Hamster · Vegetables
Can hamsters eat corn?
Yes, in small amounts. A few kernels of fresh sweetcorn are safe for hamsters, but corn is starchy and sugary, so keep it an occasional treat.
- Portion
- Two or three kernels for a Syrian; one kernel for a dwarf.
- How often
- Once or twice a week.
- Dwarf hamsters
- Campbell's, Winter White, their hybrids and Chinese hamsters are prone to diabetes. Keep corn to one kernel once a week, and check whether their dry food already contains corn, and rely mainly on low-sugar vegetables such as cucumber, broccoli and bell pepper.
- Sugar
- 6.3 g / 100 g
How to serve it
- Use fresh or frozen kernels, thawed, with nothing added
- Avoid canned corn with salt or sugar
- Do not feed corn that looks or smells mouldy
- Remove any uneaten piece, including from the hoard, within a few hours
Why
Risks. Corn is higher in starch and sugar than most vegetables. Mouldy corn can contain fungal toxins.
Benefits. Adds variety; hamsters enjoy handling kernels.
Questions owners ask 2
Can hamsters eat popcorn?
Plain popcorn with no butter, salt or sugar is listed by VCA as an occasional treat for hamsters. Buttered, salted or sweet popcorn is not suitable.
Is the corn in hamster food mixes a problem?
No, it is part of a balanced food. The concern is adding a lot of extra corn on top.
Corn: nutrition per 100 g
| Water | 76.1 g |
|---|---|
| Energy | 86 kcal |
| Sugars | 6.3 g |
| Fat | 1.4 g |
| Protein | 3.3 g |
| Fibre | 2 g |
| Calcium | 2 mg |
| Phosphorus | 89 mg |
| Calcium : phosphorus | 0.02 : 1 |
| Sodium | 15 mg |
| Vitamin A (RAE) | 9 µg |
| Vitamin C | 6.8 mg |
“Corn, sweet, yellow, raw”, USDA FoodData Central (SR Legacy, FDC 169998). Public domain.
Sources & method 6
The sources below discuss corn 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.
- Hamsters as pets — PDSA
- Hamster Nutrition — Dogwood Animal Hospital, Lawrenceville, Georgia
- Rodents: Feeding — VCA Animal Hospitals (Gregory Rich, DVM; Laurie Hess, DVM; Rick Axelson, DVM)
- Are Dwarf Hamsters Prone to Diabetes? Rodent Health Facts — ExoCare Veterinary Medical Centre (medically reviewed by Dr Asma Fariha)
- 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
- 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)
Other pets
More vegetables
Small amounts
Carrot
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
Green beans
Never
Onion
Never
Garlic
Better not
Mushroom
Never
Rhubarb