Hamster ownership in the US has surged in recent years and is estimated at 27%, along with other small animals like guinea pigs, rabbits, and gerbils. That means around 6.2 million homes have to worry about feeding their hamster pet, and part of a hamster diet is seeds and fresh fruits like melons. But can hamsters eat melon seeds?
Hamsters can’t eat melon seeds. Although they find melon seeds tasty, research has revealed that they’re a choking hazard, and you shouldn’t give them to your hamster. Melon seeds also contain cyanide, which can poison your hamster. However, deseeded melon is safe for hamsters.
Melons come in many varieties, and you might wonder if all melon seeds are problematic. I’ll answer this question and more regarding hamsters and melon seeds in this article. Let’s start by focusing on one of the most common varieties of melons, the honeydew melon.
Can Hamsters Eat Honeydew Melon Seeds?
Hamsters shouldn’t eat honeydew melon seeds. As with all melon seeds, honeydew melon seeds are relatively large and have a hard kernel. Their large size means they can easily lodge in your hamster’s throat, and the blockage can be a choking hazard to your pet or even kill them.
Although hamsters vary in size and come in various species, the most domesticated hamsters in the US are Syrian hamsters, also known as the teddy bear or golden hamster. Adult Syrian hamsters grow to around 14-19 cm (5.5-7.5 inches), and female hamsters are heavier than males:
- Female: 95-150 g (0.21-0.33 lb)
- Male: 85-130 g (0.18-0.28 lb)
The hamster’s tiny body size and weight presupposes corresponding small body parts, including the throat. It also implies that you shouldn’t feed hamsters food that can easily lodge in their throat.
A honeydew melon’s seeds and that of other melons are relatively large for a hamster’s throat.
I have tabled the sizes of different melon seeds from a few studies to give you an idea:
| Measurement | Study 1: Size of 3 watermelon seeds | Study 2: Size of 3 melon seed types | Study 3: Size of honeydew melon seeds |
| Length | 13.45-18.97 mm (0.53-0.75 inches) | 12.81-14.50 mm (0.5-0.57 inches) | 6.40-9.07 mm (0.25-0.36 inches) |
| Width | 8.40-10.72 mm (0.33-0.42 inches) | 7.02-8.47 mm (0.283-0.33 inches) | 3.10-4.21 mm (0.12-0.17 inches) |
| Thickness | 2.98-3.10 mm (0.117-0.12 inches) | 2.22-2.49 mm (0.87-0.98 inches) | 0.73-1.68 mm (0.03-0.07 inches) |
The large size of melon seeds and their hard kernel are reason enough not to feed them to your hamster. It’s for this reason you won’t find them listed on a hamster diet chart or recommended by your vet.
Compared to smaller seeds like the flax seed, which is safe for hamsters to eat, melon seeds can be up to 9 times longer for larger melon seeds and up to 3 times longer for smaller melon seeds. The seeds also usually have a sharp, pointed end, which could make it easier to lodge in your hamster’s esophagus.
However, melon seed size isn’t the only reason you shouldn’t feed them to your hamster. I’ll discuss these reasons in the next section.
Other Reasons Not To Feed Melon Seeds to Hamsters
In addition to being a choking hazard to your hamster, there are various other reasons not to feed melon seeds:
Melon Seeds Can Be Poisonous for Hamsters
You may already be aware that melon seeds contain substances that can be harmful to your hamster. The most harmful substance for hamsters in melon seeds is cyanide. Cyanide is toxic to hamsters, and although melon seeds contain low cyanide levels, considering your hamster’s size, even a tiny amount is enough to kill them.
A study that evaluated the teratogenic potential of cyanide in golden hamsters confirmed that it causes congenital malformations in pregnant hamsters, even in small doses.
Another study explored cyanide-induced oxidative stress in Syrian hamsters, and the result was positive. As a result, the chemical hindered the function of antioxidant enzymes in hamsters.
Seed Diets Can Cause Nutritional Deficiencies for Hamsters
Seeds form a vital part of a hamster’s diet. However, that entails selecting the right ones and incorporating them in the correct amounts into your hamster’s diet.
According to petMD, seed-only hamster diets are nutritionally deficient. They can be low in minerals and vitamins, especially calcium and vitamin E.
It’s, therefore, best to use commercially prepared hamster food because it has the recommended quantities of seeds integrated into the pellets.
Melon Seeds Are Too Large for Hamsters To Eat In One Sitting
Melon seeds are large and, when given in their natural form, can constitute the entire or majority of a single meal for a hamster. Adding melon seeds to a single hamster meal could mean overfeeding them and not providing the correct nutrition.
According to the Louisiana Veterinary Medical Association, a hamster’s recommended amount of food is 10-12g (0.35-0.42 oz) per 100g (3.5 oz) of their body weight. Nonetheless, you can give your hamster a treat every now and then. Fruit, vegetables, nuts, and seeds make excellent treats for hamsters. Of course, you should factor them into your hamster’s overall daily food amount.
Additionally, hamsters eat small meals often every two hours. Divide 12g (0.42 oz) of food for a 100g (3.5 oz) hamster in 24 hours, and that would mean 2g (0.07 oz) every 2 hours, equivalent to half a teaspoon.
Going by one of the studies we mentioned earlier, a melon seed has around 0.40g (0.01 oz). Making a gram of hamster food would take about 2.5 melon seeds. That means the seeds would make the larger part of the bi-hourly meal, which doesn’t guarantee a balanced meal.
Conclusion
You should never give your hamster melon seeds, as they are toxic to your pet and can pose a choking risk.
There are safer and more nutritious seeds that hamsters can eat. These include sunflowers, flax seeds, and a variety of nuts. However, it’s best to incorporate them in the recommended amount in commercially prepared hamster pellets.
If you include seeds in your hamster diet, ensure they’re safe for your pet. Most significantly, talk to a vet for details on safe seeds for your hamster and how to add them as treats or supplements to the pet’s meal.