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Hamster · Vegetables

Can hamsters eat tomatoes?

Better not

Better not. Ripe tomato flesh is not toxic, but the leaves, stems and unripe fruit contain solanine-type compounds, and some UK charities advise avoiding tomato altogether.

Sugar: 2.6 g / 100 g

If your hamster already ate some

A small bite of ripe tomato is not an emergency: remove any leftovers and watch for diarrhoea, a wet or dirty tail area, or reduced appetite over the next day or two, and contact a vet promptly if these appear. If your hamster ate leaves, stems or green tomato, call your vet for advice.

Why

Risks. The green parts of the tomato plant and unripe fruit contain solanine-type glycoalkaloids, which can cause serious digestive upset and weakness. Ripe fruit is acidic and watery. Reputable sources disagree about ripe tomato, so we take the cautious view.

Questions owners ask 2

Can hamsters eat tomato leaves or stems?

No. The green parts of the tomato plant contain solanine and are listed as toxic to pets. Keep hamsters away from tomato plants.

Can hamsters eat cherry tomatoes, tomato sauce or ketchup?

Cherry tomatoes carry the same caution as other tomatoes. Sauces, ketchup and soups often contain onion, garlic, salt or sugar and should never be given.

Tomatoes: nutrition per 100 g

Water	94.5 g
Energy	18 kcal
Sugars	2.6 g
Fat	0.2 g
Protein	0.9 g
Fibre	1.2 g
Calcium	10 mg
Phosphorus	24 mg
Calcium : phosphorus	0.42 : 1
Sodium	5 mg
Vitamin A (RAE)	42 µg
Vitamin C	13.7 mg

“Tomatoes, red, ripe, raw, year round average”, USDA FoodData Central (SR Legacy, FDC 170457). Public domain.

Sources & method 6

The sources below discuss tomatoes 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.

What to feed your hamster - safe foods, fruit, veg and a complete feeding guide — Woodgreen Pets Charity
Hamsters as pets — PDSA
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)
Tomato Plant (toxic and non-toxic plants list) — ASPCA Animal Poison Control Center

Other pets

Can budgies eat tomatoes?Small amounts Can cockatiels eat tomatoes?Small amounts