Are Grapes Toxic to Hamsters?

Are grapes toxic to hamsters? Grapes are not toxic to hamsters and can be safely eaten in small amounts. Some types of grapes are sourer than others, and care should be taken to find sweet grapes for your hamster to eat. As grapes have high water and sugar content, don’t feed it to your hamster too often or give too much in one go. Grapes have lots of vitamins and minerals and are a great and healthy treat for your hamster.

Hamsters are prone to several diseases of which some can be severe, so a healthy diet is very important. It’s recommended to give your hamster hamster pellets because they contain all the vitamins and minerals your hamster needs. And as their foods are compressed into a pellet, your hamster can’t be picky and only choose their favorite foods.

Besides the pellets, you should also give your hamster fresh foods, like vegetables and fruit as well as seeds and nuts. Most vegetables and fruits are ok for your hamster to eat, however some are bad in too high quantities, and some are plain toxic regardless of the portion size.

We have an extensive post on foods for hamsters here.

Can hamsters eat grapes?

Grapes are safe to eat for hamsters as part of a healthy diet.

Hamsters are omnivorous and eat many kinds of food in the wild. Though grapes are not actually found in a hamster’s natural habitat they can still be part of your pet hamster’s diet.

Naturally hamsters will eat fruit whenever they find it and therefore grapes will suit your hamster’s diet very well.

Grapes are full of vitamins like vitamin C and K.

It also contains;

Thiamine

Riboflavin

Vitamin B6

Potassium

Copper

Manganese

And on top of that grapes are full of antioxidants.

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Can hamsters eat grapes with skin?

One reason we don’t give grape skin to hamsters is because of the many pesticides and other substances present on grapes which are harmful to hamsters.

The second reason is that the skin of grapes can be a choking hazard.

It’s easy to thoroughly wash grapes before peeling and cutting the grapes into small slices for your hamster to eat.

The skin of grapes does contain a lot of healthy vitamins and minerals so if you happen to buy organic grapes, your hamster will be fine to eat grapes with the skin still on it as long as you cut the grape small enough for your hamster to easily nibble it.

Can hamsters eat grape stems?

Grape stems are not actually that healthy and will be full of pesticides and possibly other harmful substances. They are also very tough to chew through and will not have many nutritional benefits for your hamster. As there are many healthy vegetables and fruits which your hamster can eat without any problem, there is no need to add grape stems to your pet’s diet.

Can hamsters eat grape vines?

Grape vines will be full of pesticides and possibly other harmful substances and should not be included in your hamster’s diet. Instead offer other dark green vegetables like spinach, broccoli and kale. Your hamster will love them and as they contain lots of vitamins and minerals, it will increase your hamsters health.

Can hamsters eat grape seeds?

The biggest problems with grape seeds are that they are a choking hazard for your hamster, and they can cause possible digestive system problems. Neither is very good for your hamster and completely avoidable. As you need to cut the grape into small pieces anyway, it’s easy to take out the seeds. Alternatively, just give your hamster seedless grapes.

Can hamsters eat red grapes?

You can give your hamster both green and red grapes, the red variety being the sweeter version. As sour fruits can upset your hamster’s digestive system, make sure you choose sweet varieties of grapes for your hamster.

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Should I feed my hamster grapes and which parts; in one overview:

	Yes/No	Why?
Green Grapes	No	To sour
Red Grapes	Yes	Nice and Sweet
Grape Flesh	Yes
Grape Skin	No	Pesticides and choking hazard
Grape Seeds	No	Choking hazard
Grape Stems	No	Pesticides
Grape Leaves	No	Pesticides

Fig. 1. Are grapes toxic to hamsters and which parts can they eat?

How many grapes can I give my hamster?

You should limit how much grape you give your hamster to 1 to 1 ½ grapes at most for syrian hamsters and ½ to a whole grape for dwarf hamsters. Offer this only once or twice per week. If you want to give grape as part of a hamster salad, you can give it daily, but the amount should be no more than a quarter of a grape and offered with vegetables and seeds.

Are grapes bad for hamsters?

No grapes are not bad for hamsters. In fact, grapes have many vitamins and nutrients which your hamster needs. Grapes become bad for hamsters when given too often or in to high quantities. It’s the same when we eat too much fruit all of a sudden, it upsets our stomach. In hamsters however, an upset stomach quickly turns into dehydration and possible death.

How many grapes can I give my hamster?

Its best to cut up the grape into small slices. I normally cut the grapes into quarters, but some people prefer to cut them into halves.

It’s best to give less rather than more so half a grape as part of a salad is more than enough. When I give it as a snack on its own, I give one grape at a time cut into bits.

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What fruits can hamsters eat?

Most fruits are fine for hamsters to eat, though you want to keep an eye on sugar content, water content as well as how sour the fruit is.

Fruits high in sugar, like grapes, banana and strawberries should be given sporadically in small amounts.

And high-water content foods should be given in small amounts as well to avoid dehydration due to diarrhea.

Sour fruits like citrus fruits should not be given at all.

Can you give green grapes to hamsters?

Green grapes tend to be more sour than red grapes and sour foods are likely to upset your hamster’s digestive system quicker. So if you can, try to find the sweet varieties and stick to giving these to your hamster. As they don’t eat much in one sitting, you can always give some of a particularly sweet grape should you come across one during your grape snacking. Your hamster is likely to be a happy hamster indeed!

Can Syrian hamsters eat grapes?

Syrian hamsters can eat grapes just like any other hamster. As syrian hamsters are bigger than other breeds of hamster, more food is needed. This doesn’t mean you will need to give more grapes to your hamster. You will still need to balance the diet with fat, sugar and water content. Keep snacks healthy and give good quality hamster pellets to ensure a balanced diet.

Can Syrian hamsters eat red grapes?

Yes, syrian hamsters can eat red grapes. In fact, red grapes tend to be sweeter than green grapes and will therefore be a better choice. As these will also contain more sugar, you will keep the portion sizes very small to avoid messing with your hamster’s blood sugar levels.

Can hamsters have grapes with skin?

Are grape seeds poisonous to hamsters?

Grape seeds are not actually poisonous to hamsters, but they can upset their digestive systems and can also be a choking hazard. That’s why I only give my hamster seedless grapes or take them out if I have grapes with seeds, before I offer some to my hamster.

Can hamsters eat fruit seeds

Not all fruit seeds and pips are good for hamsters to eat. Some seeds and pips contain amygdalin which deteriorates into hydrogen cyanide, which is toxic for hamsters. Amygdalin is found in apple seeds as well as in cherries, peaches and apricots. While you will need to eat an enormous amount of apple seeds to feel the negative effects, your hamster is so small that your hamster will digest a large amount of amygdalin compared to its body size.

Are grapes ok for hamsters?

Yes, grapes are ok for hamsters if you choose ripe sweet varieties of grapes, keep the quantity low and give grapes every so often as part of a balanced diet. Try to give seedless grapes or take the seeds out before you give grapes to your hamster. Due to the pesticides, it’s also best to peel the grapes.

Are grapes bad for hamsters?

When you give your hamster too many grapes, your hamster can develop diarrhea which can cause your hamster to dehydrate. This is a serious condition for a hamster and your vet should be notified at once.

Sour grapes can make your hamster foam at the mouth, but this should subside once the grape has been eaten. It’s likely to cause your hamster discomfort so it’s best to stick to sweet varieties.

How often can hamsters eat grapes?

If you want to give grapes on their own as a snack for your hamster then you should not give it more than once or twice a week. However, if you add grapes to a hamster salad, where you create 1-2 teaspoons of different fruits, vegetables, nuts, seeds and meat together than you can give grapes every day. As long as you balance the salad and keep it low on sugar, fat and water content.

On its own – once or twice a week

As part of a salad – daily

What fruits do hamsters like?

Most hamsters like a large variety of fruits and many are the kind of fruits you are likely to have at home. For example, I mainly feed my hamster apples, banana, kiwi and grapes. When in season I also offer strawberries, cherries, raspberries and peach.

What fruits do hamsters not like?

One big group of fruits you should never give your hamster are citrus fruits. The acidity in citrus fruits upsets your hamsters digestive system and can make them severely ill.

Conclusion: Are grapes toxic to hamsters?

Your hamster is likely to like grapes, but due to the high sugar and water content you should only offer grapes once or twice a week at most when given as a singular snack.

Give 1 to 1, 5 grapes (about 1 teaspoon) to your hamster, unless your hamster is small or is a dwarf hamster. Then limit the amount to ½ to 1 grape (about ½ a teaspoon).

You can give grapes as part of a hamster salad where you mix vegetables, fruit, seeds and nuts. Limit the grape to no more than ¼ of a grape.

Don’t offer grape seeds, leaves, stems or the skin. There will be too many pesticides present, also the seeds and skin can become a choking hazard.