The question of whether hamsters are allowed to eat carrots, the answer is clearly yes. Because carrots are not only healthy for humans, but also for your hamster. But as with any food, there are also things to consider here, which you should take into account when feeding. What things are, you will learn here with us.

Should hamsters eat carrots?

The hamster is an herbivore and needs a balanced diet. This means for you that you offer your animal a diet that provides it with sufficient vitamins and minerals. With the carrots you have a food source at hand, which supports you perfectly in your project. However, it is important when feeding carrots that only a part of the daily diet may be eradicated.

The carrot has many healthy ingredients, mainly the vitamins of the B group and vitamin C are contained in high quantities. You have to be careful with the feeding amount. Although the carrot is a very hard vegetable at rest, it has a water content of 88 %. All foods with a high water content can cause diarrhea in a hamster, you must always keep this in mind.

How to feed the hamster the carrot?

We personally make sure that fruits and vegetables that we offer to an animal are always from controlled organic cultivation. If this is not possible, wash the carrot thoroughly with lukewarm water to remove as many pesticides as possible. Do not use hot water, because the heat opens the pores of the carrot and the pesticides can penetrate into the vegetable.

Ideally, you offer your hamster the carrots in slices. Here, the thickness of the carrot determines how thick the individual slice is. A slice should not be larger than your hamster's head and should be a maximum of 4-5 mm thick. If the diameter is much thinner, then of course you can cut a thicker piece. By the way, you do not need to remove the peel from the carrot, it contains important nutrients.

What do I need to consider when feeding carrots for the first time?

If you offer your hamster carrots for the first time, then you must observe exactly what the animal does with the vegetable. Especially young animals, which are not yet so trusting, have the urge to take their food in a protected place, so that they can not be observed. Here it is important for you to be attentive and pay close attention to what the hamster does with the carrot.

Often the carrots are brought by young animals into a hiding place and remain there. Therefore, you should check your hamster's food hiding places the next day so that no carrots can rot there. In principle, you should do this two to three times a week to remove any spoiled food from the hamster enclosure.

If your hamster has eaten the carrot, then you should observe him a little. Sometimes it can happen that the hamster gets abdominal pain and flatulence. For us humans difficult to recognize, but fortunately this is usually harmless for the animal itself. Only then, when your hamster sits apathetic over a longer period in the corner, you should visit a vet.

When feeding for the first time, you should ideally also feed a smaller portion. This way you can avoid possible incompatibilities more easily. If there are no abnormalities, you can increase the portion at the next feeding. You also have to observe if your hamster gets diarrhea. The high water content of the carrot can lead to this in rare cases.

How much carrots can a hamster eat?

Here, the amount depends on the size of your hamster. This should actually be self-evident, because a dwarf hamster needs significantly smaller amounts of food than a golden hamster. As described above, the amount of food should be adapted to the head size of your animal. The carrot slice should have a maximum size of the head diameter and a thickness of 4 to 5 mm.

With the dwarf hamster you can also take the head size as a guideline, but here you should reduce the thickness to 2-3 mm. If you see that your hamster takes carrots perfectly and tolerates them, then you can offer a second slice of the same thickness on days when no other vegetables are given.

In general, carrots should be given to the hamster in a food mix. That is, the carrot should be only a small part of the diet. It is important that the animal always has sufficient water and dry food available. The carrot can then be added to the normal food ration two to three times a week as a dietary supplement.

Are hamsters allowed to eat carrot greens?

Yes, even the carrot greens, may be eaten by the hamsters. Here, too, attention should be paid to the amount, because in this part of the plant is an even higher water content than in the carrot itself. In Germany, feeding carrot greens is not yet as common as in other countries. Here, hamster owners are only slowly coming to realize that it can be a good and useful addition to the diet.

What are the benefits of carrots for the hamster?

Carrots contain many vitamins and minerals. These ensure that the organism of your hamster functions well. We list the most important advantages here.

• Growth: Especially for young hamsters in the growth phase, the intake of magnesium and calcium is important to support the bone structure well. A deficiency of these two minerals can lead to weak bones.
• Teeth and gums: Through the hard carrots teeth are strengthened and shortened at the same time. This is important because the teeth in the hamster grow throughout life and must be ground down by the food. The vitamin C ensures that the gums are strong and so the teeth have a stable hold in the gums.
• Wound healing: Again, the vitamin C is an important factor to ensure good wound healing in your pet. Likewise, this vitamin is essential to strengthen the immune system.
• Energy metabolism: Vitamins B1, B2 and B6 ensure that your hamster has a good energy metabolism. This is essential to break down the energy from food that the body needs to survive.

How healthy are the carrots for the hamster?

Carrots have an extremely healthy mix of vitamins, minerals and also a good amount of fiber. The sugar content is low and so you can be sure that even dwarf hamster breeds do not run the risk of diabetes when consumed regularly. Here are the vitamins and minerals of the carrot per 100 g.

• Vitamin B1 69 µg
• Vitamin B2 53 µg
• Vitamin B6 0.27 mg
• Vitamin C 500 µg
• Vitamin E 46.5 µg
• Calcium 35 mg
• Iron 0.39 mg
• Magnesium 13 mg
• Phosphorus 36 mg
• Potassium 328 mg
• Zinc 0.27 mg

In addition to vitamins and minerals, the carrot also has a nutritional composition that is excellent for humans and animals. Again, the data per 100 g of carrots.

• Water 88.2 g
• Protein 0.98 g
• Carbohydrates 4.8 g
• Sugar 2.1 g
• Dietary fiber 3.6 g
• - Fat 0.2 g

Are hamsters allowed to eat carrots? - Conclusion

Carrots are a good and healthy food for a hamster and may be given one to three times a week without causing health problems. However, when giving food, you should pay close attention not to exceed the recommended amount. Thus, an animal will enjoy the carrots and stay healthy at the same time.