Are hamsters allowed to eat banana?

Bananas are popular fruits and are considered healthy.

But does this also apply when you feed it to your hamster?

Does the fruit contribute to health and a balanced diet or can it make your pet sick?

We will tell you the answer now!

In this article you will learn about the nutrients and nutritional value of bananas and how the fruit can enrich the diet. In addition, we show you what you need to pay attention to when feeding and when you should rather do without bananas.

Are hamsters allowed to eat banana?

Yes, hamsters are allowed to eat banana. However, you should only offer the fruit to your pet in small quantities and as a treat.

This is because the fruit contains fructose. Although this is healthier than refined industrial sugar, it can still lead to obesity and diabetes.

Why is banana healthy for hamsters?

Bananas are rich in vitamins and minerals. These include:

Vitamin C
vitamin B6
vitamin A
Vitamin K
Potassium
Calcium
Magnesium

It thus represents an enrichment for the diet of hamsters and is usually gladly accepted.

Another advantage is that it can be offered raw and fresh as well as dried chips.

Dried or dried chips have merit in that they have a longer shelf life. In addition, they help to wear down the teeth.

They do not spoil and therefore do not smear the bedding.

In addition, they do not attract insects in the summer, even if your hamster has them stored in his sleeping house.

However, the water content is very low. Therefore, the nutrients they contain are more concentrated in quantity. This is also true for the sugar they contain.

Bananas are not low in calories, but high in energy.

The calorie content can be traced back to the amount of sugar.

This passes quickly into the blood and thus provides energy quickly.

This is especially useful if your hamster is very thin and needs to gain some weight. The additional energy source can also be advisable for very active animals.

After illnesses and in case of dental problems you should offer fresh banana as a concentrated food. Because it is soft, it is easier to chew and can stimulate appetite.
Are there risks and disadvantages to feeding banana?

Yes, despite the greater amounts of vitamins and minerals, feeding bananas also has possible disadvantages and risks.

These are:

1: Development of obesity.

While banana is ideal for weak, sick and thin animals due to its high calorie content, it can also contribute to obesity.

This happens when you feed too much of the fruit.

2: Increased risk of diabetes

With obesity but also with too much sugar in the diet comes the risk for diabetes.

Again, frequency of feeding and quantity play crucial roles.

3: Sticky hamster pockets

Fresh fruit can cause adhesions to form in the mouth and hamster pockets.

These in turn can lead to inflammation and abscesses.

Therefore, make sure that fresh banana is always eaten directly.

4: Attracting insects

Especially in summer, the sweet smell of banana can attract insects. Ants but also flies, bees and wasps are possible dangers.

This is not only unpleasant for you, but a risk for your hamster.

Therefore, always remove leftovers immediately.

5: Spoilage and mold

Raw banana pieces can spoil within a few hours, especially at higher temperatures in summer or due to heating in winter.

In addition, mold can form.

So if your hamster does not eat the fruit promptly, but hides it in the sleeping house, for example, this can lead to health risks.

In addition, ingesting spoiled food can lead to digestive problems.

Diarrhea, flatulence and painful cramps are possible.

Tips for feeding banana

When, what quantities and how should banana be fed?

You will learn the answers below.

what can hamsters eat from banana?

You should only feed the pulp. The peel itself is also not poisonous, but it is usually injected. Residues of it can lead to poisoning in the small animals.

How can you offer banana to hamsters?

As already mentioned, you can offer the flesh raw, dried or dried.

With fresh pieces you should make sure that your animal eats the fruit immediately completely and does not store it up.

Therefore, it is ideal to use banana for luring or as a reward.

If it is a banana chip, you have significantly more options. So you can for example:

hide the dry banana in the hamster’s home
use an intelligence toy
lure with smaller pieces

Even hanging it up is a variant, if you put a hole in the slices beforehand.

how to accustom your hamster to banana feeding?

In order for your hamster’s digestion to adjust to the new food, you should initially offer the fruit only as a very small sample, especially when fresh.

To prevent your hamster from accidentally biting your finger, you can put some banana pulp on a spoon.

Due to the low water content of the fruit, getting used to it is usually not a problem.

If your hamster is not used to fresh food and has only been fed pellets, the fruit can be a very good and gentle introduction to a change in diet.

4) How much banana can you feed your hamster?

This depends on the size and weight or condition of your pet.

A good guideline is half a teaspoon per week per dwarf hamster.

Larger hamsters can get up to a teaspoon.

With this, the banana remains a treat.

If it is used as a short-term power food, for example to compensate for weight loss due to an illness or diarrhea, it can be given two to three times a week.

However, always pay attention to the weight and figure of your pet. Overweight should not occur under any circumstances.

14 Alternatives to bananas for hamsters

If you want to offer your hamster variety, there are numerous other possible foods that your pet will also like.

Among them:

1. Apple
2. Cauliflower
3. Broccoli
4. Chicory
5. Fennel
6. Cucumber
7. Carrots
8. Pumpkin
9. Bell bell pepper
10. Beet
11. Lettuce
12. Spinach
13. Tomato
14. Zucchini

Frequently asked questions

Can banana peel also be fed to hamsters?

It is better not to do this. Even after washing it off, it may still contain pesticide residues that are toxic to your hamster.

How can bananas be dried?

The easiest way is to use an automatic dehydrator. If you don’t have one, you can dry them in an oven with the door ajar and the temperature low.

Cut slices and stick them on wooden sticks. At about 50°C the chips need several hours until they are completely dry.

Alternatively, you can buy the banana chips ready-made. By the way, these also taste good to people as a snack!

When do bananas have a low sugar content?

The riper and softer a banana is, the higher the sugar content. So if possible, feed the fruit when it is still firm and slightly green.