Can hamsters eat arugula? Arugula is a leafy green and fragrant vegetable having a spicy taste. It is a highly nutritious food mostly used as a salad by diet-conscious human beings.
It has several nutrients, like vitamins C, K, and B, which are necessary to strengthen the immune system and maintain a healthy lifestyle. As a pet owner, you might think, “can hamsters eat arugula?” Does it offer the same benefits to hamsters as to humans?
The answer to this question Can hamsters eat arugula? Yes, hamsters can eat arugula safely. Arugula contains essential vitamins and minerals that benefit your furry friend.
But it would be best to feed arugula to hamsters in a controlled portion as overfeeding can cause digestive issues in your pet because they have sensitive stomachs.
The following is a complete guide that answers the question, can hamsters eat arugula? Let’s get a closer look.
Is Arugula Safe for Hamsters?
Can hamsters eat arugula? Hamsters have delicate digestive systems, so foods with high sugar, water, and acid might be dangerous to hamsters. So, be careful about different options for food while feeding your little hammy.
Arugula provides numerous health benefits to hamsters. It is useful to improve the bone health of hamsters, strengthen muscles, promote the number of white blood cells, and improve red blood cell oxidation in hamsters.
Leafy greens are rich in necessary vitamins, minerals, and essential antioxidants that can be a healthy treat for your hammy.
Green vegetables reduce the chances of heart disease, improve the immune system, and help hamsters stay healthy by maintaining their organ’s health.
Arugula provides an efficient amount of water so it can prevent the chances of dehydration in hamsters. It also improves blood circulation, which is beneficial for hamsters’ respiratory systems.
However, overfeeding arugula to hamsters might cause digestive problems like upset stomach, bloating, and vomiting.
How Often Can a Hamster Eat Arugula?
The amount of arugula fed to hamsters depends on their age and breed. Dwarf hamsters cannot have arugula because of its spicy taste and excessive water, which can cause bloating.
So you can give them dried arugula or arugula seeds to avoid side effects. At the same time, Syrian and other breeds of hamsters can have a moderate amount of arugula to get all those benefits, as mentioned earlier.
Do You Know?
Hamsters can eat a variety of foods, and we have researched lots of them. Check out this One: Can Hamsters Eat Honey?
So, giving them the third part of the arugula leaf once a week or every two weeks is good. You can avoid giving hamsters too much water if they have an arugula to reduce the chances of bloating in hamsters.
Arugula, like dried arugula, arugula seeds, stems, and arugula leaves, is not recommended for a baby hamster.
That’s because they have tiny stomachs, and they can have serious digestive problems. In such cases, you should go for healthy alternatives like small pieces of carrots.
Health Benefits of Arugula to Hamsters
Can hamsters eat arugula? Is this vegetable beneficial for your furry friend?
Arugula vegetable belongs to the family of spinach and kale and has a strong spicy taste which almost everyone loves.
It contains numerous vitamins and minerals like vitamins C, A, and K, magnesium, calcium, and folate. The healthy nutrients in arugula and their health benefits are the following:
Vitamin A: Vitamin A in arugula is a powerful antioxidant, quite beneficial for the heart, kidneys, skin, eyes, vision, and lung health of hamsters.
The antioxidants help to remove the free radicals from the body and therefore strengthen the immune system of hamsters.
Vitamin C: Arugula has vitamin C, perfect for hamsters’ vision and skin. It also helps them keep their fur healthy and shiny.
Vitamin K: The good amount of vitamin K in arugula is great for regulating bone metabolism and enhancing the properties of the blood clotting system.
Folate: Arugula also contains folate, which increases the number of red blood cells and white blood cells in your hammy’s bone marrow. Besides, it also strengthens your hamster’s body to have DNA and RNA.
Calcium: Calcium in arugula is good for the bone health of hamsters. It also strengthens the hamster’s muscles, nerves, and heart to perform efficiently.
Magnesium: the amount of magnesium in arugula helps to make hamsters’ bones strong.
Final Thoughts
Can hamsters eat arugula? All types of hamsters require healthy food to perform efficiently.
Arugula is packed with rich nutrients and minerals, providing various health advantages to hamsters if fed in a minimal amount and correctly. However, adding arugula to hamsters’ daily diet is not recommended to avoid all the digestion issues.