Cilantro, or coriander, is one of the essential greens both for humans and animals. It carries many essential nutrients and can have a wide number of benefits both for humans and animals. Talking of animals, what about hamsters? Can hamsters eat Cilantro? Let’s find out.
Can Hamsters Eat Cilantro?
Yes! Hamsters can safely eat cilantro. It is absolutely safe for them as long as you keep the seed and root parts away. Cilantro will provide your pet friend with multiple beneficial nutrients such as Vitamin C and other antioxidants.
However, just like any other food, you need to keep the serving size small and not too frequent.
While cilantro is not toxic to your pet friend, there is a downside to it. It is acidic in nature, and if consumed in higher amounts, it can make your pet significantly sick. Due to this, you need to feed your hamster only a small amount.
Continue reading to find out more about how beneficial cilantro is for your pet friend and how much is safe for a hamster.
Do Hamsters Like Cilantro?
Do hamsters like cilantro? Well, there is no straight answer to this. It comes down to your hamster and its preference for food. Some hamsters will munch on cilantro no matter how many times or how large a serving you feed them.
Whereas some hamsters will turn their heads away or run in the opposite direction when you feed them cilantro. To find out if your hamster likes eating cilantro, you can start by giving him or her a small leaf.
Then, if your hamster enjoys the zing of cilantro, you can add it to your pet’s diet. However, if your hamster does not like eating it, you’re better off feeding it other herbs.
Nutritional Facts Of Cilantro
Cilantro is a highly nutritious herb that can benefit your pet friend in a number of ways. It contains multiple vitamins, antioxidants and other healthy nutrients. Here’s an insight into the nutritional facts of cilantro.
As you can see from the table above, cilantro has a high concentration of nutrients in them. However, do not let this distract you from the fact that you can only feed your pet a small amount of cilantro.
Serving your pet large servings can make your pet sick. More on this is discussed in the latter part of this article.
7 Major Health Benefits Of Cilantro For Hamsters:
Cilantro can be significantly beneficial for hamsters. Here are some of the major benefits your pet will receive from cilantro.
Supports healthy growth
Cilantro comprises multiple vitamins that allow you to meet your hamster’s vitamin requirements. This ensures and supports the healthy physical growth of your pet hamster. It also aids in improving the cardiovascular health of your furry friend.
Supports better eye health
Cilantro contains a high concentration of vitamin A. It is known to support better eye health and improves the overall vision of your pet hamster. So, if your pet is having eye problems and has difficulty seeing, cilantro can be a great addition to its diet!
Improves the immunity of your pet
Cilantro is a good source of vitamin C. It improves the overall immunity of your pet hamster and provides an increased level of protection against harmful diseases.
When you provide your pet with cilantro as part of a regular diet, it will ensure your pet stays healthy and energetic. Additionally, it also lowers the chances of your pet suffering from scurvy, which is deadly and a common hamster disease.
Supports healthy cholesterol levels
Due to the variance in your hamster diet, your pet may be exposed to the risks of high cholesterol. Since cilantro has a decent amount of dietary fibers, it ensures balanced cholesterol levels and helps maintain them.
Helps deal with constipation
The fiber content of cilantro also helps prevent or provide relief from constipation and other digestive issues. So, if your pet is suffering from constipation, feeding him/her cilantro can alleviate the symptoms.
Helps reduce the body fat of your pet
When served as part of a balanced diet, cilantro can help melt down those body fats of your hamster.
Eliminates free radicals from your pet’s body
The antioxidant content of cilantro helps reduce the number of free radicals in hamsters. Antioxidants effectively remove harmful particles such as pathogens and bacteria from your pet’s body by killing or deactivating them.
Potential Risks Of Cilantro For Hamsters:
Cilantro is undoubtedly healthy for hamsters. However, the same herb can become a hazard for your pet if you overfeed them. Here are some health concerns associated with feeding excess cilantro to your pet.
May lead to kidney and bladder stones
Cilantro contains over 67 mg of calcium in it. It may not be much for us, but for hamsters, it is a big number.
If overfed, it may lead to the production of stones in the kidneys and bladder of your hamster. It is a very unpleasant and painful experience for hamsters and must be avoided at all costs.
It May create digestive issues
If overfed, cilantro will expose your pet to a high-fiber diet. This will lead to stomach complications and will put your pet in discomfort. It may also lead to diarrhea which drains the energy levels of your pet and wears them out.
Is It Recommended To Feed Cilantro To Hamsters?
Absolutely yes! As long as you feed cilantro to your hamster in small quantities, there is nothing that can go wrong. It contains a high concentration of vitamins, antioxidants, and other minerals that will keep your pet healthy and active.
However, you should know that some hamsters may be allergic to cilantro and may suffer from physical irritations like itching. Due to this, it is wise to keep an eye on your pet and see how it reacts to cilantro when you serve them for the first time.
How Much Cilantro Is Good For Hamsters?
When it comes to how much cilantro is good for hamsters, it depends on the size and weight of your pet. Generally, an adult hamster can safely munch on 10 to 12 springs of cilantro, along with the stem part.
On the contrary, young and newborn hamsters should not have cilantro at all. This is because they have a delicate stomach, and a slight imbalance in their diets can lead to health complications.
A detailed guide to the serving size of cilantro is mentioned as follows.
Hamsters That Can Eat Cilantro:
Dwarf hamsters
These include Russian, Chinese, and Campbell hamsters. Dwarf hamsters are the smallest breeds of hamsters; therefore, their serving size is also the smallest.
One small earpiece of a cilantro leaf is enough for them, and anything more than this will make them sick. In addition, they are more likely to suffer from diabetes which is why you should keep their serving size minimal.
Robo hamsters
Robo hamsters, are bigger than dwarf hamsters but smaller than Syrian hamsters. They can have one earpiece of cilantro every 15 days or, simply put, twice a month.
Syrian Hamsters
Syrian hamsters are the largest breeds of hamsters. Since they have a bigger physical body, they can consume larger quantities with ease.
Syrian hamsters can eat one tiny earpiece of cilantro once a week or up to 4 times a month, split into equal intervals. It is more than enough for them to receive the benefits of cilantro.
Keep in mind, when introducing your hamster to herbs like cilantro for the first time, you need to watch out for adverse reactions. If you see any adverse reactions in the upcoming 10 – 12 hours, you should stop feeding them cilantro. However, if you do not see any reactions, you can safely make cilantro a part of your pet’s diet.
Can Hamsters Eat Cilantro Seeds?
Unfortunately no. Hamsters cannot eat cilantro seeds as they carry little to no nutritional benefits for your furry friend. In addition, there is no information backed by professional vets as to whether hamsters can eat cilantro seeds.
So, it is best to avoid cilantro seeds altogether.
Do Hamsters Like Cilantro Seeds?
Do hamsters like cilantro seeds? Similar to whether or not they will like cilantro, the same is the case with cilantro seeds. If you let your hamster have a go at cilantro seeds, he or she will most probably start nibbling on them.
But since there is no credible information backed by vets regarding cilantro seeds, you should avoid feeding them to your pet.
Are Cilantro Seeds Nutritious?
If you’re worried your pet may miss out on nutrition from cilantro seeds, here’s an insight into their nutritional facts.
As you can see, the nutritional values of cilantro seeds are very minimal apart from potassium. There are other healthy alternatives to this, which are safe and beneficial for your hamsters. These are mentioned in the latter part of this article.
Can Hamster Eat Cilantro Flowers?
The short answer to this is, yes! Hamsters can safely eat cilantro flowers. In fact, your hamster may even like cilantro flowers more than the leaves part. Just remember that similar to cilantro leaves, you need to feed them the flower part in small quantities as well.
Excess of anything is bad for hamsters and the same goes for cilantro flower. Another thing that you need to remember is that you need to wash the cilantro leaves prior to feeding them to your pet. This will help remove any pesticide residue from them, thus making them safe for your hamster.
Steps To Serve Cilantro To Hamsters:
Unfortunately, you can just grab cilantro leaves and put them in your pet’s food bowl. Here are some steps that you need to take to serve cilantro to hamsters.
Other Herbs That Hamsters Can Eat:
There are plenty of herbs that hamsters can eat. As you might already know, hamsters are omnivores, and they generally have a go at any greens they find in the wild. However, when it comes to domestic hamsters, there options are limited since they do not have access to the wild or nature.
Here are some herbs that are considered safe for your hamsters. Keep in mind, like any other food, you need to keep the serving sizes small and wash the herbs before feeding them to your pet.
There are plenty of other options that you can consider. This list is just to get you started and give you ideas of snacks for your furry one.
Frequently Asked Questions
Are Hamsters Allergic To Cilantro?
Generally, hamsters are not allergic to cilantro. Although it is highly unlikely, in some rare cases, they might develop allergies such as itching when introduced to cilantro for the first time.
This is primarily because hamsters have a very sensitive stomach. Feeding them veggies and fruits for the first time may require certain precautions as they may suffer from adverse reactions. In the case of cilantro, they may suffer from itchiness and diarrhea. If you notice any such reactions, you should keep your pet away from cilantro.
Are Hamsters Allergic To Cilantro?
Generally, hamsters are not allergic to cilantro. Although it is highly unlikely, in some rare cases, they might develop allergies such as itching when introduced to cilantro for the first time.
This is primarily because hamsters have a very sensitive stomach. Feeding them veggies and fruits for the first time may require certain precautions as they may suffer from adverse reactions. In the case of cilantro, they may suffer from itchiness and diarrhea. If you notice any such reactions, you should keep your pet away from cilantro.
Can Hamsters Eat Cilantro Daily?
Unfortunately no. Hamsters cannot eat cilantro daily. You can only feed them weekly, biweekly, or once a month, based on the size, age, and weight of your hamster.
Feeding your pet cilantro daily is not a wise decision. This is because not following the recommended serving size will expose your pet to risks that no pet owner wants.
You need to keep your pet’s diet varied by feeding him/her different fruits and vegetables and try keeping the diet balanced. This will ensure your pet is receiving all of the nutrients it needs to live a healthy, energetic, and disease-free life.
Conclusion – Can Hamsters Eat Cilantro?
Can hamsters eat cilantro? Yes, the can! Cilantro is significantly beneficial to them and can lead to health benefits like improved immunity, improved eyesight, better physical growth and so much more. But, this is only true if you keep their serving sizes small.
You can feed your hamster the leaves and the flower part of cilantro. Just make sure you wash them prior to serving and never feed them in excess, as it will make your pet sick. In addition, you also need to avoid the seed part of cilantro as they carry little to no nutritional benefits for your pet.