Celery can be considered a fairly divisive vegetable. Some people consider it tasteless and bland, but others love the juicy crunch it provides, even when paired with some sort of dip, such as peanut butter or ranch dressing. If you’re in the celery fan club, you may find yourself wanting to share a stick or two with your pet.
But can you share your celery with your hamster? The answer is an emphatic yes!
As it turns out, celery is a very popular hamster treat with a host of health benefits for your furry friend! But like all tasty snacks, there are some things to consider before you serve it up.
Read on to get the health information about celery and find out if it’s a good fit for your hamster.
Contents
Celery Nutrition Information
An entire cup of chopped raw celery will give you roughly the following amounts of vitamins, minerals, and other compounds:
- 2 calories
- 5 g carbohydrates
- 6 g fiber
- .7 g protein
- .2 g fat
- 9 mcg vitamin K
- 453 iu vitamin A
- 263 mg potassium
- 5 mcg folate
- 1 mg vitamin C
- mg vitamin B6
- mg manganese
- 4 mg calcium
- mg magnesium
- .1 mg riboflavin
- 24 mg phosphorus
It’s interesting that a vegetable with such a low taste profile would provide such a wealth of nutrients.
How Much Celery Can You Give a Hamster?
The amount of celery that you can safely give a hamster is largely dependent on the hamster’s age. Baby hamsters should not eat any celery at all. Baby hamsters should be consuming their mother’s milk. Adult hamsters can safely chow down on about one-quarter of a teaspoon of chopped celery. Syrian hamsters, being slightly larger than other breeds of hamster, can eat slightly larger portions, but should be kept an eye on.
How Often Should You Give Your Hamster Celery?
You can give your hamster celery to eat as often as it would like, but it’s important to balance Fluffy’s diet with typical hamster fare, as too much fresh food – like celery – may cause stomach upset. When first introducing celery into your hamster’s food rotation, keep an eye on them for a day or so to make sure no tummy troubles, such as diarrhea or indigestion, occur.
How Should You Prepare Celery for Your Hamster?
Roughly chopped celery pieces are ideal for your hamster to munch on, as the strings on a whole stalk or stick pose a choking hazard. Leaves are also fine, but serve sparingly. Of course, it is important to thoroughly wash the celery before you serve it, and to serve it without the tasty dips or dressings that humans like.
A Final Word On Can Hamsters Have Celery
Celery can be a good source of vitamins and minerals for both people and animals. But when it comes to hamsters, it’s good to use a cautious approach when offering Hammy fresh veggies. This can be done by only using small portions in accordance with the needs of your hamster breed or the recommendations of your vet.
If you take all of the necessary factors into consideration, you and Fluffy can be well on your way to sharing a delicious and healthy snack.
