What can hamsters eat? A fridge-door chart
57 foods we have checked for hamsters. Treats are small: the full answer for each food gives the amount.
Yes (1)
- Bok choy
Sometimes (41)
- Apples (1–2 times a week)
- Bananas (1–2 times a week)
- Blueberries (1–2 times a week)
- Bread (now and then)
- Broccoli (1–2 times a week)
- Cabbage (1–2 times a week)
- Carrots (1–2 times a week)
- Cauliflower (1–2 times a week)
- Celery (1–2 times a week)
- Cherries (now and then)
- Chickpeas (1–2 times a week)
- Courgette (1–2 times a week)
- Crackers (now and then)
- Crickets (1–2 times a week)
- Cucumber (1–2 times a week)
- Eggs (1–2 times a week)
- Hazelnuts (1–2 times a week)
- Kale (1–2 times a week)
- Kiwi (1–2 times a week)
- Lettuce (1–2 times a week)
- Mango (now and then)
- Melon (1–2 times a week)
- Mushrooms (now and then)
- Nuts (1–2 times a week)
- Peaches (now and then)
- Peanuts (1–2 times a week)
- Pears (1–2 times a week)
- Peas (1–2 times a week)
- Peppers (1–2 times a week)
- Pineapple (now and then)
- Pistachios (1–2 times a week)
- Popcorn (now and then)
- Pumpkin (1–2 times a week)
- Raspberries (1–2 times a week)
- Rice (now and then)
- Spinach (1–2 times a week)
- Strawberries (1–2 times a week)
- Sweet potato (1–2 times a week)
- Sweetcorn (1–2 times a week)
- Watermelon (now and then)
- Weetabix (now and then)
No (15)
- Avocado
- Biscuits
- Cat food
- Cheese
- Chips
- Chocolate
- Dates
- Dog food
- Grapes
- Iceberg lettuce
- Onions
- Oranges
- Peanut butter
- Potatoes
- Tomatoes
Hamster cage sizes
| Minimum floor space | 100 × 50 cm (40 × 20 in), all in one piece |
|---|---|
| Minimum height | 50 cm (20 in) for Syrian and Chinese, 40 cm (16 in) for dwarfs |
| Bedding depth it must hold | At least 25 cm (10 in) |
| Bar spacing | 1 cm (0.4 in) for Syrians, 7 mm (about ¼ in) for dwarfs |
| Wheel that must fit | 30 cm (12 in) for Syrians, 20 cm (8 in) for dwarfs |
| What does not count | Shelves, tubes, upper levels and add-on pods |
| One hamster per cage | Yes, for every species |
Sources include ASPCA, Bunny Jackpot Foundation, Bunnyjackpot Foundation, Burgess Pet Care, Hamster Society Singapore, Humane World for Animals, Jollyes, Omlet, PDSA, PetMD, RSPCA, RSPCA Solent Branch, Supreme Petfoods, The Vet Desk, UK Pet Food, Weetabix, Woodgreen. Each answer and its sources: bruxlings.com/pages/what-can-hamsters-eat. General guidance for healthy adult animals, checked 13 November 2026.
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