Radish has lately been making a comeback in salads as it’s a low-calorie, nutrient-dense root vegetable. Since most hamsters absolutely love carrots, you might be wondering if it would be a good idea to feed your hamster radish.
Hamsters can eat one to two slices of radish per week, but not more than that. Although radish is a healthy snack for hamsters, it’s relatively high in sodium and sugar, which are bad for hamsters in high amounts. Dwarf hamsters and baby hamsters shouldn’t be given radish often.
The rest of this article will go over the nutrition facts of radish, some important precautions before giving your hamster radish, whether radish leaves are safe, and whether dwarf hamsters can eat radish.
Is Radish Healthy for Hamsters?
Since you’ve probably eaten radish as part of a salad before, I don’t need to tell you it’s a healthy root veggie. And if you’ve ever given your hamster fresh fruits or veggies, then you know how much they love to chomp down on those crisp apple slices. And radishes sure make for a nice treat for hamsters, but are they really good for them?
The good news is that a tiny slice once or twice a week is completely safe for an adult hamster. Hamsters need moderation and variety in their diets to stay healthy.
Radish is jam-packed with healthy nutrients, especially minerals. Here’s a quick rundown of some of the more prevalent nutrients (per 100g/1 medium radish):
- 16 calories
- 1.6 g fiber
- 2 g sugar
- 0.7 g protein
- 39 mg sodium
- 15 mg vitamin C
- 25 µg folates
- 25 mg calcium
- 233 mg potassium
It also has trace amounts of vitamin K, phosphorus, zinc, copper, selenium, and several other minerals and vitamins.
Radish is also about 95% water, which means that it’s a great way to keep your pet hamster hydrated.
Considerations Before Giving Your Hamster Radish
Unlike sweet carrots, a caveat of radish is its strong, spicy flavor. So, if your hamster doesn’t like radish, don’t worry. From my experience, very few hamsters actually like radish. And when they do eat it, they probably eat it because of its texture and water content rather than the flavor.
If your hamster does like radish, you should be aware of the fact that radishes are high in oxalates. Oxalic acid can crystalize, causing bladder stones.
Bladder stones are dangerous and must be treated using antibiotics administered by your vet, so prevention is often best. This is why you should only ever give your hamster very thin slices of radish. If you’re concerned that your hamster doesn’t drink enough water or is very old, don’t give it radish.
Radish contains 39 mg of sodium, much higher than regular hamster food like sunflower seeds, which only contain 9 mg. High amounts of sodium can lead to high blood pressure in hamsters.
However, a study found that small amounts of sodium are okay for hamsters and that they don’t actively seek out salt as rats do.
Furthermore, radish is a root vegetable, meaning the bulbs grow underground. Since almost all farm soil is extremely contaminated with pesticides, only feed your pet hamster organic radish. Also, make sure to wash it thoroughly. Remember, pesticides are toxic to rodents, so if you’re not sure, it’s best to stick to regular hamster food.
Tip: Cut radish only stays fresh for up to 24 hours at room temperature. Make sure to remove any uneaten slices from your hamster’s cage if it saved the treat for later.
Can Hamsters Eat Radish Leaves?
Since radishes come with plenty of lush leaves on top of them, and hamsters love to gnaw on leafy greens, you’re probably wondering if they’re safe to eat.
Hamsters can eat radish leaves in small amounts. Radish leaves contain a set of compounds called glucosinolates, which fight cancer. However, high amounts of glucosinolates in rodents may cause health issues.
A study on the effects of allyl isothiocyanate, which is stored in cruciferous vegetables as glucosinolate, has found that very high amounts of the compound cause unhealthy weight loss and uptake of iodine in rats.
However, the study also found that glucosinolates didn’t affect the overy cell line of Chinese hamsters even in high amounts, so it’s safe to assume that the small amounts present in leafy vegetables (including radish leaves) are safe in small quantities. Again, moderation is key.
Can Dwarf Hamsters Eat Radishes?
Amounts of sodium and sugar are relative to the hamster that eats it. Syrian hamsters and other larger species can handle the high amounts of sodium and sugar in radish, but does the same hold true for smaller dwarf hamsters?
Dwarf hamsters shouldn’t eat radishes because of the high amounts of sodium and sugar. Dwarf hamsters are prone to diabetes and dehydration, and both problems are worsened if they eat radishes. Although a small amount of radish won’t hurt, it’s best to avoid them altogether.
If you own a dwarf hamster, you’ve probably been told by your veterinarian or pet store not to give your hamster sugary treats like carrots. Although radish has twice less sugar, it still contains a good amount.
If you accidentally gave your dwarf hamster radish once, don’t worry. But if it’s been a staple part of its diet for months, consider checking it for diabetes.
As far as radish leaves are concerned, dwarf hamsters shouldn’t have any problems eating them in small amounts. They thrive on leafy greens, and radish leaves are a good source of nutrients. Only give your dwarf hamster a tiny piece of a leaf once every two weeks to stay on the safe side.
Final Thoughts
Although many hamsters don’t like the taste of radish, those that do can enjoy it safely in moderation. One thin slice once a week is more than enough, and follow it up with a small leaf as well. Lastly, if you have a dwarf hamster, skip the radish and only feed it bits of leaves instead.