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Can Hamsters Eat Rabbit Food? What you need to know!

Can Hamsters Eat Rabbit Food

By kaliena KinPublished 2 years ago 4 min read
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Can Hamsters Eat Rabbit Food? What you need to know!
Photo by William Daigneault on Unsplash

Maybe you have a rabbit and a hamster, and you’re wondering if they can share the same food. Or maybe you accidentally bought rabbit food for your hamster, and you’re not sure if you can give it to your hamster.

Can hamsters eat rabbit food? The short answer is yes, but with a few caveats. While some rabbit foods are OK for your hamster, others should NOT be given to your hamster. We’ll take a look at the do’s and don’ts for your hamster’s health.

Hamster Diet

Hamsters get their name from the German word “hamstern,” which translates to “hoard.” These little creatures are aptly named, given their habit of filling their cheek pouches with food.

Hamsters are native to Greece, Romania and northern China, but they were originally found in Syria (one of the most popular types of hamsters is the Syrian hamster). In 1936, they were brought to North America, and they live in dry and warm areas such as savannas, dunes, and the edges of deserts.

Hamsters are omnivores, which means they eat a variety of plants and meat. This includes a variety of grains, seeds, nuts, fruits, and vegetables as well as insects. The food needs of domestic hamsters are usually met with pellets made especially for hamsters. They can also eat a variety of whole grains combined with small amounts of vegetables, fruit, and spices.

So, we’ve established a typical hamster diet, and now we’re going to look at the rabbit diet to give us a better idea of ​​how it compares to hamsters.

Rabbit Diet

Rabbits have been around for a long time and are thought to have been domesticated, both as a food source and as household pets, since the Middle Ages (but perhaps even longer). Rabbits can be found all over the world, but all domestic rabbit breeds originate from the European rabbit. There are about 305 domestic rabbit breeds found in about 70 different countries around the world.

Rabbits are herbivores, which basically means they eat only plant foods and eat absolutely no meat. The diet of domestic rabbits consists mainly of high quality grass hay (oat, Timothy, wheat, prairie, meadow, prairie, and ryegrass hay) or grass and makes up about 80% of their diet. Lucerne (alfalfa) and hay clover should be avoided as they are high in protein and calcium and cause urinary tract stones. The rest of their diet consisted of greens and greens (bok choy, Brussels sprouts, celery, broccoli, etc.) as well as some snacks (fruit, carrots, sweet potatoes, etc.) and rabbit pellets.

Hamster Safe Rabbit Food

Now that we’ve seen what hamsters and rabbits eat, we’re going to break down the types of rabbit food that hamsters can actually eat safely.

There are a variety of foods that are safe for rabbits and hamsters, so we’ll take a look at some of them.

Hay Grass

Most types of hay that are safe for rabbits are also safe for hamsters. It helps to promote foraging behavior, adds fiber to your hamster’s diet, and helps reduce their teething. Timothy, orchards, oats, and meadow hay are suitable for your hamster to eat. They can also eat alfalfa hay, which is a type of hay grass that rabbits cannot actually eat.

Vegetables

  • romaine lettuce
  • green dandelion
  • Broccoli
  • Carrots and carrot tops
  • cabbage
  • Cucumber
  • peppers
  • Herbs (basil, oregano, parsley, mint, rosemary)
  • bok choy

Hamsters can eat almost any vegetable a rabbit can eat.

All of these vegetables are safe for rabbits and hamsters, but some should only be eaten in moderation.

Fruit

There are also a number of fruits that are safe for rabbits and hamsters to eat.

  • Strawberry
  • Apple (seedless)
  • Banana
  • Pear
  • Blueberries
  • Raspberry

Again, like vegetables, fruit should be given to rabbits or hamsters in moderation. You should also avoid fruits or vegetables that have a high water content such as watermelon or iceberg lettuce. These items have the potential to cause diarrhea in your hamster.

Now we will see what types of rabbit food are not safe for hamsters to eat.

Rabbit Foods Hamsters Should Avoid

Unfortunately, certain rabbit foods are not good for hamsters. We’ll take a look at what types of foods you need to avoid and why.

Vegetables

Some vegetables are unsafe and should be kept away from hamsters.

  • Potato
  • Eggplant
  • iceberg lettuce
  • Fight
  • Mold

These vegetables (yes, rhubarb is a vegetable) are not good for your hamster and should be avoided. If your hamster manages to bite one of them he will be fine but keep an eye on him to be sure.

Fruit

Most fruits are acceptable for both rabbits and hamsters, but there are a few things to note that you shouldn’t give them to your hamster.

  • Watermelon (except in very small quantities)
  • Citrus fruits (grapefruit, oranges, tangerines)
  • Avoid grape and apple skins and seeds

Most other fruits are fine but should be given in small amounts and only as an occasional snack.

Rabbit Pellet

There are hamster and rabbit pellets, so wouldn’t they be good for both species? The answer is definitely no. The pellets are made with the dietary needs of each particular animal in mind. Hamsters and rabbits are different enough from each other that they should only eat pellets made for their own species.

Different brands of rabbit pellets will have different ingredients that may not be good for your hamster. Don’t forget that hamsters are omnivores compared to herbivorous rabbits and therefore require a higher protein content in their pellets. It is recommended that hamster pellets should contain 15 to 20% protein, and they should have the right amount of fiber to aid digestion (many rabbit pellets are higher in fiber than would be appropriate for hamsters).

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About the Creator

kaliena Kin

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