3D illustration: a hamster next to a dish of strawberries
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Hamster · Fruit

Can hamsters eat strawberries?

Yes, in small amounts

Yes, in small amounts. Strawberry is a safe occasional treat for hamsters. Remove the green top, wash it well and keep the piece small because of the sugar.

Portion
A piece about 1 cm (⅜ in) across, no bigger than your hamster's ear, for a Syrian; about 5 mm (¼ in) for a dwarf.
How often
Once a week (twice at most) for a Syrian; no more than once every two weeks for a dwarf.
Dwarf hamsters
Campbell's, Winter White, their hybrids and Chinese hamsters are prone to diabetes. Give strawberry 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
4.9 g / 100 g

How to serve it

  1. Wash well
  2. Remove the green top and stalk
  3. Cut a small piece
  4. Remove any uneaten piece, including from the hoard, within a few hours

Why

Risks. Sugar is the main issue, and a lot of juicy fruit can loosen droppings. The juice can temporarily stain light-coloured fur.

Benefits. Adds variety and moisture and is fairly low in calories for a fruit.

Questions owners ask 2

Why is my hamster's fur pink after eating strawberry?

Strawberry juice can temporarily stain light-coloured fur. It is harmless and fades.

Can hamsters eat the tiny seeds on strawberries?

Yes. The small seeds on the outside are eaten with the fruit. The advice to remove seeds applies to larger pips and stones, such as apple seeds and cherry stones.

Strawberries: nutrition per 100 g
Water91 g
Energy32 kcal
Sugars4.9 g
Fat0.3 g
Protein0.7 g
Fibre2 g
Calcium16 mg
Phosphorus24 mg
Calcium : phosphorus0.67 : 1
Sodium1 mg
Vitamin A (RAE)1 µg
Vitamin C58.8 mg

“Strawberries, raw”, USDA FoodData Central (SR Legacy, FDC 167762). Public domain.

Sources & method 7

The sources below discuss strawberries 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.

  1. What to feed your hamster - safe foods, fruit, veg and a complete feeding guide — Woodgreen Pets Charity
  2. What Can Hamsters Eat? — PetMD (written by Angelina Childree, LVT; reviewed by Melissa Witherell, DVM)
  3. Dwarf Hamster Care Sheet — PetMD (written by Maria Zayas, DVM; reviewed by Melissa Witherell, DVM)
  4. Hamster Nutrition — Dogwood Animal Hospital, Lawrenceville, Georgia
  5. Are Dwarf Hamsters Prone to Diabetes? Rodent Health Facts — ExoCare Veterinary Medical Centre (medically reviewed by Dr Asma Fariha)
  6. 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
  7. 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

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

More fruit

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All 68 foods for hamsters →