

A nibble is not an emergency. Check that your hamster is breathing and eating normally and has no string caught in its mouth. If it is gagging, pawing at its mouth, or its cheeks stay swollen for more than a few hours, contact a vet.

Why

Risks. Long, tough strings can lodge in the mouth or throat, and celery adds little nutrition. Some vets and charities allow small pieces, so this is a precaution rather than a toxicity concern.

Questions owners ask 2

Some guides say celery is fine. Who is right?

PDSA and some vet clinics list celery as safe, while VCA advises against it and PetMD warns about the strings. Because better vegetables are available, we suggest skipping it. If you do offer it, remove the strings and cut it very small.

Can hamsters eat celery leaves?

The leaves are less stringy than the stalk, but they still add little. Leafy greens such as romaine lettuce or dandelion leaves are better choices.

Celery: nutrition per 100 g
Water95.4 g
Energy14 kcal
Sugars1.3 g
Fat0.2 g
Protein0.7 g
Fibre1.6 g
Calcium40 mg
Phosphorus24 mg
Calcium : phosphorus1.67 : 1
Sodium80 mg
Vitamin A (RAE)22 µg
Vitamin C3.1 mg

“Celery, raw”, USDA FoodData Central (SR Legacy, FDC 169988). Public domain.

Sources & method 6

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

  1. Rodents: Feeding — VCA Animal Hospitals (Gregory Rich, DVM; Laurie Hess, DVM; Rick Axelson, DVM)
  2. What Can Hamsters Eat? — PetMD (written by Angelina Childree, LVT; reviewed by Melissa Witherell, DVM)
  3. Hamsters as pets — PDSA
  4. Can Hamsters Eat Broccoli & What to Feed Your Hamster — Northgate Veterinary Clinic, Seattle
  5. Hamster Nutrition — Dogwood Animal Hospital, Lawrenceville, Georgia
  6. Dwarf Hamster Care Sheet — PetMD (written by Maria Zayas, DVM; reviewed by Melissa Witherell, DVM)

Other pets

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

More vegetables

Small amounts Carrot Yes Broccoli Yes Cucumber Better not Tomato Yes Bell pepper Better not Chili pepper 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 →