can-hamsters-eat-oranges

The eating habits of hamsters are strange. They do like various fruits and vegetables. Today we are going to reveal whether hamsters like to eat oranges or not.

Almost all of us love to eat oranges; orange slices, orange juice, and even salads and dishes. Aside from being delicious and packed with much-needed vitamins, it is also cheap and easy to find in any market or grocery store.

But how about hamsters? A lot of people who own or are looking to add a hamster in the household naturally want to give the best food to their pets. But is it safe to assume that what is safe for humans to eat is also safe for hamsters?

 

Benefits of Orange

The orange, also known as sweet orange, is a fruit belonging to the genus Citrus. It falls under the family of Rutaceae. Popular because of its sweetness in taste and numerous health benefits.

Orange trees are widely grown and are the most cultivated fruit-bearing trees worldwide. The trees usually turn to a height of 10 feet. But in some cases, orange trees can reach as high as 25- 50 feet. The leaves are generally shiny and dark green and have sweet smelling flowers with five petals.

The fruit is almost round, and segments separate the inside of the fruit. In many types of oranges, the skin can be easily peeled off. People sometimes also prefer to call it an “orange peel.”

For a wide variety of reasons, orange is considered an essential food source. Aside from having loads of vitamin C, which boosts our immune system, it also has fiber, choline, and potassium. All of these ingredients are very beneficial to the heart and helps lower blood pressure.

For being a good source of antioxidant, the orange fruit can fight against the formation of cancer-causing free radicals. A whole orange has no sodium, fat, or cholesterol, and contains only about 85 calories.

 

Is Orange Good for Hamsters?

A lot of hamster owners are concerned about the food that they should provide to their pets. Most of them worry about what they should feed them and what they shouldn’t.

If you want to keep your hamster healthy, then it’s essential to provide them with nutritious and well-balanced food. Apart from commercial hamster’s feeds, adding some fruits and vegetables to their diet is also beneficial.

Also, you should always remember that not all foods that are suitable for humans are also ideal for hamsters. Some healthy foods are unsafe and can cause severe problems for them. Remember that hamsters are small creatures, and their tummies are too tiny and sometimes incapable of tolerating human food.

In general, oranges are not an acceptable food for hamsters. Like lemons, grapefruits, and tangerines, they belong to the Citrus family. These foods are highly acidic and when ingested by hamsters can cause mild to severe stomach irritation and diarrhea.

Recent studies show that hamsters may tolerate eating oranges in small amounts. But it is generally not recommended that you add orange to a hamster’s diet.

 

What Other Fruits and Vegetables Can Hamsters Eat?

Hamsters enjoy eating a lot of fruits and vegetables. However, being small creatures, consuming too much of this can give them stomach problems.

Being a responsible and liable pet owner; you need to be very careful. Not only about the kind of food your hamsters eat but also the amount you give them.

Hamsters like to eat carrots. However, carrots contain a lot of sugar and therefore you should serve it in controlled amounts. There are also other hamster favorites such as banana, cauliflower, broccoli, peach, and chicory.

A little-hardboiled egg as a treat can also be beneficial because of its high protein content. It may be easy to plan and provide a healthy meal for your hamsters. But a primary key to keeping them healthy is to ensure that you feed everything in moderate amounts.

 

What Are the Fruits and Vegetables Not Suitable for Hamsters?

Although hamsters can tolerate a wide variety of fruits and vegetables, you must try to avoid certain fruits and vegetables.

Some types of fruits are unsuitable for a hamster’s digestion. Amongst these are avocados because of its high-fat content, oranges, grapefruits, lemon, and tangerine because of their acidic nature.

Hamster’s digestive system is weaker than that of humans. Thus, you should avoid some additional items which are hard to digest. It includes garlic, parsley, celery, onion, basil, oregano, radishes, and raw beans.

 

Hamster Feeding Guidelines

1. Do not overfeed your hamsters

Just because you see their food bowls ready, it doesn’t mean it needs refilling. Hamsters are energetic and continuously moving animals, and therefore has a speedy metabolism.

However, it does not mean you need to supply them food without any break. Remember, hamsters can also get fat. Ideally, a tablespoon of commercial hamster pellets a day is sufficient, with a few tiny pieces of treats allowed.

There is no agreed-upon rule as to when you should feed hamsters. For some, it’s best to feed them in the morning so that they can take snacks during the day. For others, night-time feedings are perfect to coincide with a hamster’s nocturnal activities.

 

2. Select the proper food dish for your hamsters

It is better to use small bowls because big bowls encourage overeating and take up too much cage space. Position the bowl away from the hamster’s bathroom area to avoid getting contaminated by bacteria.

 

3. Provide fresh food every time

Remember to throw away all uneaten food. Also, replace it with fresh ones and make sure to provide clean drinking water at all times.

 

Conclusion

That’s all about the hamsters and their eating habits. Let’s jump to the conclusion of this topic.

Although orange is a healthy food for humans, it is definitely “a no-no” for hamsters. The good thing is, there is still an option of lots of other fruits and vegetables. They are both safe and beneficial to your pet.

When in doubt, it is always best to consult your veterinarian. You can also ask for an expert’s opinion before introducing anything new to your hamster’s diet.

 

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