Cilantro, also known as coriander, is a popular herb used in cooking all around the globe. This amazing herb can be used in various forms. It has numerous benefits for the human body, but what about our Hamsters? Can Hamsters eat cilantro? Is it safe for them? Let’s find out!
Hamsters can eat cilantro leaves along with their stems. The roots and seeds are not edible for Hamsters. This amazing herb is packed with Vitamin C and other vital antioxidants that have a lot of health benefits. However, the acidic nature of the vegetable makes them a limiting factor for our Hamsters.
Feeding excess quantities of any vegetable or fruit can be a terrible idea as it may lead to significant health issues in our Hamsters.
So, now you know that Hamsters can eat cilantro, you must we wondering how much of the veggie should you feed and what other vegetables should you mix it with.
But before knowing that, let us learn about some nutrients in cilantro so that we can balance our Hamster’s diet.
Nutrition In Cilantro
Let us look in detail the nutritional values of 100 grams of cilantro.
| Nutrients | Amount |
|---|---|
| Vitamin C | 27 mg |
| Vitamin K | 310 µg |
| Vitamin A | 337 µg |
| Carotene | 3930 µg |
| Lutein + Zeaxanthin | 865 µg |
| Calcium | 67 mg |
| Phosphorous | 48 mg |
| Potassium | 521 mg |
| Fiber | 2.8 g |
| Sugar | 0.87 g |
| Magnesium | 26 mg |
| Carbs | 3.67 g |
| Calories | 23 Kcal |
| Fat | 0.52 g |
| Water | 92.21 g |
Cilantro contains a decent amount of Vitamin A. Vitamin A is essential for your Hamster’s overall body growth. It promotes the healthy growth of tissues and also improves eyesight.
Cilantro is packed with Vitamin C, which is required to keep your Hamster’s immune system strong. It gives your Hamsters more strength to fight diseases. It is also important to absorb many nutrients like iron in the body.
Cilantro also contains Vitamin K, which keeps your Hamster’s bones and tissues strong. It also helps in the clotting of blood.
Cilantro also contains a good amount of dietary fibers, which help in the digestion of your Hamsters. Not only does it help in regular bowel movements and proper digestion, but it also maintains glucose and cholesterol levels.
Cilantro also contains some other nutrients like potassium, magnesium, and iron. These nutrients help in the proper regulation of blood and maintain heart rate.
The herb is said to have both antiseptic and carminative properties.
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Are Hamsters Allergic To Cilantro?
Most of the Hamsters are not allergic to cilantro, but in some rare cases, serving it for the first time might lead to so.
Hamsters have a sensitive digestive system, and any sudden change to their diet might lead to some problems. They may face some allergies to eating cilantro, which might lead to itching and even diarrhea in some cases.
Since the chances of your Hamster being allergic to cilantro is negligible, I would say that you can feed cilantro to your Hamsters without facing any problems.
Is Cilantro Safe For Hamsters?
Cilantro is totally safe for our Hamsters when served in moderation. Not only is it safe, but it also consists of some benefits for our Hamsters, some of which include:
- Body Growth: Cilantro contains a lot of Vitamins that help your Hamsters in their overall body growth. It also keeps them strong and makes sure that their heart is in a healthy condition.
- Repair Of Tissues: The presence of Vitamin A and Vitamin C helps in the repair of tissues in our Hamsters. It also keeps their immune system strong at all times and gives them the strength to fight various diseases.
- Improves Eyesight: Cilantro is rich in Vitamin A, which keeps your Hamster’s eyes healthy and also helps in their improvement since Hamster’s eyesight is always degrading.
- Prevents Scurvy: Vitamin C present in Cilantro helps in preventing scurvy, which is a very common problem in Hamsters.
- Maintains Cholesterol Level: Dietary fibers help in maintaining the blood cholesterol level in Hamsters. It also prevents heart problems and some other diseases too.
- Better Immune System: Cilantro contains certain essential vitamins and minerals, which helps in keeping your Hamster’s immune system strong and gives them strength to fight diseases.
Is Cilantro Bad For Hamsters?
Cilantro is not bad for our Hamsters at all, considering that you serve it in moderation. Although cilantro is a healthy herb and has a lot of benefits for our Hamsters, you should not overfeed it at all.
Cilantro contains a decent amount of Vitamin C, which can cause a lot of problems if overfed to our Hamsters. Overfeeding cilantro might even lead to the formation of bladder stones because of its high calcium count.
Cilantro might turn out to be very dangerous for pregnant Hamsters. It might lead to bad health of the young one or even the mother in some cases. It can also be a cause for the passing away of both the mother and the child.
Here are some of the side effects of overfeeding cilantro to your Hamsters:
- Digestive Problems: As Hamsters have a delicate digestive system, serving an amounts excess of dietary fiber might lead to their stomach being upset.
- Bladder Stones: Since cilantro contains a decent amount of calcium and oxalates, overfeeding might even lead to the formation of bladder stones in our Hamsters.
- Diarrhea: Sudden change in your Hamster’s diet might lead to severe digestive problems like diarrhea. Therefore, you must introduce a new item to your Hamster’s diet very slowly and in an orderly manner.
- Irritation: Sometimes, introducing cilantro to your Hamster’s diet might even lead to some allergies like itching. It is important to take note of how your Hamster is reacting when it eats cilantro.
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Can Hamsters Eat Cilantro Stems?
Hamsters can eat cilantro stems without any problems. However, it is important to serve in moderation.
Cilantro is a herb of which every part is safe for our Hamster (except roots), which means that our Hamsters can eat all of its parts without any problems.
It is important to wash these stems properly before serving. The stems contain some foreign particles which might turn out to be harmful to our Hamsters.
Some stems might turn out to be a little rough, so always chop it properly before serving so that our Hamsters have no problem while eating it.
Can Hamsters Eat Cilantro Flowers?
Hamsters can surely eat cilantro flowers. These flowers are quite attractive to our Hamsters.
Although there is no harm in serving cilantro flowers to our Hamsters, do remember to wash them properly before serving. Overfeeding might lead to problems like diarrhea.
Even though green parts are much more nutritious, you can feed the floral parts once in a while.
Can Hamsters Eat Cilantro Roots?
As mentioned above, Hamsters cannot eat cilantro roots. This is because they do not have any special benefits to them as such.
It might even be a choking hazard for your Hamsters. So always make sure that you separate the roots before serving it to your Hamster.
How Much Cilantro Can Hamsters Eat?
You can feed your adult Hamsters with 10-15 springs of cilantro. On the other hand, you should avoid feeding cilantro to young Hamsters. As Hamsters have a weak digestive system, serving in moderation is important.
If you are serving cilantro to your Hamster for the first time, you should take note of how your Hamster reacts to it. If you see any adverse effects in the next 12 hours, then you should immediately stop feeding cilantro to your Hamster.
How Often Can I Feed Cilantro To My Hamsters?
The serving frequency depends on a lot of factors, such as the age and size of the Hamsters. Serving 2-3 times a week is ideal. Most of the Hamsters love cilantro and enjoy munching on its leaves.
You need to keep in mind that your Hamsters might be allergic to it, so you need to pay attention to how it reacts when they eat it for the first time.
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Correct Way To Feed Cilantro To My Hamsters!
It is important to serve food to your Hamsters the correct way. Cilantro is one of the best treats for Hamster.
Follow the steps listed below to easily prepare cilantro for your Hamsters:
- The first and foremost step is to choose fresh cilantro for your Hamsters. Choosing a wilted one might lead to digestive problems in your Hamsters.
- Wash the cilantro properly before serving it to your Hamsters. This is very important as it gets rid of all the foreign particles present in it.
- Serve cilantro immediately after you wash it. This is done so that your Hamsters get some extra water and remain hydrated.
- Chop it into small pieces before serving it to your Hamsters. It makes sure that your Hamsters can eat it easily.
- You can either hand feed it to them or serve it in a bowl. It is fine to do either of those.
- You can mix cilantro with some other low-calcium veggies like lettuce, cucumber, and carrot. This is done to make sure that your Hamster’s diet is balanced.
- The last step is to remove all the uneaten parts after your Hamsters have enjoyed eating their cilantro along with the other veggies. It prevents bacteria build-up in and around the cage.
