Can Hamsters Eat Macadamia Nuts?

Hamsters love to chew on all kinds of foods, however, as a caring pet owner, you should always know which foods are safe for your hamsters and which ones are not. When it comes to nuts, there are a few types of nuts which are good, and a few which are quite toxic for your little hamsters. If you are wondering ‘can hamsters eat macadamia nuts,’ then the answer is yes, hamsters can eat macadamia nuts!

Out of all the kinds of nuts available in stores, macadamia nuts are perfectly safe for your hamsters, but only if you feed them in moderation. Here is everything you need to know about feeding macadamia nuts to your little hamsters.

Syrian hamsters are a large species of hamsters, growing up to 6 to 7 inches in length. These hamsters can eat macadamia nuts but in moderation. Give your Syrian hamsters one or two pieces of macadamia nut just once or twice a week.

Campbell’s dwarf hamsters are a much smaller species of hamsters as compared to Syrian hamsters, growing up to only 3 to 4 inches in length. You can feed your Campbell’s dwarf hamsters macadamia nuts but in a much lesser quantity. Give your Campbell’s dwarf hamsters one small piece or half a slice of macadamia nut just once a week.

Winter whites dwarf hamsters are also another species of really tiny hamsters. However, they do love to eat! If you want to feed your winter white dwarf hamsters macadamia nuts, you can give them just one piece or half a slice of macadamia nut once a week only.

Robowski hamsters are another larger species of hamsters, just like the Syrian hamsters. These hamsters also love to chew and nibble on nuts and other little treats every once in a while. You can give your Robowski hamsters one or two pieces of macadamia nuts 1 to 2 times a week only.

Chinese hamsters are another species of dwarf hamsters, which obviously means that you cannot feed them as much as the larger hamster species like the Syrian and Robowski hamsters. You can give your little Chinese hamsters one macadamia nut just once a week, and not more.

When it comes to hamsters living in the wild, you will find almost 20 other types of different hamster breeds living all over the world. These wild hamsters are scavengers and have an omnivorous diet. The wild hamsters mostly feed on fruits, berries, vegetables, nuts, seeds, plants, and leaves. Of course, if they can get their hands on them, these wild hamsters will also eat small insects, frogs, and lizards!

Your domestic hamsters have a far more productive, nutritious, and balanced diet as compared to these wild hamsters. You should keep your pet hamsters on a regular, healthy diet of exceptional hamster food you will find in pet stores. Along with this, you can also give your hamsters the occasional safe treats such as small pieces of vegetables and fruits, and sometimes nuts, grains, and seeds as well.

What are the health benefits of feeding macadamia nuts to your hamsters?

Macadamia nuts can be quite healthy for your little hamsters, as long as you feed it to them in moderation. These nuts contain dietary fibers, magnesium, protein, and thiamine.

The dietary fibers in macadamia nuts can be perfect for regulating the digestive system of your little hamsters. Macadamia nuts in moderation can help your hamsters relieve constipation, maintain healthy bowel movements, and have a healthy gut.

Protein is essential for maintaining healthy skin, bones, and cartilage in your little hamsters. If your hamsters do not eat meat, then a healthy dose of macadamia nuts in moderation can give them their low dose of protein as they require it.

The magnesium content in macadamia nuts is excellent for bone health as well as calcium absorption for your little hamsters. They also help your hamster maintain a healthy heart and can help in preventing diabetes.

Finally, thiamine is essential for the brain, muscles, heart, stomach, as well as in avoiding complications of these organs as well as the nervous system. If you feed macadamia nuts to your little hamsters in moderation, they can really benefit from all the nutritional value that macadamia nuts provide.

What are the risks of feeding macadamia nuts to your hamsters?

As you already know, nuts contain quite the right amount of fats. Since your little hamsters are already very prone to developing diabetes and obesity, you should be very careful about the number of macadamia nuts you are feeding them. Your dwarf hamsters especially are more prone to the risk of diabetes and obesity, so feed them macadamia nuts but only in moderation. The hamsters also have a habit of hoarding away food for later, and if they hoard away these nuts, they can rot and often cause a lot of health issues for your hamsters. Make sure you always clean out their cages and remove any uneaten pieces of macadamia nuts from their cage and bedding.

Can hamsters eat macadamia nut shells?

The macadamia nut shells are far too hard for your little hamsters. While hamsters quite enjoy working on shells and opening them up, the hardness of the macadamia shells can do more harm than good for them.

Always remove the shells first before you feed macadamia nuts to your little hamsters, and make sure that you give them only the unsalted variety of macadamia nuts, as they don’t need the extra salt content in their diet.

Can hamsters eat dried macadamia nuts?

Yes, your hamsters can eat dried macadamia nuts, but make sure that they are not salted or do not have any additives or preservatives in them. Give them only the unsalted variety of dried macadamia nuts as a treat every once in a while, and not more than once a week.

How much macadamia nuts can you feed your hamsters?

As for Syrian and Robowski hamsters, you can feed them one or two pieces of macadamia nuts just once or twice a week

For your dwarf hamsters, stick to one macadamia nut only once a week.

Conclusion

As an occasional treat, macadamia nuts are an excellent option for your little hamsters. Keep your hamsters on a healthy diet of exceptional hamster food only, and give them these treats in moderation once or twice a week.