Having a cute little furry hamster is all fun and games until you have to feed them! You have to keep an eye out for foods that are too watery, or too acidic.
Hamsters have a very fragile digestive system, so naturally one has to be very cautious when it comes to feeding your pet hamster.
If you love cashews and are wondering whether your hamster would love snacking on them as much as you, you came to the right place! We’ll discuss and answer the question “can hamsters eat cashews?” Well, let’s find out.
Can hamsters eat cashews?
Can Hamsters Eat Cashews? YES, they can but only in moderation! Because cashews contain a large number of fats in them that is why you have to portion control cashews for your hamster!
Cashews are a fan favorite and one of the most delicious dry fruit snacks out there. You’re probably wondering whether hamsters can eat them in the first place or not, and well, they can absolutely eat them! The only thing is, you need to feed them in little quantities.
The reason is, that these treats contain alarmingly high levels of sugar and fats too. These are harmful to the already mentioned ‘fragile’ digestive system. Just make sure the nuts aren’t flavored, which include:
As long as you aren’t feeding them the ones above, yes, your hamster can eat cashews.
Do hamsters like to eat cashews?
As hamsters are omnivores, they can eat a lot of foods, which can range from veggies to meats, to nuts and even fruits. Talk about a perfect snacking buddy! They’ll eat anything you give them, and it is your responsibility as a pet owner to look after their diet.
You should choose healthy and balanced diets for your hamster, to ensure a long and healthy life.
So, the short answer to the question would be yes, much like other snacks and delicacies, hamsters definitely like to eat cashews, just be careful while feeding them these cashews, keeping in mind the nuts we mentioned not to feed them in the above paragraph.
Is it safe to feed cashews to hamsters?
Keep in mind the factors such as the levels of fat and sugar, and not feeding your hamster any sort of nuts that are either salted, sweetened, or processed. Yes, it is safe to feed your pet hamster cashews.
The only thing to keep in mind would be the quantity you’re feeding them, do not go overfeeding them, or use this as a staple diet. Sparingly use these as a treat, or surprise your hamster and toss these up in their veggie bowl to give them a crunchy surprise.
Nutritional Value of Cashews
These delicacies were brought around by the Indian and African colonists, and they are also the largest countries to make these. While they may be sold with flavors or different options, cashews have a lot of nutrition, so let’s dig in and find out what we get.
The Department of Agriculture in the USA (USDA) has found that one ounce of cashews (raw) which is 28.35 grams, contains the following:
That’s not all, cashews also contain Vitamins, such as B and C and this includes 7 micrograms of Folate as well.
1 ounce is about 18 pieces of cashews and these packs a power punch that include poly and mono-saturated fats, which are loaded with protein.
Health benefits of cashews for hamsters
Feeding your pet hamster with cashew nuts has a lot of health benefits attached to it. Likewise, they are also healthy for humans, but for hamsters, they have specific minerals which will do your hamster a world of good. They are as listed below:
What are the risks of feeding cashews to hamsters?
Cashews may be yummy and irresistible to eat, they do come with red flags for your hamster. They might have a small calorie count, but they are reserves of a lot of fat, and if coupled with large quantitates, it can become dangerous. Remember to only feed them once in a while, not all the time.
Hamsters are sneaky and can hide these nuts in their cheeks to chew on for later. Talk about cheating on your diet! But be careful, as this could lead to obesity, which can also cause heart problems and reduce the life expectancy of your furry friend.
Immersing these cashews in hot water for 15 minutes can help to cut them into small pieces, which can help your hamster in the chewing process.
What is the safe quantity of cashews to feed your hamster?
The amount and quantity you can feed your hamster varies with a lot of things, such as the age and size of the hamster, and their breed as well. So, let’s break it down according to their breed:
What happens if my hamster eats too many cashews?
Overfeeding your hamster with cashews comes with a lot of health hazards. The short-term harm they would face is bloating due to a lot of gas being produced in their tiny bellies, and secondly an upset stomach. As they can’t handle too much of it, this would result in diarrhea as well.
The long-term damage includes obesity, which is a twofold blow, as it leads to heart problems, which eventually leads to the reduction of the life expectancy of the hamster.
What to do if my hamster eats too many cashews?
If you notice that your hamster has had too much to eat, and is not eating after it. Or has chosen to stay in a hidden part of the cage, the poor little thing probably has bloating and an upset stomach. What you need to do is, is to take him to the vet.
The vet will probably force a vomit, and get all that out of his system. So that would be your best and safest bet, after an over-eat.
Can hamsters eat cashews daily?
While the answer is yes, they can eat them daily. But there are a lot of reasons why you should not feed them this daily, or as a staple diet.
As we discussed above, these foods contain alarming levels of fat and calories, and that will lead to obesity. Obesity in turn, would cause heart problems, which can lead to the premature death of your hamster.
So, avoid daily feeding, and feed them once in a while, or as a treat.
Hamsters that eat cashews?
All types of hamsters eat cashews, they will not be able to control the urge to not eat, if you put cashews in front of them. Like we mentioned above, they are omnivores and can eat everything, which includes fruits, meats, nuts and veggies. So, it is your responsibility to look after them.
They can eat cashews, but not the ones which are salted or flavored. Feed them unflavored and plain cashews, to prevent and reduce the chances of any medical issues.
Recommended cashew treats for your hamster
Introduce your hamster with cashews very slowly and patiently. Do not just fill their bowl with it and expect them to eat it all and love it. Instead, mix it up with their regular feed, for example, toss it up in a salad containing their favorite veggies, and see how they like it. They will first start to develop a taste for it, and then begin to like it.
Another thing you can do is, is to mix it up with their pellets, they would absolutely love and enjoy this, as it becomes an exotic cuisine for them and it mixes it up and keeps them interested and confused as well.
Another idea would be a fruit salad, just keep in mind to not put too many watery or sugary fruits and stick to the non-harmful ones.
Types of cashews hamsters can eat
There are plenty of cashews out there because it is a fan favorite, people love to mix them up with different flavors, and you can find many on the market, such as roasted cashews, salted cashews, sweetened cashews, and many more.
But the ones that are safe for your hamster to eat, are none of the above, instead, they should ideally be as stated below:
So, do not feed your hamster salted, sweetened or shelled cashews.
Things to consider while feeding your hamster cashews
A hamster will not say no to anything you feed them, so it is your responsibility to look after their diet and provide all the necessary nutrition they require for strong and healthy growth.
If you feed them cashews weekly, do not give them other nuts, to avoid the surplus calories.
Secondly, use a wide range of treats, don’t just stick to cashews, you can use pellets, and fruits and other commercial foods as well.
It takes very little to turn your hamsters’ boring meal into gourmet cuisine, so mix it up and do not stick to cashews as a staple diet.
Before feeding them cashews, don’t go and fill their bowl to the brim, instead introduce it in little quantitates in other foods.
Then see how they react to it, and if they like it, you can proceed to give them more. Just be careful not to overfeed it to them though.
What else can be given to hamsters with cashews?
Well, the simple answer is, anything! As long as it is not too watery, too sugary, or too acidic. We would recommend a nice, and nutritious salad, with your hamster’s favorite veggies, tossed up with cashews, and even fruits. They would absolutely love this.
Another thing that can be done is, mixing it up with their regular feed, like if they are on a pellet feed, you can add these cashews, in little quantities and your hammy will love it!
Other alternatives of cashews for hamsters?
As we discussed, you should not be feeding your hamster cashews every week, there is a whole range of snacks which you can replace them with.
Which won’t harm your hamster, and they would also love it as well! You can use sunflower seeds, and peanuts to mix it up and keep it healthy for your hamster.
As we also mentioned is fruit and veggies, you can slice that up and toss it for your hammy, and they would go ham! Try giving them an orange or apple, and see how they love it.
This also comes with a caution, do not feed them more than twice or maybe thrice in a week.
Conclusion – Can Hamsters Eat Cashews?
Now that we have answered the question, and hamsters can eat cashews, feel free to feed them this, as they would love it. Just keep in mind, that overfeeding is what can kill your hamster, not cashews.
Hamsters can eat cashews, and they love to do so as well. Stay away from the flavored and fried and processed cashews, and stick to the natural and unflavored ones.
Just don’t forget the limit set according to the size and breed of the hamster, being a pet owner is a responsibility, so with that being said, we conclude this article.