Hamster · Vegetables
Can hamsters eat onions?
No. Onions contain sulfur compounds that damage red blood cells and can cause anaemia. Vets list onion as unsafe for hamsters in any form: raw, cooked, dried or in sauces.
- Sugar
- 4.2 g / 100 g
If your hamster already ate some
Call your vet promptly, even if your hamster seems well, and say how much was eaten and in what form. Signs of anaemia, such as weakness, pale ears, feet and nose, fast breathing or reduced appetite, may take several days to appear.
Why
Risks. Onions and other alliums contain sulfur-containing oxidants that damage red blood cells (Heinz body anaemia). Harm can build up for several days after eating, and concentrated forms such as onion powder are more dangerous.
Questions owners ask 2
What about spring onions, chives, leeks or shallots?
These are all alliums with the same risk and should never be fed.
Is cooked onion or onion powder safer?
No. Cooking does not remove the risk, and dried or powdered onion is more concentrated. Check that any human food shared with your hamster contains no onion.
Onions: nutrition per 100 g
| Water | 89.1 g |
|---|---|
| Energy | 40 kcal |
| Sugars | 4.2 g |
| Fat | 0.1 g |
| Protein | 1.1 g |
| Fibre | 1.7 g |
| Calcium | 23 mg |
| Phosphorus | 29 mg |
| Calcium : phosphorus | 0.79 : 1 |
| Sodium | 4 mg |
| Vitamin A (RAE) | 0 µg |
| Vitamin C | 7.4 mg |
“Onions, raw”, USDA FoodData Central (SR Legacy, FDC 170000). Public domain.
Sources & method 7
The sources below discuss onions 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.
- Syrian Hamster Care Sheet — PetMD (written by Maria Zayas, DVM)
- Dwarf Hamster Care Sheet — PetMD (written by Maria Zayas, DVM; reviewed by Melissa Witherell, DVM)
- What Can Hamsters Eat? — PetMD (written by Angelina Childree, LVT; reviewed by Melissa Witherell, DVM)
- Can Hamsters Eat Broccoli & What to Feed Your Hamster — Northgate Veterinary Clinic, Seattle
- Hamster Nutrition — Dogwood Animal Hospital, Lawrenceville, Georgia
- What to feed your hamster - safe foods, fruit, veg and a complete feeding guide — Woodgreen Pets Charity
- Garlic and Onion (Allium spp) Toxicosis in Animals — Merck Veterinary Manual (Cristine Hayes, DVM, ASPCA Animal Poison Control Center)
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
Corn
Small amounts
Green beans
Never
Garlic
Better not
Mushroom
Never
Rhubarb