Can hamsters eat cherries?

Yes, in small amounts

Yes, in small amounts, flesh only. Ripe cherry flesh is fine as an occasional treat, but the stone, stem and leaves contain cyanide-releasing compounds and must be removed.

Portion: A piece of flesh about 1 cm (⅜ in) across, roughly a quarter of a cherry, 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 cherry 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: 12.8 g / 100 g

How to serve it

Wash well
Remove the stalk and any leaves
Cut the flesh away from the stone and throw the stone away
Remove any uneaten piece, including from the hoard, within a few hours

Why

Risks. Cherry stones, stems and leaves contain cyanogenic glycosides that release cyanide, and a whole stone is a choking risk. The flesh is sugary.

Benefits. Adds variety; hamsters generally enjoy the taste.

Questions owners ask 2

What if my hamster ate a cherry stone?

Call your vet for advice. Chewed stones can release cyanide, and a stone is a choking risk for a small animal.

Can hamsters eat dried, glacé or maraschino cherries?

No. These are very sugary or soaked in syrup.

Cherries: nutrition per 100 g

Water	82.3 g
Energy	63 kcal
Sugars	12.8 g
Fat	0.2 g
Protein	1.1 g
Fibre	2.1 g
Calcium	13 mg
Phosphorus	21 mg
Calcium : phosphorus	0.62 : 1
Sodium	0 mg
Vitamin A (RAE)	3 µg
Vitamin C	7 mg

“Cherries, sweet, raw”, USDA FoodData Central (SR Legacy, FDC 171719). Public domain.

Sources & method 6

The sources below discuss cherries 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.