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Can Hamsters Eat Broccoli?

A hamster’s diet should be based on commercial pellets or hamster food. Apart from their regular diet, hamsters also enjoy fruits and vegetables like spinach, but these foods should be served to hamsters only as occasional treats. Fruits and vegetables can be a great healthy addition to your hamster’s diet as long as you use them in moderation. You should know that vegetables are always better treat choice than fruits, because fruits may contain large amounts of sugar.

In this article we will deal with broccoli, as one of the most favorite vegetables of many hamsters. But, is broccoli safe for your hamster or it may be harmful? How much broccoli can you serve to your hamster? Read along this article and you will find out soon. But, first we will tell you something more about broccoli and its nutritional value.

More about Broccoli

Broccoli is a green plant that belongs to the cabbage family. Its large flowering head is used as a vegetable. Broccoli is low in calories and it can help in weight loss. But, it is high in vitamins and minerals and it has many health benefits for people. If you cook broccoli by steaming, it can help in lowering cholesterol levels.

Also, broccoli is good for detoxification of the body. There’s no doubt that broccoli is very good for our health, but what about hamsters?

Is Broccoli Safe for Hamsters?

Broccoli is a favorite vegetable among hamsters. But, if you are a hamster owner, you may be wondering whether this vegetable is safe for your hamster. We have great news for you.

You can feed your hamster broccoli as long as you feed him in moderation. Small amounts of broccoli will be a great addition to your hamster’s diet. Broccoli is full of nutrients and it can be very beneficial for your pet. There’s no need to steam broccoli before feeding it to your hamster, because hamsters can eat broccoli either raw or steamed. It means that when you eat broccoli you can share your leftovers with your little pet. It is recommended to steam broccoli for three minutes if you cover the pot or about eight minutes if the pot is uncovered. This way you will soften the broccoli and it will maintain all the vitamins. It is important to feed your hamster broccoli that is completely cooled.

Also, you should not add any flavorings when you are steaming broccoli for your little pet. It means that you should not add salt, pepper or butter to your broccoli. Studies have shown that salt can cause sodium ion poisoning and butter can cause your hamster to gain weight.

Also, other flavorings such as pepper may cause problems in the gastrointestinal tract of your hamster. You should also know that garlic is toxic to hamsters, so you should never feed your hamster this spicy food. Crackers are harmless, so it can be another option for your hamster.

How Much Broccoli Should be Given to Hamsters?

It is very important to feed your hamster broccoli in moderation. It means that twice or three times a week are more than enough for your broccoli.

Although broccoli is rich in vitamins C, E and K, it should be fed moderately, because hamsters are already getting these vitamins from their hamster pellets. If you feed your hamster large amounts of broccoli, it can lead to diarrhea and other gastrointestinal problems.

Summary

You have seen in this article that broccoli is completely safe for your hamster. Broccoli can be a healthy and nutritional meal as long as you feed your hamster in moderation. You should always have in mind that moderation is the key of good health.