Can Hamsters Eat Cheerios?

Hamsters are one of the adorable pets which is loved by many children, especially in Canada and parts of the United States. Children always want hamsters as their pets and their parents buy them from a pet store. 

Hamsters are little creatures having small bodies and tiny ears with short tails. They have a wide variation in fur on their body with a little shade of white, brown, yellow, grey, and a mixture of these colors.

Hamsters don’t like to wet their fur as this could be harmful to their life. These tiny little creatures are gentle by nature but can be a little bit dangerous with their bite. 

Hamsters’ Diet and nutrients

So hamsters can eat nuts, fruits, cereals, and anything nutritious foodstuff they will get. But you might be thinking about your hamsters’ diet and whether cheerios are a safe food for them or not?

Well, cheerios are something that is consumed for breakfast and a nutritious cereal which won’t do any harm if eaten by hamsters, but there have to be the original ones and not any other varieties. So, let’s know further whether hamsters can eat cheerios or not, and if yes then what’s a caveat to this.

What are cheerios?

Cheerios is the name of a cereal that is consumed for breakfast and is most popular among children and adults. Cheerios have different variations with different tastes.

These are made of unique styles which look fun to children and their taste is all loved by the kids and that is why they enjoy eating cheerios. These are made of wholegrain and therefore it prevents the risk of heart disease and cholesterol problems. 

Can Hamsters eat Cheerios?

Cheerios are loved by children and adults. But Are these cheerios good for hamsters and can they eat cheerios? So, yes as mentioned above, Hamsters can eat cheerios but you need to ensure that they should get the original ones and not those which have flavorings or any kind of another mixing.

Plain Cheerios are safe for hamsters as they don’t have the essence of any frosting and flavorings and also contain less amount of sugar but the flavored ones are not good for your hamsters as they have high amounts of sugar and flavored content which is not safe for your cute little hamsters. 

Nutrients contained in Cheerios

So now you can feed your hamsters the original cheerios as they are good for them. But do you know how much nutrition these cheerios contain? 

Cheerios contain a wide range of nutrients and minerals which are good for the human diet as well as for hamsters but only a small amount of cheerios will be safe for hamsters. Cheerios have high portions of vitamins, sodium, potassium and other nutrients to protect our health system.

If you take 27 grams of cheerios then you will get 1.4 grams of total fat, 25 percent of vitamin c, 10 percent of vitamin A, 10 percent of vitamin D, 25 percent of vitamin b-6, 3 percent of magnesium, sodium, potassium, 1 gram of proteins, 9 gram sugar 25 percent iron and 23 grams of carbohydrates. It also consists of a suitable amount of dietary fiber.

How often should you give cheerios to your hamsters?

If you want to give your hamsters cheerios then make sure you don’t give them a high amount. A small amount of original cheerios, or rather just two or three of the plain ones is enough for your hamsters during the week. Cheerios have sugar too and too much sugar might not be safe for your hamster’s health.

Also, know Can Hamsters and Guinea Pigs live together?

Risks that are related to cheerios that might cause your hamsters

Original Cheerios contain high amounts of sugar and salt, but the flavored ones have more sugar than plain ones and they can be very harmful to your hamsters. As if your hamsters will eat more Cheetos, the high sugar contained in them might lead to tooth decay and other health issues.

Overconsumption of flavored cheerios might affect your hamster’s life. And the most difficult part is to find a vet for your hamsters because they are very difficult to find. So it’s better to take care beforehand.

Is Honey nut Cheerios good for hamsters?

Cheerios come in different flavours and tastes, mainly there are sixteen flavours and one of the popular flavours is honey nut cheerios. This variety is delicious but might not work with your hamsters.

Though nuts are good for your hamsters and they do like to eat nuts but the unique part of honey nut cheerios is they don’t have nuts in them. And this is why they are nothing healthy but filled with flavoring contents that are not safe for your hamsters. So can your hamsters eat honey nut cheerios? 

Absolutely no! Plain ones are better than these flavoring ones.

What are some healthy foods you can provide your hamsters?

Hamsters can consume anything that a human eats. You should always treat your hamsters with healthy food. You can give them fruits, vegetables, nuts, seeds, yogurts ( the homemade ones), etc. So here are some of the food lists you can give your hamsters instead of junk and flavored cheerios:

• Blueberries
• Strawberries
• Sunflower seed
• Yogurts
• Carrots
• Peas
• Spinach
• Cauliflower
• Cucumber
• Pumpkin seeds
• Peanuts( healthy ones)
• Mealworms
• Cooked chickens

The above-mentioned foods are some healthy treats you can consider for your hamster’s diet. And avoid junk food, chocolates, onions, garlic, and other foods like these because hamsters don’t like these and secondly they are not good and safe for them.

Conclusion

So the owners of these cute hamsters always worry about their hamsters and their diet and nutrients. So now if you had this doubt about cheerios or whether it is good food for hamsters or not, then you have got your answers.

It is better if you give your hamsters the plain cheerios and not the flavored ones. Because your hamster’s health depends on the food you give them. Remember, the more natural and healthy food you give your hamsters, the better life they can live.