The never-ending debate of whether a tomato is a fruit or vegetable is still ongoing. However, as a pet owner, this shouldn’t be your primary concern when it comes to tomatoes—you should be more concerned about finding answers on whether you can or cannot feed your hamsters tomatoes.
To make your life easier, here’s the short answer to the question posted in this article: yes, you can feed tomatoes to your hamsters. Tomatoes are healthy and filling snacks that provide the following benefits to your hammies:
Healthy Nutrients
Your hamsters need different nutrients to function properly and stay healthy. By feeding your hamsters with tomatoes, you can meet this requirement as tomatoes are packed with these nutrients:
- Vitamin C: Vitamin C works by boosting your hamsters’ immune system, protecting them against common infections and illnesses. Vitamin C also promotes tissue regeneration and wound healing among hamsters.
- Vitamin A: Vitamin A improves reproductive health and the eye health of your hamsters.
- Folic acid: Folic acid promotes brain development and normal growth.
- Dietary fiber: Dietary fiber is essential to keep your hamsters’ digestive tracts healthy. Having a sufficient supply of dietary fiber in your hamsters’ bodies lessens their risk of constipation and diarrhea.
Phytonutrients
Tomatoes contain several phytonutrients, like lycopene. Adding foods rich in phytonutrients to your hamsters’ diets can decrease their risk of developing certain types of cancer. Lycopene also promotes cardiovascular health, which can keep your hamsters’ hearts safe from diseases.
Low Calorie
Hamsters are small creatures and don’t need a lot of calories every day to stay healthy. Feeding your hamsters foods with high-calorie content will only increase their susceptibility to weight gain and obesity.
Fortunately, tomatoes are naturally low in calories. Tomatoes are an excellent source of healthy nutrients while lacking fats and sugars—two factors that can contribute to your hamsters’ excessive weight gain.
Potassium
Tomatoes contain potassium that can help regulate your hamsters’ blood pressure. Potassium also protects your hamsters from heart diseases and provides them with energy.
What Are The Risks Of Overfeeding Hamsters With Tomatoes?
When it comes to feeding your hamsters with tomatoes, moderation is key. Although healthy, overfeeding your hamsters with tomatoes also has several risks, namely:
High Acidity
Tomatoes are acidic, and feeding too many to your hamsters will cause problems, especially if your hamsters have highly sensitive stomachs. The acidity content of tomatoes can cause several symptoms to your hamsters, such as excessive salivation, lack of appetite, drowsiness, and physical weakness.
Nutritional Issues
Your hamsters need a well-balanced diet to remain safe from illnesses. Giving them too much tomato can easily make them full and will prevent them from consuming other healthy foods. Yes, tomatoes are healthy, but they don’t provide all of the essential vitamins and nutrients to keep your hamsters healthy.
Obesity
Although tomatoes are low in calories, feeding too many to your hamsters can still lead to obesity. Obese hamsters have a shorter life expectancy and are more prone to develop chronic illnesses, such as diabetes and hypertension.
Diarrhea And Wet Tail
The high water and acid content of tomatoes can take a toll on your hamsters’ health. When given in large quantities, tomatoes can cause diarrhea in your hamsters. When left untreated, diarrhea can worsen into a wet tail. This is a common health condition among hamsters that can be fatal.
Can Hamsters Eat Cherry Tomatoes?
Yes, cherry tomatoes are safe for your hamsters! Cherry tomatoes contain the same vitamins and minerals as other varieties of tomatoes. Just make sure that you’re giving cherry tomatoes to your hamsters in moderation.
Can Hamsters Have Tomato Juice?
Unfortunately, no. Tomato juice contains high amounts of spices, preservatives, and sugar but lacks the nutrients commonly found in fresh tomatoes. Giving even a small amount of tomato juice to your hamsters can have detrimental effects on their health and wellness.
How About Tomato Paste Or Tomato Sauce?
Like tomato juice, tomato paste and tomato paste contain many chemicals. Regardless of how concentrated the tomato paste or sauce is, never give any to your hamsters. It’s best if you stick to feeding your hamsters with fresh, ripe tomatoes.
Can Hamsters Eat Tomato Soup?
No, your hamsters should never be given tomato soup. Tomato-derived products contain excessive amounts of chemicals and sugar, which can be harmful to your pets. Keep your bowl of tomato soup to yourself and serve your hamsters with fresh tomatoes instead.
How About Tomato Ketchup?
No, you should never give your hamsters tomato ketchup. This product is too salty and might upset your pets’ stomach.
Is It Okay To Feed Your Hamsters With The Rest Of The Tomato Plant?
The green parts of the tomato plant, namely its leaves, flowers, and stems, contain toxic alkaloids, namely solanine and tomatine. When taken in large quantities, these can damage your hamsters’ gastrointestinal tract and cause poisoning.
How Should You Prepare Tomatoes For Your Hamsters?
Start by choosing the right tomatoes for your hamsters, meaning the tomatoes should be well-ripe and red. Never feed your hamsters with green tomatoes, as these can be toxic.
Once you’ve picked the right tomatoes, wash them thoroughly to remove dirt and pesticides from the surface. Make sure to remove the leaves and vines of the tomatoes, as well.
After the tomatoes have dried, chop them into small pieces to prevent your hamsters from choking. The smaller the slices are, the easier it’ll be for your hamsters to chew and digest the tomatoes.
How Many Tomatoes Should Hamsters Eat?
The bodies of humans and hamsters are different, which is why you need to take a more careful approach when determining how much tomato to give to your pets.
Ideally, baby hamsters should never be given tomatoes as their bodies aren’t fully developed yet to chew and ingest the food. Adult hamsters, on the other hand, should only be given one teaspoon of sliced tomato or half cherry tomato.
After feeding tomatoes to your hamsters for the first time, pay attention to their behavior for the next 12 to 48 hours. If your hamsters develop diarrhea or seem to be in pain or discomfort, discontinue feeding them tomatoes. Some hamsters have sensitive stomachs and might not like tomatoes.
If your hamsters continue to be their jolly selves even after giving them tomatoes, you can continue feeding them more.
How Often Can Hamsters Eat Tomatoes?
Only give your hamsters tomatoes once a week. This might seem too little, but giving more tomatoes can actually disrupt the digestive system of your hamsters.
Ask Help From A Vet
Tomatoes are healthy and tasty snacks, but these aren’t enough reasons to immediately change your hamsters’ diets. Keep in mind that your hamsters have delicate digestive tracts, and making drastic adjustments to their diets can cause more harm than good.
Before you feed tomatoes to your hamsters, talk to your vet first. They can provide informative tips on how you can safely and properly incorporate tomatoes into your hamsters’ diet.