Hamster · Grains, seeds & nuts
Can hamsters eat peanuts?
Yes, in small amounts. Plain, unsalted peanuts are fine as a rare treat, but they are high in fat. Never give salted, flavoured or mouldy peanuts, or peanut butter from the jar.
- Portion
- Half a shelled peanut for a Syrian; a crumb-sized piece for a dwarf.
- How often
- Once a week
- Dwarf hamsters
- Diabetes-prone dwarfs should have no more than a crumb-sized piece, and not every week.
- Sugar
- 4.7 g / 100 g
- Fat
- 49.2 g / 100 g
How to serve it
- Use plain, unsalted peanuts sold for people, raw or dry-roasted
- Throw away any that look shrivelled, discoloured or mouldy
- Break into small pieces
- Do not give peanut butter straight from the jar
Why
Risks. Peanuts are high in fat and add weight quickly in a small animal. Mouldy peanuts can carry aflatoxins, which damage the liver, so use only fresh, human-grade nuts. Peanut butter is sticky and may cling inside the cheek pouches, and some brands contain salt, sugar or xylitol.
Benefits. Provides protein and fat for energy, and hamsters find peanuts very tempting, which helps with hand-taming.
Questions owners ask 3
Can hamsters eat salted or honey-roasted peanuts?
No. Salted, honey-roasted, chocolate-coated and flavoured peanuts add salt, sugar and other unsuitable ingredients. Use plain, unsalted peanuts only.
Can hamsters eat peanut butter?
Not by the lick. It is sticky, so it can stay lodged in the cheek pouches, and many brands contain salt, sugar or, occasionally, xylitol. If you use a tiny amount in a baked hamster treat, choose a plain peanut butter whose only ingredient is peanuts, with no salt, sugar, xylitol or other sweeteners. 'Sugar-free' and 'reduced-sugar' spreads are the ones most likely to contain xylitol.
Are peanuts in the shell OK?
Plain, unsalted in-shell peanuts sold for people are fine occasionally for a Syrian. Check that shells are clean and dry, and remember a whole peanut is more than a single portion.
Peanuts: nutrition per 100 g
| Water | 6.5 g |
|---|---|
| Energy | 567 kcal |
| Sugars | 4.7 g |
| Fat | 49.2 g |
| Protein | 25.8 g |
| Fibre | 8.5 g |
| Calcium | 92 mg |
| Phosphorus | 376 mg |
| Calcium : phosphorus | 0.24 : 1 |
| Sodium | 18 mg |
| Vitamin A (RAE) | 0 µg |
| Vitamin C | 0 mg |
“Peanuts, all types, raw”, USDA FoodData Central (SR Legacy, FDC 172430). Public domain.
Sources & method 7
The sources below discuss peanuts 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.
- Feeding your hamster — PDSA
- Rodents: Feeding — VCA Animal Hospitals (Gregory Rich, DVM; Laurie Hess, DVM; Rick Axelson, DVM)
- Tofu cookie treat (recipe) — Hamster Society (Singapore)
- Husbandry and Medical Care of Hamsters — Veterinary Partner (VIN)
- Aflatoxicosis in Animals — Merck Veterinary Manual
- Hamster care — Blue Cross
- People Foods to Avoid Feeding Your Pets — ASPCA Animal Poison Control Center
