Can Hamsters Eat Pistachios? What Vets Recommend

In addition to eating their regular food, hamsters enjoy gorging on a variety of delicious treats. It would be so much fun for us to watch them eating those snacks as well. You may choose carrots and broccoli as their regular treats. However, if you are looking for some yummy snacks, how about feeding some pistachios to your beloved hamsters? Keep in mind that not all the food we consume is appropriate for the hamsters to consume.

As such, if you are introducing something new to hamsters, you need to make sure that you first check whether it is safe for them and then feed it to them. So, if you are doubtful whether it is safe for you to offer pistachios for the hamsters, yes, it is completely safe for you to provide those. However, you need to make sure that they are unsalted and unsweetened as well.

What are Pistachios?

Pistachios are a type of cashew, which anybody would find a delicious food item. Iran is renowned for having the highest production of pistachios. Having said that, people all over the world grow them too. Humans prefer to eat them in fresh, roasted, and salted forms as well. It is noteworthy that you can make ice cream and chocolate from pistachios too. In simple words, pistachios are a delicious and versatile nut type.

The nutrient value of pistachios

If we consider a 1-ounce serving of pistachios, it would usually contain about 159 calories. In addition to that, it will further contain 5.72 grams of protein, 7.7 grams of carbs, 12.85 grams of fat, and 3 grams of fiber as well. Pistachios are low in cholesterol. They are also high in vitamins and minerals. For example, they usually comprise manganese, phosphorus, copper, and vitamin B6. Not only that, pistachios have plenty of potassium content too.

Health benefits of nutrients which are found in pistachios

Pistachios are rich in fiber, vitamin B6, antioxidants, and potassium. This means pistachios would provide so much nourishment for the hamsters. If we look at them in detail, the fiber contents of the pistachios would improve bowel movements. Furthermore, it would help the hamsters to have a healthy gut too. Vitamin B6 is useful for the hamsters to have healthy blood cells, skin, and nerves too. Furthermore, antioxidants play a major role in battling radicals that would damage healthy cells. For example, it would protect the hamsters from contracting diseases such as cancer. Pistachios’ fiber contents further aid the hamsters’ digestive systems.

Moreover, pistachios are rich in potassium. Those potassium contents would give the hamsters the necessary nutrition to have proper bone and muscle growth. Additionally, pistachios come with vitamin B too. Vitamin B would keep the hamsters energized throughout the day. Furthermore, the protein contents of the pistachios would provide so much power for the hamsters as well. In other words, it would help the hamsters grow healthily and vigorously.

Health risks (disadvantages) of pistachios

Even though pistachios bring so many health-related benefits to hamsters, they would also affect them negatively. However, it is noteworthy that hamsters will come across these hazardous conditions if they get only excess pistachios.

For example, if hamsters were given an abundance of pistachios, they would become obese. Pistachios have high fat contents, which would lead to this condition. Aside from that, if you give the hamsters too many pistachios, they will become constipated. Furthermore, there’s a chance that hamsters may suffocate if you accidentally give them large pistachios. This is a common occurrence, especially with dwarf hamsters. Furthermore, if hamsters are overfed with pistachios alone, they will not eat the rest of the food. Ultimately, it would result in a nutrient imbalance in the hamsters’ bodies. Furthermore, it would cause dietary problems as well.

Can hamsters eat pistachios in the shell?

Hamsters cannot eat pistachios in their shells. Hamsters have sharp teeth, but they will not be able to grind them and eat the pistachios. Pistachio shells are somewhat tough, so avoid feeding pistachios in their shells. If you do so, it will result in choking hazards for the hamsters.

Can hamsters eat salted pistachios in the shell?

It is a NO to this question. You should never feed salted pistachios to the hamsters, and especially not the ones in the shells as well. Salted pistachios contain additional salt contents, and they would be unhealthy for the hamster’s overall health.

Can hamsters eat salted pistachios?

As aforesaid, you should never give salted pistachios to hamsters. They have added salt content, which would be harmful to the hamsters.

Do hamsters like Pistachios?

Yes, hamsters are big fans of the pistachio’s smell and taste as well. If we look at the hamsters in the wild, they just love eating pistachios, which are available for them there. Without a doubt, pistachios are a healthy nut. Hamsters will love the texture and flavor of the pistachios. Above all, when you provide pistachios in moderate quantities, it would help them gain numerous health benefits as well.

Can hamsters eat roasted salted pistachios?

Yes, certainly you can let the hamsters eat roasted pistachios, but not salted roasted pistachios. The added salt contents would turn out to be hazardous for the hamsters. If you end up feeding roasted salted pistachios to your hamsters, it is likely that they will develop vascular and heart disease. Furthermore, it can reduce the hamsters’ lifespans too.

Can Hamsters eat sweetened Pistachios?

Sweetened pistachios are not suitable for the hamsters to consume. Sweetened pistachios have sugar and some other additives that would badly impact the hamster’s health. Hence, it would be best to avoid providing them to your beloved hamsters.

Read also : Can Hamsters Eat Peanuts?

Can Hamsters eat Pistachio ice cream?

No, you should never offer pistachio ice cream to the hamsters. Pistachio ice cream has so much sugar and other flavors contained in it that it would be harmful to the hamsters.

Can hamsters eat dried pistachios?

If you are sure that dried pistachios don’t contain any of the additives or salt, it is okay to offer them at moderate levels. Having said that, you should never feed them excessively. In terms of the right levels, you need to serve them just one little piece of dried pistachios once a week.

Few things to consider when you feed pistachios

When feeding pistachios to hamsters, I recommend bringing the food as close to the hamsters as possible. Once you offer these treats, you can make it a chance to strengthen the relationship you have between the hamsters and you.

Furthermore, when you first introduce pistachios, make sure that you only give them a small amount. Thereafter, observe whether they like eating pistachios or not. Don’t provide too many pistachios, as if they don’t like them, it will be useless. Further, the hamsters may also tend to store the excess food in their pouches, which would result in unnecessary problems for their well-being.

Moreover, when you serve pistachios, check whether they are all clean. Ideally, you need to ensure that they don’t contain any of the chemical compounds when offering them to the hamsters. If, by any chance, you end up feeding and chemically treating pistachios, it would result in so many unnecessary problems for the hamster’s overall well-being. Keep in mind that you should serve this as part of their regular diet. However, you need to make sure that you still provide them with veggies such as cabbage, carrots, and even pumpkin seeds.

If you wish to try feeding pistachios to your hamsters, you first need to talk to the vet. They will determine the appropriate amount to feed the hamster based on its breed and size. Generally, the vet doctor will recommend you start feeding with one fourth of a cup of pistachios for any hamster breed. Thereafter, you need to keep monitoring the hamsters for another 48 hours. Check to see if they have any allergic reactions or gastrointestinal problems.

I recommend you go ahead with natural pistachios for hamsters that don’t contain any salt or any other seasoning. Don’t forget to keep feeding them their usual pelleted food, too. Next, you can offer pistachios as a yummy snack for them. Once you follow these steps, it will make sure that they gain all the nutrients they require.

How should you serve pistachios to your hamster?

As previously stated, only natural pistachios should be served. They should not contain any seasoning or spices, either.

Before starting, make sure to wash the nut. This removes any compounds that the nut may have had on it to protect it while it was growing. Pesticides can be unhealthy for your hamster.

How often can a hamster eat pistachios?

The frequency with which to feed pistachios would vary depending on the hamster’s breed. Pistachios are rich in calories, and due to that, you should not include them in your regular diet. To further elaborate, you can consider pistachios as a treat only and not as part of a regular diet. If we consider the Syrian hamsters, you can consider feeding them pistachios more frequently as they are a larger hamster breed when compared with the other regular hamster breeds.

How many pistachios at a time?

The hamster’s breed is what determines the number of pistachios you should provide for them. To elaborate, if you have Syrian or Robo hamsters, you should consider feeding them 1-2 pistachio nuts per week. On the other hand, if you have a Campbell dwarf hamster, you need to provide about one pistachio per week. These are small hamsters.

Furthermore, their digestive system is more delicate. Furthermore, if you have Chinese dwarf hamsters or winter white dwarf hamsters, I recommend you serve about one pistachio once every ten days. Moreover, I recommend you check with the vet doctor before you feed them pistachios.

Are pistachios toxic to hamsters?

Pistachios are not toxic for hamsters, and they are completely safe for them. That being said, you should never overfeed pistachios to the hamsters. If you supply Pistachios in excess, their high fat content and cholesterol levels are likely to negatively impact them.

However, if you provide pistachios at moderate levels, it is unlikely that your hamsters will have to go through these kinds of issues. If you happen to provide pistachios in abundance, it will cause bloating, stomach upsets, and digestive-related issues. Not only that, but it would further cause diarrhea and constipation as well.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)

Can Robo hamsters eat pistachios?

Yes, as aforesaid, robo-hamsters can eat pistachios without issue. However, feeding them at the right levels is the key factor here.

Robos can’t eat as many pistachios because they are tiny than Syrians. Every ten days or so, give them a pistachio. This shields their gastrointestinal system from the pistachio’s fat.

Can dwarf hamsters eat pistachio nuts?

Pistachios can occasionally be consumed by Winter White dwarf hamsters, Chinese hamsters, and Campbell dwarf hamsters. However, you should provide it for them on a regular basis. To be more precise, you can provide pistachio nuts once every two weeks for them.

Bottom line

Hamsters are big fans of trying out food that has different tastes and textures. So, considering that pistachios would be a fine option to provide for your beloved hamsters, However, Pistachio’s feeding frequency would vary depending on the hamster breed you have. On the other hand, do not ever think of replacing pistachios as a part of the regular diet of the hamsters. Instead, I recommend that you only use this as an occasional tasty snack.

However, if you are unsure whether your precious little furry friend will dislike this, you can always check with the vet. Thereafter, you can get their opinion and then act accordingly. Pistachios would be a fine treat for the hamsters as long as you offered them naturally.