When it comes to getting the first pet for the family, hamsters are the popular choice. When compared with other common household pets like cats or dogs; hamsters have carved their own niche in everyone’s hearts.
They are very interactive creatures and are nocturnal pets, well known for adapting to the family members’ way of life. Hamsters are omnivorous and love to eat up vegetables, fruits, and sometimes insects.
When looking for the best foods for your hamster, a common question that comes up is: can hamsters eat cucumbers? It is a good source of fiber and nutrients for human beings; however, is it the same for hamsters? Cucumbers make an excellent addition to a hamster’s diet for plenty of reasons.
Read this before you start feeding cucumber to your hamster.
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Why Are They Good for Hamsters?
Hamsters can sometimes get dehydrated as they do not favor taking plain water. As cucumber is filled with 95% of water content, feeding it regularly to your hamster keeps them healthy and hydrated for a long time, even throughout their whole life.
There is also a significant amount of fiber in cucumber. Fiber helps to keep the hamster’s digestive tract in good shape. Cucumbers are full of essential nutrients which can maintain a strong immune system.
Some of the essential nutrients present in cucumber, which improves the hamster’s health, are Magnesium, Vitamin K and A, Silica, and Potassium. Cucumbers can also help fight cancer as they are filled with such vital nutrients.
Also, there is no need to fear weight issues. You don’t have to fret about your hamster gaining weight and becoming obese or getting unhealthy because of overeating cucumber. This is because cucumbers are very low in calories, and it’s a total win-win situation.
What to Keep in Mind While Feeding Them Cucumbers?
Though cucumbers are very healthy snacks for the hamsters, you must know how to offer them the right way to avoid causing any danger.
Firstly, hamsters are these tiny creatures that do not need anything more than a small cucumber piece to get all the benefits of the nutrients.
So, you should make sure that you are not feeding too much quantity for one meal. It can lead to your hamster experiencing frequent urination and loose stools, which will naturally flush out the consumed nutrients prematurely from their body.
Secondly, the cucumber skin can sometimes cause the danger of choking when you offer bigger pieces to the hamsters, especially to the small ones without teeth. So you must peel the cucumbers and cut them into tiny and thin pieces before feeding them to your hamsters.
Different Parts of Cucumber to Feed Them
There are various parts in a cucumber, namely, the skin, seeds, and pulp. While discussing whether hamsters can eat cucumbers, you must also learn which parts of the cucumber you can feed and which ones you shouldn’t.
Though many of us are huge fans of cucumber juice and used to drinking it, cucumber in liquid form is not great for hamsters. During the juicing process, most of the vital nutrients in the cucumber will be lost. So, the hamster would just be consuming some liquid, which they are not fond of.
Alternatively, you can feed them cucumber seeds without second thoughts as they are small enough to eat.
Different Ways to Feed Them
Before you start feeding them cucumber, you have to come up with a schedule. The hamster will not need more than one or two slices of cucumber a week. Two good-sized pieces of cucumber are enough for them to gain all the nutrients from the vegetable.
Cut down thin slices of cucumber for them to bite on or small chunks to swallow down. Instead of merely offering it to them, you can feed them in other ways to increase their physical activity and have fun at the same time.
For example, you can make cucumber balls using a melon scooper to scrape out a little from the skin. You can use it as a meal and a toy to keep your hamster busy in its habitat. Or you can make cucumber soup by mixing a spoon of crushed or diced cucumber and a tablespoon of yogurt.
Cucumbers make an excellent addition to a hamster’s diet. As cucumbers contain a high nutritional profile and water content, it is a superfood to feed your hamsters from time to time. But make sure to offer them other vegetables and fruits to maintain a balanced diet and help them lead a healthy life.
Hopefully, with this guide, you will be able to answer if someone asked, “can hamsters eat cucumbers?”