No doubt watermelon is one of the sweet and refreshing fruits to have on a hot summer day. It is full of different essential nutrients and your pet will be keen to try out watermelon. But, can hamsters eat watermelon?
The answer is a big yes! They are perfectly safe for your furry hamsters as long as you serve them as a snack only. Not only will it benefit your pet’s health, but he or she would also love to have it as a sweet and refreshing treat on a hot summer day.
To be honest, your hamster would love you for this as it will keep him fresh and hydrated. They are active little creatures and hence, require a decent amount of nutrients to be in their best shape and stay lively.
Watermelon And Hamsters: Pros And Cons
Watermelon is rich in a number of nutrients. Experts recommend adding a small portion of watermelon to your hamster’s daily meal to provide them with all the energy they need.
But there is a catch. Make sure you feed them no more than once or twice per week. Overfeeding can cause problems that no pet owner would want. Continue reading to find out more about watermelon and hamsters.
1) Is Watermelon Safe For Your Hamster?
If you are wondering whether watermelon is safe for your hamster friend or not, the simple answer is YES.
Watermelon is completely safe for your furry friend and you don’t have to panic if your pet hamster eats some watermelon. But, make sure you feed your little furry friend watermelon in a limited amount.
When feeding your pet watermelon, you should remember that it is very high in sugar so make sure you feed them in moderation. Or else the sweet and refreshing treat can cause trouble for your hamster friend.
Too much sugar can cause digestion and gas issues. It can also lead to excessive diarrhea and vomiting which will put your pet in severe discomfort.
To avoid all this, you need to keep your pet’s diet balanced. In addition to this, you can feed them pellets as a supplement. Keep in mind, you should never make fruits as their major meal or main diet.
2) Is Watermelon Healthy For Hamsters?
In short, Yes! They are very healthy for your pet hamster.
Watermelon is considered a very nutritious and juicy fruit. They contain almost 90% percent water which will allow your furry hamster to stay hydrated throughout the day.
Surprisingly, they are also low in calories and have a significant amount of vitamin C. So don’t forget to add watermelon to your hamster’s diet.
Additionally, you can feed your pet hamster the rind part of watermelon as well. They also contain healthy nutrients which are necessary for your pet.
But that’s not all, let’s jump into the detailed information about watermelons. There are many questions that pet owners have in mind, make sure you read the entire post so you do not miss out on anything.
3) Can Hamsters Eat Dried Watermelon?
The answer is yes, you can feed your hamster dried watermelon. But there is a catch, dried watermelon can get sticky.
If your pet friend has a thing of hiding away leftovers in their cheek pouches, it will lead to bad oral health and may make your pet smell.
To be on the safe side, what you can do is give it a try and feed them a very small portion of dried watermelon. Then see how your pet friend responds to it.
Just keep in mind that you can only feed them once in a while and not too often to avoid bad oral health.
4) Can Hamsters Have The Juice Of Watermelon?
The answer is BIG NO, you cannot give your furry hamster friends the juice of a watermelon.
It is not healthy for your pet as it contains a high amount of sugar. As you might know, it is bad for your pet’s health. This can cause diarrhea and diabetes in your hamster.
5) Can Hamsters Eat The Seeds Of Watermelon?
The answer is no, hamsters cannot eat the seeds of watermelon. This is due to the fact that they are hard and cannot be chewed easily.
Make sure to remove the seeds from the fruit prior to feeding it to your furry friend. The seeds of watermelon are not toxic to your pet. But still, it is better to keep them away from the seeds as they can cause them to choke.
Our recommendation: It would be best if you buy a seedless watermelon for your little furry friend.
6) What Is The Correct Amount Of Watermelon You Can Feed Your Hamsters?
The ideal amount that is considered safe for your pet hamster is roughly about 1 to 2 tbs of watermelon. This goes for any other fruit as well.
Keep in mind, this is based on every five pounds of the body weight of your hamster.
In addition to this, you should only serve watermelon once or twice a week. Anything more than this will be considered overfeeding and we strictly do not recommend that.
To be on the safer side, do not exceed this limit. Watermelon has a high concentration of sugar which can take a toll on your pet hamster’s health.
Irrespective of what you are feeding to your hamster, always feed them in moderation and never exceed the recommended amount.
7) How To Feed Watermelon To Your Hamster Friend?
There are certain steps that you need to follow whenever you are feeding something new such as watermelon to your pet hamster.
The first thing that you need to do is to make sure you are holding your pet in your arms. In simpler terms, pick them up and hold them. This will make the bond between you two stronger.
Besides, it will also help your pet socialize better.
While feeding new watermelon to your hamster, start with a small amount. When your pet is done eating keep an eye on them for some time.
This will allow you to determine whether your pet likes the newly introduced treat or not. In addition, it will also give you a better perspective on whether watermelon causes any adverse effects or not.
Fun Fact: It is useless if you are serving them a lot. When given in a large amount, they will just ignore it.
Prior to feeding watermelon to your pet, don’t forget to properly wash it thoroughly. This will make them safe for your pet hamster by removing pesticides and other harmful chemicals lingering on the fruit.
For a better experience and giving your pet a new and unique taste, you can mix things up. Mix it with other tasty treats like pumpkin seeds, carrots, and cabbages.
These types of treats are loved by your hamster as long as you are serving them in a limited amount.
8) How To Choose And Prepare Watermelon For Your Hamster?
The first thing you have to note here is that always try to choose the appropriate watermelon. Remember that the watermelon should be ripe. Avoid unripe watermelons because they are not good for your hamster.
A ripe watermelon is composed of 90% water as compared to the unripe ones
After choosing the correct watermelon, what you have to do is to properly wash the outer rind thoroughly. This will make sure it does not contain any toxic chemicals. It is best to choose an organic one.
The next thing you have to do is to chop the watermelon into slices. It should be given only in a limited amount to avoid complications. If you are too generous, your pet may be exposed to poor health.
Finally, you need to ensure you only feed them the white part of the rind and the red flesh.
9) What Is The Correct Diet To Give Your Hamster?
You may be thinking about the correct and healthy diet for your furry friend. Hamsters are strictly herbivores. For this very reason, they love having a go at green veggies and fruits as well as cereals.
These will provide them all the necessary nutrients to ensure they live a long happy life. Fun fact, your pet mostly likes cereals in their diet. Make sure you feed them plenty as part of a balanced diet.
The Ideal Diet:
In addition, to keep your pet’s diet balanced, you can also feed them bone fruits. These include nuts and hazelnuts.
Their healthy diet must contain the following:
- Carrots
- Celery
- Salad
- Unlimited supply to clean fresh water
- Cooked eggs.
You also need to make sure to look after the health of their teeth as well. Provide them small pieces of snacks or hay in order to keep their teeth healthy and trim.
Chew Sticks:
Your furry friend loves grinding its teeth. So, make sure to buy some chew sticks for them. This will allow your pet to maintain its teeth.
One thing you have to keep in mind is that never feed them human food and excess sugary food. These are harmful to your hamsters and can make your pet prone to develop diabetes.
Nutritional Facts Of Watermelon
Watermelon is full of essential nutrients and antioxidants. Considering their nutritional values, they can be very healthy for your furry friend. In fact, it is a perfect treat in the summer season for your pets.
Following are the nutritional content of watermelon. Keep in mind these are per 100 gram serving of watermelon.
| Dietary fiber – 0.4 g | Sugars – 6.2 g | Vitamin E – 0.05 mg | Vitamin K – 0.1 µg | Folate – 3 µg |
| Energy – 30 kcal | Protein – 0.61 g | Magnesium – 10 mg | Total lipid (fat) – 0.15 g | Carbs – 7.55 g |
| Zeaxanthin – 8 µg | Lycopene – 4532 µg | Calcium – 7 mg | Phosphorus – 11 mg | Iron – 0.24 mg |
| Vitamin C – 8.1 mg | Vitamin B-6 – 0.045 mg | Vitamin A – 28 µg | Lutein – 8 µg | Potassium – 112 mg |
| Sodium – 1 mg |
You can see from the chart above that the number of calories and proteins in watermelon is very low. But, this is only true for us humans.
For your hamster friend, they are perfect. Watermelons have just the right amount of vitamin C and carbs for your pet to safely benefit from them.
Both vitamin C and carbs are essential for the development of your pet’s body to ensure they stay in the best shape.
11 Health Benefits Of Feeding Hamsters Watermelon
Watermelon has many health benefits for your pet hamster. Here are some nutrients that your pet can benefit from when fed watermelon as part of a balanced diet.
1) Zinc:
Watermelon is an excellent means of nutrition and has a significant amount of zinc. It is great for the treatment of diarrhea.
In addition to this, it can also lead to a boost in overall immunity and prevents your pet from suffering from chronic diseases.
2) Potassium:
Potassium essentially regulates the blood pressure of your furry pet. There is none to a very slim risk of having high blood pressure in your hamster.
3) Vitamin B6:
As part of a balanced diet, it promotes relaxation, better sleep, and leads to a happier mood. You read that one right!
This vitamin can improve sleep quality, reduce stress, and promotes the production of the hormone of happiness the “serotonin”. Know more about serotonin here.
4) Vitamin A:
This vitamin has a number of beneficial effects. It can help improve the health of the brain, skin, heart, lungs, kidneys, and eyes.
It also makes the immune system stronger. A stronger immune system will prevent different diseases.
5) Vitamin C:
It is one of the most crucial requirements for any pet’s diet. The rind part of a watermelon is an excellent means of vitamin C. It can lead to a boost in the overall health and well-being of your furry friend.
Keep in mind, your pet should have vitamin C as part of a balanced diet. Or else, it will lead to a deficiency of this vitamin, which can cause a disease called “scurvy”.
If you want to know more about this disease? You can check it here.
6) Citrulline:
Citrulline belongs to the amino acid family and is of significant importance in your pet’s heart health. It helps maintain healthy blood vessels and the heart. It also improves the flow of blood and strengthens the immune system.
7) Iron:
Iron is a mineral that is crucial for improving the health of the blood. The whole organism will likely be prone to any health problems if his or her blood is strong and healthy.
It prevents fatigue and weakness. Most importantly, it prevents anemia and strengthens the overall immunity of your pet hamster.
8) Calcium:
It is a known fact that calcium helps in the development of strong bones. However, if taken in excess amount, it can put your pet in severe discomfort. It can harm the urinary tract of your pet if overfed.
Fortunately, watermelon rind contains a small amount of calcium so you do not have to worry about the excess of calcium.
9) Riboflavin:
It is also referred to as the B2 vitamin. It helps improve the flow of oxygen in the body. A regulated flow of oxygen in your pet’s body is very important to ensure your pet stays active and lively.
This also helps in the breaking of ingested food and allows your pet’s body to efficiently convert it into energy.
10) Flavonoids:
They are pigments present in plants that can reduce the risk of many health complications. These include cancer, heart diseases, and stroke.
In addition to this, they are beneficial for the health of the brain as well.
11) Lycopene:
It is an antioxidant that can significantly lower the risk of your pet suffering from certain cancers. It is also proven to be beneficial when it comes to improving cardiovascular health.
Can Hamsters Eat Watermelon? 2 Risks To Consider
We know that watermelons are full of different vitamins, but you should also know that they are full of water and sugar as well. It might not seem harmful at first but if overfed, it can lead to many health complications.
Avoid giving your hamster too much watermelon. Strictly speaking, you should never use watermelon as an alternative to freshwater.
1) Diabetes:
Due to the high concentration of sugar in it, there is a chance of diabetes in your hamster. However, this is only true if given too much.
Your furry hamsters are different from humans. They are very sensitive regarding sugar as compared to us. This is why you need to give extra attention to your pet’s diet portions.
2) Digestive Complications:
The amount that may seem small for us will be too much for your pet. It can cause damage to their digestive system leading to diarrhea.
It is suggested to buy organic watermelon if possible. They are most likely free from different toxic chemicals and pesticides. If not, it is recommended that you carefully and thoroughly wash them before feeding them.
Doing this will wash away all the dirt and harmful chemicals which are not good for your pet’s health.
Another thing you should keep in your mind is that never feed your pet rotten fruits. You don’t like eating rotten fruits yourself, the same goes for your pet as well. Makes sense, right?
They don’t taste good and can put your pet in ultimate discomfort and lead to digestive complications.
Moreover, whenever you are feeding them something new, first make sure to feed them in small quantities. Then keep an eye on your pet to see how it responds to it and make sure there are no adverse effects.
If you notice anything unusual, stop the new treat. If you do not see any adverse effects, you can continue giving them new treats but in small quantities.
40 Other Healthy Foods You Can Feed Your Hamster
Your little furry hamster friends love to have variety like Blueberries, Strawberries, and many more in their daily diet. Especially if they are a combination of fresh veggies and fruits.
You don’t have to worry because you have a number of options to choose from. You can include or mix anything from the list.
| Basil | Bibb lettuce | Butter lettuce | Cabbage | Cucumbers |
| Cilantro | Carrots | Radish tops | Brussels sprouts | Endive |
| Dandelion greens | Escarole | Yu Choy | Parsley | Carrot tops |
| Spinach | Beets | Beet greens | Bok choy | Swiss chard |
| Romaine lettuce | Kale | Celery | Grapes | Fennel |
| Arugula | Red cabbage | Broccoli | Bell peppers | Pumpkin |
| Cilantro | Pineapples | Melons | Bananas | Asparagus |
| Squash | Butter squash | Zucchini |
Do not try to overfeed them as some of these contain oxalates which can cause kidney or bladder stones. While some contain a high amount of sugar which can cause diabetes and diarrhea sometimes.
Make sure to rotate these treats and try different combinations. Notice your hamster which treats he like the most. You have a huge variety you can choose from.
Frequently Asked Questions
1) Can Watermelon Make My Hamster Sick?
The answer is unfortunately yes. Too much of anything can make your hamster sick and the same goes for watermelon as well.
It contains a high concentration of sugar and too much of which can lead to diarrhea and vomiting sometimes.
Make sure you feed them only the recommended amount and not more than that in order to have a long healthy life for your hamster.
2) Can Hamsters Eat A Whole Watermelon?
The simple answer is no, your hamster simply cannot eat a whole watermelon.
It is way too much for these little furry animals. Moreover, too much watermelon means too much sugar. As mentioned earlier, it is very harmful to your friends.
You can only feed them half a cup of watermelon. But, make sure to cut it into small pieces prior to feeding them.
If you give it to them, they will eat a lot of it because they do not know when to stop eating and watermelon will be very tasty for them.
Therefore, it is very important to minimize their serving portions prior to serving watermelon.
3) Can Hamsters Eat Watermelon Every Day?
The answer is no, do not feed your hamster a watermelon every day. You can feed them in very small quantity not more than two to three times a week at max.
Remember to feed them occasionally just as a snack nothing else.
Hence, in short, you cannot feed them watermelon daily due to its high concentration in sugar. This can cause some serious damage to the health of your pet.
Also, before feeding them, make sure you wash the watermelon properly. This will allow you to remove any impurities and harmful chemicals. Remove seeds as well as they can cause them to choke.
Key Takeaways:
- Always remember to select only the ripe watermelon and feed them in the recommended amount.
- Wash them properly. This will wash away all the pesticides and harmful chemicals and more importantly, dirt.
- You can feed your hamster chopped rind as well. Chopped will allow them to chew it easily.
- Even the red flesh part can be a treat for them.
- Lastly, make sure that every new treat you feed your pet, including watermelon, is served in small quantities.
Can Hamsters Eat Watermelon?: Conclusion:
Can hamsters eat watermelon? The answer is Yes, hamsters can eat watermelon. But they can only eat this fruit in a small amount. It will be an interesting snack for your little hamster as long as it is given in moderation.
It will provide your pet friend with many health benefits that lead to an overall improvement in the immunity of your pet friend. The nutrients in watermelon will also lower the risk of your pet suffering from cancers.
Keep in mind, you should only feed them the recommended amount of watermelon or you will be risking your pet’s health. It contains a high concentration of sugar which can lead to diabetes.