Hamsters are small, adorable creatures that can be great companions. They are also known for their love of food, and there are a number of different things you can feed them.
Walnuts are a popular item on the list of hamster-approved foods, but is it safe to give them to your furry friend?
Let’s take a closer look at the nutritional value of walnuts and whether they are safe for hamsters to eat.
can hamsters eat walnuts? Walnuts are a healthy and safe treat for hamsters. They can be enjoyed raw or whole, but the outer shell should not enter their digestive tract because it is toxic to them. If you are looking for a healthy and tasty snack that your hamster will love, try giving them some raw or roasted walnuts.
Are Walnuts Healthy for hamsters?
Walnuts, like most nuts, are a great source of protein and fat. These little guys also provide you with other essentials such as minerals that your body needs to stay healthy!
A 1-ounce serving contains the following, per Healthline:.
- 18.5 grams of fat
- 4.3 grams of protein
- 1.9 grams of fiber
- And a wide range of other good minerals, vitamins, antioxidants, and other good nutrition.
There is a perception that walnuts and nuts in general are hazardous to some tiny animals and pets.
That’s because mold can form on uncooked nuts that have fallen from a tree and have just been left on the ground for a period of time.
In particular, Penicillium, Aspergillus, as well as Alternaria fungi are to blame for the condition. When nuts are ripe, their shells often split, allowing insects to get inside and feast on the nut’s meat.
Buying from a store and making sure your nuts have been stored correctly, are in date, and are safe to feed to your animals is fine.
If they seem nice enough to eat, then your hamster pals will enjoy them, too.
What Other Nuts Are Good for hamsters?
Hamsters love eating lots and variety in their diet, which is why it’s so important to provide them with healthy snacks. Nuts are an awesome source of protein!
They also happen to be another of hamsters’ favorites- he’ll never let you down when his stomach starts rumbling (or barking?)
The great thing about feeding your pet hamster nuts as part of its daily routine? There isn’t anything better than giving him something that was just grown by YOU.
What other types do these little guys prefer? Well if I had to tell ya…
Pistachios –The health advantages of pistachios can be found in this article.
Hazelnuts– One of my personal favorites, and one that is great for Hamsters.
Cashews – To learn more about the health benefits of cashews, go here.
Pine Nuts – Although they’re not the most popular type of nut, they’re excellent for raising Hamsters (read more here).
Legumes, NUTS, AND SEEDS
Seeds marked with an asterisk (*) can be fed dry and can be used to supplement the daily diet. For every 1 TABLESPOON of commercial food fed, you can feed a total of 12 TEASPOON of [any combination of] the asterisk-marked seeds. It is recommended to feed at least 2 or 3 seeds in combination (as opposed to feeding just 1 type).
Seeds marked with 2 asterisks (**) can be added to the daily diet in addition to the 1-asterisk seeds. It is safe to feed a 1/2 teaspoon of 1-asterisk seeds +7 flaxseeds +10 sesame seeds +1 safflower seed +2 sunflower seeds all at once.
A total of 2-4 nuts per month can be fed. The serving sizes given assume that that nut is the only one being offered that month.
All nuts and seeds should be unflavored and unsalted.
| Food | Syrian | Robo | Winter White | Campbell's | Chinese | Serving Size | Feeding Recommendation |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Pecans | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | 1 nut | Once every 1-2 weeks |
| Hazelnuts | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | 1 nut | 1 nut |
| Cashews | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | 1 nut | Once every 1-2 weeks |
| Peanuts | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | 1 nut | Once every 1-2 weeks |
| Chickpeas | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | 1 nut | weekly |
| Lentils | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | 3-5 lentils | Daily |
| Brazil Nuts | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | 1 nut | Once every 1-2 weeks |
| *Millet | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | [See above] | Daily |
| **Hemp seeds | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | 7- 10 seeds | Daily |
| **Flaxseeds | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | 7- 10 seeds | Daily |
| **Chia seeds | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | 7- 10 seeds | Daily |
| **Safflower seeds | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | 1- 2 seeds | Daily |
| **Sunflower seeds | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | 2- 5 seeds | Daily |
| **Sesame seeds | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | 7- 10 seeds | Daily |
| Pistachios | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | 1 nut | Once every 1-2 weeks |
| Soynuts / Soybeans | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | 1 seed | 2 times a week |
| Pumpkin seeds | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | 1 seed | 2-3 times a week |
| Squash seeds | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | 1 seed | 2-3 times a week |
| Walnuts | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | 1 nut | Once every 1-2 weeks |
| Almonds(sweets, skinless)) | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | 1 nut | Once every 1-2 weeks |
| peas(sugar snap/ snow) | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | 1/2 - 1 teaspoon | Every 1 - 2 days |
| Mung beans | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | 2-5 beans | Daily |
| *Buckwheat groats | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | [See above] | Daily |
| *Milo | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | [See above] | Daily |
| *Quinoa | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | [See above] | Daily |
| *Barley | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | [See above] | Daily |
| * Canary grass seed | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | [See above] | Daily |
| *Wheat berries | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | [See above] | Daily |
| *Rye berries | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | [See above] | Daily |
| *Spelt | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | [See above] | Daily |
| *Rice | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | [See above] | Daily |
| *Oat groats | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | [See above] | Daily |
How to Feed Walnuts (and other nuts) to hamsters.
If you want to give your hamsters nuts, make sure they’re not salted or seasoned.
If so just give them a wash and she should be fine! It’s also important that we remove any shells before feeding the nut butter as well because sometimes hamsters can have issues with their digestive system when eating things like this (although very rare).
To begin, cracking open the walnut shell on your own is preferable to leaving it to the hamsters, who may or may not be able to do it.
Only give your gigantic hamster one walnut a week as a treat.
Conclusion: can hamsters eat walnuts?
Walnut is a safe nut for hamsters to eat, but they may not like the taste. Hamsters can eat raw walnuts as well as whole walnuts, but they will not like to eat the outer shell of the nut.
If your hamster does not seem to be interested in eating walnuts, you can try mixing them into their food or giving them a small piece of fruit or vegetable along with the nut.
