One can easily list hamsters as one of the cutest animals we know. We often think these chubby little beings will eat almost anything. But any good hamster parent must never rely on that idea. The abundance of fruits and vegetables around has handed us a new responsibility. We must choose the perfect food for our hamsters from them. Carrots are a popular choice for this matter. But can hamsters eat carrots? Let’s find out below!
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Are Carrots Safe For Hamsters?
To answer the question in short – yes! Carrots are among the most nutritious foods you can give your precious hamsters. Its goodness goes beyond mere safety issues. There are some perks in carrots for hamsters.
Firstly, the carrot’s structure and composition enable a hamster to gnaw on it for a long time. This habit will result in stronger and shorter teeth. Besides, it also keeps him busy for a long enough time. Maybe, that’s why it is one of the hamsters’ favorite foods.
Carrots also make a perfectly healthy snack for these fluffballs. You can use carrots instead of any processed or canned pet food. This will ensure good health for the adorable animal.
The carrot is also known to keep their spirit up. Thus, regular and supervised intake of carrots will keep the hamster happy all day every day.
How Frequently Can They Eat Carrots?
Hamsters are just too polite to say no. So he will graciously take as many foods as you offer him. However, being the pet parent, you need to take responsibility for his eating habits. You must keep the intake amount and frequency of carrots under control. This is because if he eats beyond the suggested limit, he may fall victim to certain health hazards.
The general size of carrots is almost the length of their body. So, a whole carrot at a time might be too much for them. This is why you need to break the vegetable down into much smaller portions. It is safe to give them one such piece of a baby carrot every few days.
Additionally, the carrots have a high amount of sugar. This high ratio can cause dwarf hamsters to fall sick. It can also lead them to obesity. To prevent such adversities, they need to take them in moderate amounts.
Another point to mention here is, such sugary foods can cover only 10% of their diet at most. This is the safety limit for giving treats to any pet.
Also, make sure there are no rotten carrots left around them. They can hoard them for eating later causing digestive issues. Check their cage for leftovers to keep them away from similar issues.
Steps To Prepare The Carrots
There are a few steps you should take before feeding them the carrots. We have briefly discussed them below:
1. Pick
This is for those of you who prefer dried up veggies instead of fresh ones. The dried up vegetables meant for humans may contain certain additives. These chemicals don’t affect us negatively at all. However, for those fluffy hamsters, they can trigger physical issues. Thus, it is better if you don’t rely on those packaged carrots. To keep it safe for the hamster, switch to fresh garden carrots immediately.
2. Wash
If you are buying carrots from supermarkets, you need to wash them thoroughly before use. The workers often spray on them to keep the carrots shiny for sales purposes. Cleaning them with water makes the veggies free of those chemicals.
Also, get rid of any bruised sections on the carrot. Then rub it while holding under cold water. This will erase all the stuck dirt or grime. Dry the carrot up using a clean towel or paper cloth.
3. Cut
After washing the carrot, cut it into tiny parts. Each piece needs to be small enough to fit into the tiny palms of a hamster. You can do the job more efficiently with a food processor or a cheese shredder.
Just put the washed carrot in and let the machine do it for you. Besides, this will produce thinly shredded carrot pieces. Thus, your hamster can chew them without any difficulty.
4. Trim
Before you serve up the pieces, take some time to trim them down. You don’t have to do this for each piece. Only the ones with a sharp edge need this trimming.
Otherwise, such edges can hamper the soft muscles in a hamster’s mouth. In some unusual cases, they have also created an abscess. So get rid of all the sharp edges before serving.
5. Serve
Place some of the carrot pieces in a small bowl. It is better to use a ceramic bowl instead of a plastic one. Otherwise, the hamsters may also chew on the plastic bowl itself. Then keep the bowl inside the hamster cage. Make sure its position is far away from the cage’s bathroom area.
How To Feed The Hamster?
If you are not aware of your hamster’s reaction to carrots, give him a tiny piece first. It can be just one of those thousand shreds the machine made before.
This will do two things simultaneously. It will let you know if the pet likes the food and at the same time, it will introduce the hamster to this new type of food. This way, he will get some time to get used to the taste and texture of carrots.
Not giving the hamster enough time to get familiar with this food may result in illnesses. Taking any new substance can trigger diarrhea, constipation and other such problems in him.
If your pet seems to love the food, give him more in future as discussed in the previous point. You can also mix it up with other vegetables for a better taste palette. If he doesn’t like it, no need to force the food on him. Just go for any other option like broccoli, cauliflower, lettuce, etc.
Conclusion
Hamsters need special care for their diet. Being natural food hoarders, us parents must keep an eye on their eating habits.
We should ensure their safe intake of food items. Besides, the amount we provide the food in also matters. If we keep all the discussed points in mind, the pets will always stay happy and healthy.
You May Also Interested In:
- 5 Best Hamster Foods and Treats (Reviews and Ultimate Guide)
- Can Hamsters Eat Blueberries?
- Can Hamsters Eat Almonds?
Photo by Keith Pomakis – Own work, CC BY-SA 2.5, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=1387274