Can Hamsters Eat Cranberries?

Cranberries are a popular snack that many people use at Thanksgiving. So, how about giving your hamsters some cranberries if you have any at home? Because they are such wonderful animals, hamsters would adore eating a variety of different things. So, can you feed cranberries to the hamsters?

To briefly answer this, yes, it is possible to feed cranberries to the hamsters. However, not all hamsters can eat the cranberries, and only Syrian and Robo hamsters can feed on them. So, in this article we will be taking you through the number of Cranberries you can feed the hamsters, the benefits and the health risks it may result in etc.

What are Cranberries?

Cranberries are a delicious fruit that you can commonly spot across the world. In fact, you can make cranberries into juice, sauce, jam, etc. They have a sour taste as well as a bitter taste. Yet the hamsters would love the cranberries’ flavor a lot. Some people tend to use cranberries to make cocktails as well. It is noteworthy that North America and the United States are renowned for the highest production of cranberries.

Nutrient value of cranberries

If we consider 100 grams of raw, unsweetened cranberries, they would contain 46 calories. Furthermore, it would contain 87% water. In addition to that, it would contain 0.4 g of protein and 12.2 g of carbs as well. Finally, 100 g of raw, unsweetened cranberries contain 4 g of sugar, 4.6 g of fiber, and 0.1 g of fat.

Health benefits of nutrients which are found in cranberries

If we dive into the health benefits of feeding cranberries to the hamsters, they would be quite crucial for the digestive activities in the hamsters. Cranberries usually contain dietary fiber, which is an essential item for indigestion. So, cranberries would help the hamsters maintain their gut health. Furthermore, it would facilitate nutrient absorption in the hamsters. More importantly, fiber would help the hamsters  overcome constipation and diarrhea, too. They would do that by regulating the water in the intestine and by enhancing the bowel movements.

Secondly, it would play a great part in boosting the immunity of the hamsters too. Cranberries contain Vitamin C as well. Vitamin C is an antioxidant, which would aid in enhancing the immunity of the hamsters. Thirdly, cranberries would be crucial for the hamsters to regulate their blood pressure too. Cranberries usually contain high levels of polyphenols, which would positively impact the hamster’s blood pressure.

Not only that, but it would also help them prevent any potential cardiovascular risk too. Lastly, it would be quite useful in managing the blood sugar levels as well. There are antioxidants contained in cranberries that would help the hamsters battle cancer. There are phytonutrients also included in cranberries, which would be quite useful for the hamsters to live a healthy life.

A special mention should be made of the antioxidant properties contained in the cranberries, as they would be excellent for cleaning out the liver. Furthermore, they would play a major role in removing the toxins that may arise from eating unhealthy diets. The high potassium contents of cranberries would be crucial for the hamsters’ bone strength. Potassium is a mineral that is helpful to avoid the potential occurrence of osteoporosis.

In addition to the benefits mentioned above, cranberries contain some essential nutrients that would aid the hamsters’ vision. Lastly, cranberries can prevent any urinary tract infections that your hamster may suffer from too. It is quite common to spot urinary tract infections among the hamsters. Furthermore, they may turn out to be hazardous as well. So, make sure that you provide the right meals to help them prevent this condition.

Health risks (disadvantages) of cranberries

Clearly, serving cranberries to the hamsters has health benefits. However, if you happen to feed too many cranberries, chances are that it will pave the way for diabetes among the hamsters. Hamsters are usually prone to diabetes.

So, if you happen to feed them too many cranberries, it would increase the potential for the occurrence of diabetes. It is noteworthy that you should avoid feeding cranberries to Russian Campbell dwarfs, Winter White dwarfs, and Chinese hamsters, as they simply cannot eat cranberries. They simply cannot handle the sugar levels in the cranberries.

In addition to the aforesaid health-related risks of overconsumption of cranberries, hamsters may suffer from obesity and stomach problems as well. Obesity would be a troublesome condition for the hamsters as it would ultimately result in cardiovascular diseases. As a result, you should only use this as a treat on occasion. Cranberries are somewhat acidic. So, unsurprisingly, if the hamsters tend to eat so many cranberries, it would have a bad impact on the lining of their stomach walls. Ultimately, it would be difficult for the hamsters to absorb the nutrients from the food.

Can hamsters eat cranberries leaves?

No, hamsters cannot eat cranberry leaves. In fact, cranberry leaves usually have a very bitter taste. So, hamsters would not opt to feed them as they may just not like the taste of them.

Can hamsters eat cranberry stem?

No, hamsters cannot eat the cranberry stem either. In fact, it is not appropriate for the hamsters. On top of that, it doesn’t contain any beneficial compounds either.

Can hamsters eat Cranberries with skin?

Hamsters can eat Cranberries with skin. However when you feed those, you need to ascertain the fact that you wash it properly so that it would remove whatever the chemical added on to its skin.

Can hamsters eat cranberries tops?

Hamsters can only consume the fruit of the cranberry plant; they are unable to consume the cranberry tops. Although they can consume the seeds, it is preferable to remove them to lower their intake of fat.

Can hamsters eat cranberries Plant?

No, hamsters cannot eat cranberry plants. They only eat cranberry fruit.

Can hamsters eat cranberries seeds?

The short answer is that hamsters can consume cranberry seeds. In fact, cranberry seeds are very soft, and hamsters would digest those quite easily. That being said, cranberries contain omega 3 and 6. Those are fatty acids that are not suitable for hamsters. Hence, always serve cranberries in moderate quantities only.

Can baby hamsters eat Cranberries?

If someone is uncertain whether you can serve cranberries for the baby hamsters, yes, it is possible to feed the baby hamsters with cranberries. However, always keep in mind that you should feed cranberries in very limited quantities.  Once a month, you should feed them a piece of fruit.

It is vital that baby hamsters gain a proper diet, as only then can they grow vigorously and healthily. However, I recommend you consider feeding veggies and not cranberries, as cranberries contain some sugar. I urge you to use this as an occasional treat.

Read also : Can Hamsters Eat Strawberries?

Can hamsters drink cranberries Jam?

I don’t recommend giving the hamsters Cranberries jam. Usually, cranberry jam is processed in a way where all the nutrients are removed. Not only that, but there will be more sugar added to this as well. The purpose of adding sugar is to make them tastier. In fact, the added sugar will act as a preservative for the jam. Not surprisingly, excess sugar levels would cause diabetes and obesity.

Can hamsters drink cranberries juice?

It is best to avoid providing cranberry juice for the hamsters. That being said, if you can make cranberry juice on your own, you can consider feeding those. However, I suggest you avoid purchasing cranberry juice, especially from the markets, as it is very likely that it may contain added sugar. If you can make your own cranberry juice, I recommend using a dropper to feed those. However, feed them only two to three drops of cranberry juice. Don’t exceed those limits, as then it would turn out to be harmful.

Can hamster eat dried cranberries?

No, it is not good to serve dried cranberries to the hamsters. Usually, dried cranberries are sweeter when compared with fresh cranberries. So, avoid feeding them with those. However, if you really wish to provide dried cranberries, you can provide only a very small quantity of them. In addition to that ensure that you do it once in a while and not regularly. If you stick to these guidelines, it would not be harmful for the hamsters.

Can hamsters eat canned cranberries?

It is a no to this question as the canned cranberries may have certain preservatives, such as sugar, in them. These elements are harmful for the wellbeing of the hamsters. It would badly impact the hamster’s digestive system in particular. As such, I don’t recommend feeding canned cranberries at all to your beloved hamsters.

Can hamsters eat frozen Cranberries?

Yes, you can feed frozen cranberries to your hamsters as long as you defrost them first. So, to do that, you need to ideally take them out of the refrigerator and leave them out for a few minutes. Once you leave it at room temperature, it will lose its stiffness. Do not ever try to feed frozen cranberries directly, as that may result in health-related issues.

Can hamsters eat cranberry sauce?

No, hamsters cannot eat cranberry sauce. Cranberry sauce is a processed item, and it is very unlikely that it contains a lot of nutrients. In addition to the low levels of nutrients, they would contain added sugar, which is an unhealthy factor for the hamsters. In a nutshell, cranberry sauce is not suitable for hamsters.

Few things to consider when you feed cranberries

The first thing you should keep in mind is to feed cranberries in limited amounts. Further, keep in mind to avoid feeding the cranberries to Chinese, Russian, and winter white hamsters at all. Moreover, hamsters can only eat the berries and don’t prefer to consume the leaves or the stems of the plants. That said, they can eat the cranberry seeds. However, I recommend that you avoid serving cranberry seeds in order to reduce the hamsters’ fat intake.

If at all possible, choose organic cranberries to help reduce the possibility of chemical or pesticide poisoning in the hamsters. Hamsters are small, and they cannot cope with the chemicals. Therefore, I suggest you wash the cranberries, no matter if they are organic or not.

To feed them, you can ideally cut the cranberries in half and then remove their seeds. Thereafter, you can place one or two cranberries in their food bowl and then serve the hamsters. Ensure that you remove their food bowls after a couple of hours so that it will prevent them from eating more. Furthermore, it would not attract any flies.

How should you serve cranberries to your Hamster?

To help lower the possibility of pesticides and other toxins being present, choose an organic cranberry. It’s crucial to remove these substances from your hamster’s food because of how weak their body is. Even if the berry is organic, wash it thoroughly. Then remove the seed by halving the berry. Next to serving our hamster, put one or two cranberries in a bowl. To avoid overeating and attracting flies, take out the bowl after a couple of hours. Give your hamster cranberries no more than once every week.

How many cranberries to serve at a time?

It would vary depending on the hamsters’ species. If we consider a Syrian hamster, it would be best to serve them one or two cranberries once in a while. On the other hand, you need to refrain from feeding cranberries at all to the dwarf hamsters. So, before providing cranberries, you need to know, ideally, what hamster breed you have and then feed them as appropriate.

Are cranberries toxic to hamsters?

It’s a no for this question. Cranberries are not toxic to the hamsters. In fact, it would be safe for them as long as you fed them in moderate quantities. There could be some hamsters who are toxic to cranberries. However, it will be a rare occurrence. If you are uncertain, you can keep observing them for about 24 hours once you feed them cranberries. If you can spot any sign of discomfort, ensure that you immediately stop feeding them.

Bottom line

To recap, it is okay to feed cranberries in moderate quantities to the hamsters. However, make sure that you provide that only as an occasional treat and not as their regular treat. Try sharing cranberries with hamsters during Thanksgiving and incorporating them into your festivities.

On that note, keep in mind that you should never provide cranberries for Chinese, Russian Campbell, or winter white hamsters. Furthermore, avoid offering dried or canned cranberries, as they contain much higher levels of sugar. I trust you were able to improve your knowledge on feeding cranberries to the hamsters after reading this article.