Can Hamsters Eat Grapes?

Feeding treats is a great way to bond with your hamster, but you always want to ensure what you’re feeding is safe! You may wonder, can hamsters eat grapes?

Hamsters are omnivores, so they eat a variety of foods, including vegetables, seeds, nuts, grains, fruit, and even insects! However, this doesn’t mean you should feed your pet hamster all of these things indiscriminately or without moderation.

Healthy adult hamsters can eat up to ¼ a grape weekly. Be sure to limit the fruit in your hamster’s diet, as too much sugar can lead to health complications. Chinese dwarf hamsters shouldn’t eat grapes or other fruits high in sugar, as they’re more prone to diabetes than other hamsters.

In this article, we’ll discuss why hamsters can eat grapes, even though they’re toxic to some animals. We’ll also discuss how much of a grape your hamster can eat, how to serve it, and more!

Grapes are Not Toxic to Hamsters

You may know that grapes are toxic to other common pets, such as dogs and cats. However, they aren’t toxic to hamsters.

According to the ASPCA, it’s unknown why grapes cause kidney damage to dogs, cats, and other animals. One theory is that tartaric acid is the culprit.

Hamsters aren’t affected by grapes in this way, but they still aren’t healthy for them to eat all of the time. They contain a lot of sugar that isn’t good for a hamster on a regular basis.

Chinese dwarf hamsters and baby hamsters under a month old shouldn’t eat grapes at all due to the sugar content, but most species of adult hamsters can have around a quarter of a grape once weekly if you aren’t also feeding other sugary foods.

Pros and Cons of Grapes for Hamsters

Before feeding grapes to your hamster, it’s important to consider the pros and cons. Not every hamster should eat grapes, though they’re safe for most healthy adult hamsters.

The pros of grapes for hamsters are:

• They make tasty treats
• They can help hydrate your hamster due to their water content
• Grapes contain important nutrients your hamster needs in their diet, including phosphorus, potassium, and magnesium

However, your hamster can easily get all of the nutrients they need without eating grapes. The majority of your hamster’s diet should consist of a pellet and seed mixture alongside a daily serving of fresh vegetables. Fruit should be fed as an occasional treat, not as a dietary staple.

The cons of grapes can outweigh the pros–especially if you overfeed them. Cons to feeding hamsters grapes include:

• They’re high in sugar and can only be fed sparingly
• Too many grapes can upset your hamster’s stomach, contribute to weight gain, or cause diabetes
• Hamster species prone to diabetes, such as dwarf hamsters, should not eat grapes

We’ll talk more about that last point below!

Chinese Dwarf Hamsters Shouldn’t Eat Grapes

Chinese dwarf hamsters shouldn’t eat grapes at all. As this veterinarian explains, many of them are genetically prone to develop diabetes. Well-bred Chinese dwarf hamsters will have much lower odds of developing it, but it’s simply not worth the risk when they don’t need grapes and other sugary fruits in their diet.

Dwarf hamsters are, sadly, even used in diabetes research due to their genetic predisposition toward the disease.

Can Hamsters Eat All Parts of a Grape?

Grape seeds are a choking hazard and shouldn’t be fed to your hamster. They can also cause intestinal blockages, which can require surgery to remove.

Hamsters can eat both the flesh and skin of the grape, however. Your safest bet will be to purchase seedless grapes at the store, but you can also cut the grape into pieces and carefully remove the seeds.

What to do if Your Hamster Eats Grape Seeds

If your hamster eats grape seeds, contact your veterinarian right away. An intestinal blockage can be deadly if not removed.

It’s not worth it to wait and see if your hamster passes the grape on their own because the consequences are too grave if they don’t.

What Color of Grapes Can Hamsters Eat?

Hamsters can eat all colors of grapes–red, black, and green. Red and black grapes are higher in antioxidants and thus typically considered healthier.

However, your hamster is eating such small quantities that it likely won’t make a difference in their overall nutrition. Red, black, and green grapes are very similar in nutrients and sugar levels otherwise, so I’d suggest purchasing whichever you enjoy best! After all, you’ll be the one eating the majority of the bag!

How to Prepare Grapes for Your Hamster

Remember that your hamster should never eat a full grape, as it’d be way too much sugar for their little body! Here’s how to prepare grapes for your hamster:

• Wash your grapes thoroughly to remove any pesticides from the fruit
• Cut the grapes into eight pieces
• Remove any seeds from the grape
• Feed your hamster up to two of the tiny slices you’ve made–it’s recommended to begin with just one to ensure it doesn’t upset their stomach and they don’t have an allergic reaction!
• Eat the rest of the grape or toss it in your compost pile
• If your hamster decides to pouch the grape and store it, rather than eat it, be sure to remove it before it rots in their cage!

After feeding grapes to your hamster for the first time (or any new foods) be sure to watch them for signs of upset stomach. This includes diarrhea, decreased appetite or activity levels, and eating non-food objects such as bedding (this is called Pica).

If your hamster has an upset stomach, watch them closely. See a veterinarian if their symptoms don’t improve within 24 hours.

How Many Grapes Can a Hamster Eat?

Hamsters can eat a maximum of ¼ a grape once a week. Grapes and other sugary fruits should be fed as an occasional treat.

Just like humans shouldn’t have too much candy in our diets, hamsters shouldn’t get too much fruit. Remember that they’re much smaller than us, so even tiny amounts of sugar can have a big impact!

Excess sugar in their diets can lead to stomach upset, diarrhea, obesity, and diabetes.

Which Fruits Can’t Hamsters Eat?

Most common fruits are safe for hamsters to eat, although they can’t always eat all parts of them. For instance, apple and cherry pits are toxic to hamsters. So are unripened tomatoes and tomato leaves and stems–only the fruit itself should be fed, and only when ripe.

Although many view it as a vegetable, eggplant is technically a fruit and is toxic to hamsters.

Which Fruits Can Hamsters Eat?

Hamsters can eat most fruits, and many common ones are lower in sugar than grapes! However, all of these should still be fed in moderation and as a treat.

Fruits that are lower in sugar than grapes include:

• Strawberry
• Raspberry
• Watermelon
• Apple
• Kiwi

I hope this article has taught you more about your hamster’s dietary needs, including whether they can eat grapes and how much fruit they should eat.

Remember that healthy adult hamsters can eat up to ¼ a grape per week, but no more since they’re high in sugar! Don’t feed grapes or other sugary foods to your dwarf hamster, and let baby hamsters grow up before feeding them sugary treats. Discover what other foods a hamster can eat.

Thank you for reading! If you have feedback on this post, please contact the AZ Animals editorial team.

The photo featured at the top of this post is © iStock.com/darrenplatts123