Cheerios are a fun and wholesome breakfast cereal popular amongst both children and adults, available in different varieties. As a cereal made from wholegrain, cheerios can help lower your cholesterol and reduce your risk of heart disease. So, you may be thinking about whether they would be a useful addition to your hamster’s diet.
The answer to this important question is, in short – yes, hamsters can eat original cheerios which are oat-based and plain, rather than those which are honey or chocolate for example.
Read on to get the health information about cheerios and find out whether or not it’s a good fit for your hamster.
Contents
Cheerio Nutrition Information
A 27 gram portion of cheerios will give you roughly the following amounts of vitamins, minerals, and other compounds:
- 1.4 grams total fat
- 172 milligrams sodium
- 75.9 milligrams potassium
- 23 grams carbohydrate
- 1.7 grams dietary fibre
- 9 grams sugar
- 1.5 grams protein
- 10 percent vitamin a
- 9 percent calcium
- 10 percent vitamin d
- 25 percent cobalamin
- 25 percent vitamin c
- 25 percent iron
- 25 percent vitamin b-6
- 3 percent magnesium
Cheerios contain a wide variety of nutrients and minerals which are suitable for a human diet, but the question remains over how good they are for your hamster.
How Many Cheerios Can You Give a Hamster
Original cheerios, although good for humans, should only be given to hamsters as a treat. You should also avoid any cheerios that are different flavors, as the high sugar content could cause your hamster health concerns.
How Often Should You Give Your Hamster Cheerios
One or two of the plain cheerios are more than enough for your hamster during the week. However, while your hamster can eat cheerios as an occasional treat, you should replace these treats with other healthier alternatives. Your small companion would just as much prefer vegetables that are low in sugar as a treat. If you definitely feel the need to share with your furry friend, you should not be making cheerios a staple of their diet.
What Risks Are Associated With Giving Your Hamster Cheerios
Cheerios are high in salt, sugar, and cholesterol, and the flavored cheerios could be harmful for your furry friend, even outright killing your hamster. Furthermore, the high sugar content can lead to tooth decay and obesity, which could lead to other health conditions. Similarly, high cholesterol could cause heart disease and organ failure.
One word of caution is to check with your vet if your hamster can cope with the high levels of sugar in cheerios. For example, dwarf hamsters are one of the smaller species of hamster, and therefore their diets should be more closely monitored. Dwarf hamsters are more prone to diabetes than other species of hamster, and all that stress can’t be worth it on your small companion.
A Final Thoughts On Can Hamsters Eat Cheerios
While cheerios are not necessarily bad for your hamster companion, you should always be mindful what you are feeding your pet, and whether it is necessary.
