In the wild, hamsters feed on various types of seeds. Seeds are a rich source of proteins, healthy fats, and a host of vitamins necessary for a hamster’s good health and proper development. However, not all types of seeds are safe for them to eat.
Hamsters can eat sunflower seeds. They are safe to consume and are a favorite among hamsters. Not only are they nutritious and tasty, but they also keep hamsters busy when their shells are intact. Feed your pet raw sunflower seeds, which have more health benefits than roasted ones.
However, as with anything that you feed your pet hamsters, knowing how much to give and what types of sunflower seeds are safe is important. So, read on as I go into more detail about which seed type you can give your hamster, what to avoid, and how much is a healthy portion.
Can Hamsters Eat Roasted Sunflower Seeds?
Hamsters can eat roasted sunflower seeds as long as they don’t contain salt. Roasting is a great way to prepare sunflower seeds for hamsters because it retains their natural yummy taste while adding another layer of flavor that hamsters will surely enjoy.
However, unlike raw sunflower seeds, roasted ones lose much of their nutritional value. While they can still be an enjoyable snack for your pet, they basically provide no other benefits except the fun that hamsters get from eating them.
In addition, roasted sunflower seeds can quickly make a hamster overweight. They contain a high amount of polyunsaturated fat, which is beneficial to a hamster’s health only when consumed in moderation. When you give them the right amount, these healthy fats particularly benefit the heart.
Keep in mind that the tiny bodies of hamsters make them extra susceptible to becoming overweight or fat. Give them too much food, and they will surely balloon in no time.
Therefore, if you’re to give your hamster sunflower seeds as a treat or to supplement their hamster pellets, you might want to consider healthier options.
Other Types of Sunflower Seeds That Are Safe for Hamsters
While roasted sunflower seeds are safe for hamsters to eat, they’re not the best when it comes to nutritional content. Hamster tummies are so tiny, so their bodies can only accommodate so much food. If you have a hamster pet, you have to make sure that they get as many vitamins and minerals from the food that they eat.
Here are some examples of sunflower seeds that are great for hamsters.
Raw Sunflower Seeds
Raw sunflower seeds are the best type for hamsters. These have all the good vitamins and minerals intact, so your pet gets to have a delicious snack while enjoying its health benefits at the same time.
In fact, hamsters are naturally inclined to eat raw seeds because that’s the way they eat their meals in the wild.
When choosing raw sunflower seeds, make sure to choose those that are meant to be eaten. You may chance upon seeds meant for planting – do not give those to your pet!
Sunflower seeds that are intended to be sown may contain chemicals that could make your hamster sick.
Unsalted or Unflavored Sunflower Seeds
While hamsters may also eat most sunflower seeds that are safe for human consumption, those that contain seasonings are harmful to a hamster’s health. Salt is a big no-no in a hamster’s diet because, when consumed in large quantities, it can cause death.
Salt is essential for the proper function of a hamster’s body. Too little of it, and hamsters will lose their nerve function, for example. But they only need a very small amount of salt, which they should get from a well-balanced meal of hamster pellets.
If you opt to give your hamster fresh foods, this should be a varied mix of fruits, vegetables, insects, mealworms, and seeds, which together will give your hamster the sodium that their body requires.
You should not feed your hamster anything with any added salt or artificial flavorings.
Unsweetened Sunflower Seeds
Like salt, sugar is a huge health risk for hamsters. Hamsters are susceptible to diabetes and obesity, which are typically caused by too much sugar consumption. Even the sugar that is naturally in fruits can wreak havoc on your hamster’s health when they have too much.
But when you feed hamsters processed sugar, such as those that are in junk food and other processed foods, you give them sugar that has zero nutritional benefits and only leads to illness.
While it’s possible to treat a hamster with diabetes or that is obese, these conditions typically lead to other serious concerns that negatively impact your pet’s overall health and even shorten their life span considerably.
With hamsters living up only to about three to four years, you definitely wouldn’t want to cut their lives even shorter.
Sunflower Seeds With Shells Intact
To double the fun for your tiny pet, why not give them sunflower seeds with shells still on them? These are not only very tasty for your hamster, but they also make for a fun activity. Hamsters love exploring and finding hidden “treasures,” so this is one of the ways you can make meal times more exciting.
As with anything that you give your hamster to eat, wash it thoroughly to get rid of dirt and chemical residues that may still be on the shells.
Can Dwarf Hamsters Eat Sunflower Seeds?
Dwarf hamsters can eat sunflower seeds. However, you should give them a much smaller quantity than you would with a Syrian hamster. Dwarf hamsters should have only one to two seeds at a time, while Syrian hamsters may enjoy up to four pieces.
Since dwarf hamsters are much smaller, the amount of food they are able to digest properly is also smaller. Giving dwarf hamsters more than is recommended can lead to obesity.
Conclusion
Sunflower seeds are a healthy and delicious treat for hamsters of all sizes. The only difference is that with dwarf hamsters, you should keep portions smaller – up to a maximum of two seeds only per meal – to make sure that your pet reaps all the seed’s health benefits without suffering any risks.