Whenever you take some pineapples with your hamster friend close by, you keep asking yourself, Can hamsters eat pineapple? Well, this article has got a big yes for you. Hamsters can definitely share a juicy sweet pineapple fruit with you. They can also gain some health benefits from the fruit.
However, it is always advisable that you should always involve your vet before introducing human food to a pet. For more knowledge about benefits, disadvantages, and things to avoid while you’re feeding pineapples to your hamster, continue reading.
Pineapple Health benefits for your hamster
Fiber
The fiber in the pineapple will help in digestion by preventing constipation.
Manganese
Manganese helps maintenance and bone development, and it also plays a vital role in regulating blood sugar in the hamster system.
Vitamin C
Vitamin C will prevent your hamster from feeling fatigued and support its brain and muscle function.
Antioxidant
It eliminates radicals in the body that may cause heart diseases, cancer issues, and other issues that induce faster aging of your pet.
Disadvantages of serving excess pineapples to your hamster.
Obesity
Due to the high levels of sugars in the pineapple. Your hamster may suddenly start gaining weight, which might look cute at first, but after a while, it becomes dangerous for their health. They may develop some heart problems and other obesity-related health issues.
Stomach upset
Too much sugar causes bloating and other related digestive issues to your hamster. Pineapples’ acidity level is also too high; it may be too high to affect other nutrients essential to the body’s function.
Do You Know?
Hamsters can eat a variety of foods, we have researched lots of them. Check out this One: Can Hamsters Eat Kale?
Things to avoid when feeding pineapple fruit to your hamster friend.
Ripe pineapples are very sweet, which could be the main reason why your hamster will enjoy them as a snack. However, they have high sugar levels, leading to health issues like diabetes and obesity. As an owner of a hamster, it is advisable to introduce pineapples to hamsters in bits.
Please refrain from making it a regular food. Before you finally decide your hamster can eat pineapples, give them time to observe their reaction to the fruit. When feeding pineapples to a hamster, do not give them the pineapples skin or pineapple seeds. Such parts of the fruit are too rough, hard, or have sharp edges that are not good for your tiny pet.
They might cause discomfort by damaging the mouth, throat, or stomach lining. Digesting such meals also becomes a challenge for the little animal’s digestive system. Ensure the pineapple piece you give to your hamster is skin-free and smooth, hence making it easier for them to swallow.
Canned pineapples are also not good for your hamster pet. Such pineapples have been preserved with preservatives that have high volumes of sugars and salt that are dangerous to your hamster’s wellbeing. They can also cause stomach aches leading to diarrhea and other serious illnesses for your pet.
Adding sugar to pineapple before giving it to your pet is also not advisable. Pineapples already have their own natural sugar; adding more sugar does not turn it into a healthy fruit for your pet; it turns it into a toxic one. Give your hamster a fresh fleshy piece. It should not be bigger than their paw.
Do not overfeed the little guy all the time; they impress you with their little moves in their tiny cages. If your hamster has just joined the family, do not rush to introduce pineapples immediately. Find out what they used to feed the little guy before you adopted them.
Feed them the food they are used to alongside new small portions of the new diet. Pineapples should only be given to your hamster once a week. The size should equal the hamster’s paw, and it should not be fed on the same day as other sugary treats.
Are Pineapples Safe For Hamsters?
In conclusion, all of us who have heard an opportunity to have some pineapples agree they are very sweet fruits, and if a hamster can be able to enjoy it too, they should. However, they have to be served moderately due to high sugar levels. Having a chubby cute hamster going through a tough medical condition is no longer cute but sad.
