It is important to look into what a hamster can and can’t eat. This is mainly because certain foods that are beneficial and healthy for you as a human, such as celery, could have negative health consequences on your furry friend. Hamsters have a very short life span, and not feeding them appropriately can make it even shorter by them getting diabetes or any other illness due to a bad diet. Because of this, it is of high importance that you feed your hamster appropriately, to ensure them having the longest life they possibly can.
Can Hamsters Eat Oats
In small amounts, and about a few times a week, hamsters are just fine eating oats. It might be safer for your pet if you give them flaky oats, as the whole oats could possibly injure them because of the rather sharp edges. If you want to make it into miniature hamster porridge, you can add a teaspoon of hot water, just wait for it to cool down before you give it to them.
Oats Nutritional Information
Generally, oats are known to be one of the healthiest foods you can eat, as a human. For hamsters, they are also very much acceptable and on the “allowed” list of foods they can eat, however, they do contain some acidic content. Because of this, adding too many oats in their diet will eventually make your hamster sick. Don’t forget, it is also important to keep an eye out for no added flavors or additives if you are feeding your pet hamster oats.
Can Hamsters Eat Flaxseeds
It is not advised for hamsters to eat flaxseeds for a number of reasons. Firstly, if we look at the nutritional information, flaxseeds contain a lot of phosphorus, acidic content, and some sugar. None of these elements are advised in large quantities for hamsters, so it is better to stay away from them. Generally, it is not advised for hamsters to eat any kind of seeds, as these usually contain quite some fat (it is the same case with flaxseeds), which is bad for your hamster.
Conclusion
To summarize, feeding your hamster flaky oats in tiny amounts and with no added flavors won’t have any negative health effects. However, it might be the best to stay away from experimenting too much, as too many oats can be harmful due to the acidic content. Flaxseeds are also a no-go, as they have large amount of phosphorus, acidic content, and sugar. Generally, seeds have fat in them, which shouldn’t go near your hamster.
