Can Hamsters Eat Peanuts

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can hamsters eat peanuts

When you choose to have a hamster as a pet, you need to think about many issues. Issues like what food should you give him, where should you keep he pet or how many times a day it needs food. A very important question that arises when you have to choose its diet is: Can hamsters eat peanuts? The answer is yes, peanuts are great for its diet and health. Why? We are going to tell you all you need to know about peanuts and how to introduce this food in your pet’s diet.

Related Read : The Best Hamster Cages

can hamsters eat peanuts

Can Hamsters Eat Peanuts – The Benefits

As a matter of fact, almost every kind of nut (except bitter almond) is good for your hamster. Why are nuts so good for your hamster’s diet? Nuts contain low saturated fats and no cholesterol, which is very good for your pet’s health. The main concern when you think about feeding nuts to your hamster is that they contain a high amount of fats, but fats can be of two kinds: saturated and unsaturated. We can find saturated fats in meat or cheese, the foods that are responsible for the accumulation of bad cholesterol. But nuts also contain low saturated fats that can do good to your hamster and will not harm its health.

What Kind Of Peanuts Are Good For Hamsters

You can give your hamsters peanuts as long as they are not salted. Small amounts of peanuts or walnuts are always recommended. You can keep their shells on because it will be a great activity for them to get to the inner part of the nuts. Of course, if it is a nut that has a hard shell, you can crack it and let them do the rest. They will enjoy this activity and they will have a big surprise in the end.

Sweet Almonds Are Also A Great Choice

If you’re thinking about giving your hamster a new kind of nuts, almonds are definitely a great choice. Sweet almonds are perfect for them because the bitter ones contain cyanide that can easily kill your hamster. When you decide to introduce almonds in your pet’s diet, make sure that they are organic. The non-organic ones can contain chemicals that will harm your hamster’s health.

Caution: In every package of sweet almonds you can also find some bitter ones because the U.S. Department of Agriculture allows for every package of sweet almonds to contain up to 1% bitter almonds. How can you know if it is a sweet almond or a bitter one? Examine them before giving them to your hamster. If it doesn’t have the perfect shape, it’s a bitter one. If you want to get rid of the skin, soak them in hot water for about 15 minutes and when it cools, take the skin off.

The right amount of almonds for a small hamster is half an almond per day, but if you have a medium or large hamster, you can give it a whole almond per day.

Large Amounts: Definitely Not

As any food that you give to your hamster in large amounts, nuts can be dangerous too. If you give the hamster a large quantity of almonds, it can kill your pet because these nuts contain cyanide. If you choose to give it large amounts of peanuts, your hamster will be intoxicated by the aflatoxin in these nuts. Try not to give your hamster a large amount of nuts because it can become deadly. Make sure to always maintain a balance between its meals in order to have a nutritious diet that won’t make the pet sick. Thus, the best thing to do is to give your hamster peanuts occasionally as a treat.

Why Hamsters Need Fresh Food?

Even if they have everything they need in the hamster’s food mix, from proteins to fibers, hamsters enjoy fresh food also because of its great taste. But you can only offer them fresh food with moderation because in large amounts, the food can harm the hamsters health and make them sick. Try to make a change every once in a while in their diet, but make sure that the food you choose to give is good for them and will not make them feel sick. So, remember: fresh food is a great idea, but just in small amounts.

Take care of your little furry friend and make sure that you check everything that the pet eats before you administrate it. Peanuts, walnuts and almonds are a great snack for hamsters if you give them in small amounts and not very often. Also, make sure that they are organic and not full of chemicals and toxins. Share your affection for your hamster by taking good care of it and feed it with the food that your pet needs in order to be healthy.

 

 

References:

http://www.smallanimalchannel.com/hamsters/hamster-diet/what-hamsters-should-not-eat.aspx

http://www.hammysworld.com/index.php?p=nuts

http://animals.mom.me/hamsters-almonds-1239.html

 

 

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