Can Hamsters Eat Oats and Oatmeal?

Hamsters are recognized for being little rodents that can have many snacks and people love feeding their hamsters as they tend to nibble little snacks in funny ways. However, due to their small shape and unique body, it would be wise to feed them only with recommended foods that are not harmful to them, and this proves to be rather tricky as there are almost endless possibilities out there. Today we will discover whether feeding your hamster oats and oatmeal is ideal or if it is a dangerous option.

CAN HAMSTERS EAT OATS AND OATMEALS?

Yes, hamsters are capable of eating rolled oats and oatmeal without any further issues, which is good as they can come with many benefits. However, it would be wise to avoid any kind of whole oats as they can have some sharp edges that are capable of injuring your pet, just as it does with humans who are careless.

Also, it is ideal for hamsters that the oat or oatmeal does not have any extra added ingredients, try to search for natural options. Now, let’s discover how much frequency hamsters should eat these foods to avoid overfeeding them.

HOW MANY OATS AND OATMEALS SHOULD HAMSTERS EAT?

As it was said before, these options are good for rodents as they are an excellent source of nutrients, but these pets in particular should not eat a lot of oats or oatmeal by any measure as they contain high pantothenic acid and phosphorous levels that could be harmful to their bodies in high levels of consumption.

High levels of these previously mentioned nutrients can cause many health issues and dangerous symptoms to your pet such as diarrhea, cramping, irritability, and even death if they are overfed.

As an owner, you should always look for plain rolled oats or even quick oats also, search for natural options that do not come with any extra salt, preservatives, or even sugar as they are also extremely dangerous for pets such as hamsters due to their unique biology and tiny bodies.

Finally, be sure to provide them with extremely small amounts as they tend to ignore their limits of consumption and if you leave a whole package to them, they will eat everything as soon as possible, even if that causes problems for their bodies.

What It is Recommended to Do?

You should provide less than a teaspoon per day or even limit the ration to a fingernail-sized ration two or three times per week, especially for small breeds. On the other hand, larger breeds like Syrians can eat a little more but do not neglect the measures or bad things that could happen.

Thankfully, they seem to know how to consume these foods without any issues, but just like it was said at the beginning, avoid those foods that have sharp edges as hamsters could receive serious damage inside their bodies if they do not consume it well, so it would be better to stay safe and avoid serious complications, especially with fragile animals such as these rodents.