Can hamsters eat zucchini?

Yes — safe in normal portions

Yes. Zucchini (courgette) is a safe, low-sugar vegetable for hamsters. Offer a small piece a few times a week.

Portion: A piece about 1–1.5 cm (⅜–⅝ in) across for a Syrian; about half that for a dwarf. Keep all fresh food together to about 1–2 teaspoons a day for a Syrian and about half that for a dwarf.
How often: A few times a week, rotated with other vegetables.
Sugar: 2.5 g / 100 g

How to serve it

Wash well
Cut a small piece; the skin can stay on
Serve raw, or lightly cooked with nothing added and cooled
Remove any uneaten piece, including from the hoard, within a few hours

Why

Risks. Very low risk in small amounts; like other watery vegetables, a lot can loosen droppings. Do not feed a zucchini that tastes unusually bitter, as bitterness can indicate natural toxins called cucurbitacins.

Benefits. Low in sugar and calories, which suits dwarf hamsters; adds moisture and variety.

Questions owners ask 1

Can hamsters eat other squash?

Yes. Summer and winter squash flesh is listed as safe in small pieces; remove seeds and tough rind.

Zucchini: nutrition per 100 g

Water	94.8 g
Energy	17 kcal
Sugars	2.5 g
Fat	0.3 g
Protein	1.2 g
Fibre	1 g
Calcium	16 mg
Phosphorus	38 mg
Calcium : phosphorus	0.42 : 1
Sodium	8 mg
Vitamin A (RAE)	10 µg
Vitamin C	17.9 mg

“Squash, summer, zucchini, includes skin, raw”, USDA FoodData Central (SR Legacy, FDC 169291). Public domain.

Sources & method 5

The sources below discuss zucchini 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.

Hamsters as pets — PDSA
Hamster Nutrition — Dogwood Animal Hospital, Lawrenceville, Georgia
Hamster Care Sheet — UC Davis Veterinary Medical Teaching Hospital, Companion Avian and Exotic Pet Medicine and Surgery Service (PDF hosted by Wise Owl Animal Hospital)
Dwarf Hamster Care Sheet — PetMD (written by Maria Zayas, DVM; reviewed by Melissa Witherell, DVM)
Syrian Hamster Care Sheet — PetMD (written by Maria Zayas, DVM)