Depending on the type, yogurt can be a healthy snack for many people and some animals. The nutritional benefits outweigh the negative impact yogurt can have on the body. But is yogurt safe for our hamster’s sensitive digestive system?
Yogurt is safe for hamsters as long as you give it moderately. Hamsters shouldn’t eat fruit yogurts because of the sugar content, which can cause diabetes in smaller hamster breeds. The best type of yogurt for hamsters is plain, natural, or Greek, without any artificial additives.
In this article, I’ll answer frequent questions about hamsters eating yogurt, including the best types of yogurt to feed your furry pet and which ones to avoid. Since not all hamsters are the same, I’ll mention the yogurt intake for different breeds. Finally, I’ll include all the pros and cons so you can make the best decision for your hamster.
Can Hamsters Eat Greek Yogurt?
Hamsters can eat Greek yogurt, and it’s recommended they do so. Greek yogurt has high levels of protein and is low in sugar, making it an excellent snack for hamsters. You should always buy plain, nonfat Greek yogurt for your hamster.
All the reasons dietitians say Greek yogurt is awesome for the human body apply to hamsters also. U.S. News compared regular and Greek yogurts and found that Greek yogurt beats the regular one in every respect. Their findings show that Greek yogurt has the following:
- Fewer calories
- The same amount of cholesterol
- Less sodium
- Less sugar
- More protein
- Less calcium
Although regular yogurt isn’t bad for hamsters, Greek yogurt is healthier because it has more protein which hamsters need. More importantly, it has fewer minerals which can be hazardous for hamsters, like calcium or sodium (when fed too much of them).
Can Hamsters Eat Strawberry Yogurt?
Hamsters shouldn’t eat strawberry yogurt because it contains artificial flavoring and a lot of sugar. While fresh strawberries are safe for hamsters to eat, strawberry yogurt doesn’t provide any benefits a fresh strawberry would. It’s best to use plain yogurt and fresh strawberries mixed in.
Best Types of Yogurt for Hamsters
Days of having only one type of yogurt made by hand are long gone. Today’s yogurt industry makes all kinds of yogurts for everyone’s taste, and some profess they’re safe for hamsters.
The truth is that the healthiest yogurt for hamsters is plain natural yogurt. Nonfat ones are even better. Of course, I already mentioned Greek yogurt. But always try to find nonfat options.
Now, the market’s also filled with other types of yogurt we need to mention. We have non-dairy yogurts (plant-based) and fruit yogurts. I wouldn’t recommend feeding your hamster either of these.
Firstly, non-dairy yogurts can be made from plants hamsters shouldn’t eat, which can cause health issues. You should always check credible sites or call your vet to see if a non-dairy yogurt is safe.
Fruit yogurts have a lot of sugar and other artificial additives that are bad for hamsters. This type of yogurt is particularly dangerous for dwarf hamsters. They require smaller portions and can’t tolerate sugar like other hamsters.
Finally, some hamster owners like to use yogurt drops. They’re usually unhealthy because they, too, have sugar. Always check the package and see the amounts presented. Avoid a product and use regular yogurt if there’s too much sugar.
Can Dwarf Hamsters Eat Yogurt?
Dwarf hamsters can eat yogurt only in smaller quantities than bigger breeds, like Syrian hamsters. Dwarf hamsters can develop diabetes easily, and the sugar content in yogurt may be too high if you feed it too frequently. Also, calcium can cause kidney-related issues.
Safe Quantity of Yogurt To Give to Your Hamster
We’ve reached the crucial bit: how much and how often should we give yogurt to our hamsters? The clear answer varies depending on many factors you must calculate, like:
- How old is your hamster?
- Does it have any health issues or conditions?
- What type of yogurt do you use?
- What breed is your hamster?
However, I’ll try to provide the most clear-cut answer following these questions.
Firstly, young hamsters, especially babies, shouldn’t have any yogurt. If you use natural, nonfat yogurt for larger breeds, you can give half a teaspoon once a week. If you have a dwarf hamster, however, give less than that portion once or twice a week.
Feed your hamsters less yogurt if you use yogurts with fats and more sugar. Moreover, when feeding yogurt to your hamster for the first time, give only a few drops and wait 24 hours for any side effects.
Pros and Cons of Feeding Yogurt to Hamsters
Hamsters need sugar and calcium for a healthy body, but too much of it has the opposite results. So let’s see all the benefits and side effects of yogurt for hamsters.
Pros include:
- Healthy bone and muscle structure: calcium‘s responsible for good bone structure and healthy muscle contraction.
- Healthy immune system: vitamins in yogurt promote a better immune system.
- Healthy digestion: healthy bacteria in yogurt promote healthy digestion.
- Healthy blood cells: vitamin B12 is responsible for keeping blood cells healthy.
Moreover, a 2023 study conducted on Syrian golden hamsters infected with Sars-CoV-2 gave them yogurt once a day. The results show that yogurt had “beneficial effects to prevent respiratory viral infections.” The research is new, and we’ll need to wait a bit to see if yogurt is truly beneficial in this area — but the signs are there!
Cons include:
- Diarrhea: yogurt contains a lot of water which can cause diarrhea.
- Kidney-related issues: too much calcium can cause kidney stones.
- Obesity: due to the fat in yogurt, unless you’re using nonfat products.
- Diabetes: too much sugar in yogurt can cause diabetes in dwarf hamsters.
Final Thoughts
Yogurt can be an excellent dietary choice for your hamster as it’s rich in protein, vitamin B, and calcium. However, because there’s calcium and some fat (with some types), you shouldn’t give yogurt to your hamster frequently.
Half a teaspoon for larger breeds once a week is enough. Dwarf hamsters should have even less than that because they’re prone to develop diabetes, and yogurt has natural sugar in it. Naturally, sweetened and fruit yogurts aren’t a healthy option for hamsters because of this.