Kale is a leafy vegetable with a ton of health benefits. It is delicious, crunchy, and highly nutritious. Now the question arises, can our Hamsters eat kale? Is it safe for them? Let’s find out!
Hamsters can definitely eat kale. Kale is rich in essential vitamins and minerals required for the healthy growth of our Hamsters. However, avoid serving them with cooked kale. Hamster’s digestive system doesn’t work well with cooked veggies. Also, moderate serving is advised to avoid health problems.
Now that you have known that you can feed kale to your Hamsters, you might be wondering about the nutritional value of the vegetable.
Is the vegetable safe for our Hamsters? How to serve our Hamsters with kale and much more. Don’t worry, continue to read the article till the end and I bet you will have all your doubts cleared.
Nutrition In Kale
Let us look in detail the nutritional values of 100 grams of kale.
| Nutrients | Amount |
|---|---|
| Vitamin C | 93.4 mg |
| Vitamin A | 4812 IU |
| Vitamin K | 389 mcg |
| Calcium | 254 mg |
| Phosphorous | 55 mg |
| Potassium | 348 mg |
| Fiber | 4.1 g |
| Sugar | 0.99 g |
| Protein | 2.92 g |
| Carbs | 4.42 g |
| Calories | 35 Kcal |
| Fat | 1.49 g |
| Water | 89.63 g |
Kale is packed with several nutrients like Vitamin A, Vitamin C, Vitamin K, calcium, iron, etc. These nutrients are quite helpful for our Hamsters.
Vitamin A helps in keeping our Hamster’s liver, kidney, and some other organs always in a good state.
Vitamin C helps in maintaining the immunity system and makes our Hamster fight diseases easily.
Vitamin K prevents excess bleeding in Hamsters by helping in blood clots. It also improves the digestive system.
Kale is also rich in magnesium, calcium, iron, and potassium. These nutrients help in keeping the blood pressure and cholesterol level low. It also helps in the formation of bones and tissues, and also some other functions.
Have a look at this bestselling Hamster Food Bowls from Amazon. My Hamster loves it, yours will love it too!
Is Kale Safe For Our Hamsters?
Kale is totally safe for our Hamsters if it is served in a moderate quantity. It has a lot of nutrients which proves to be beneficial for our Hamsters. Some of those include keeping the immunity system and digestive system strong, preventing scurvy, etc.
Nonetheless, like any other vegetable kale cannot be overfed to our Hamsters. It contains a decent amount of calcium, which might lead to problems like the formation of bladder stones and diarrhea.
To learn more about the fruits and vegetables you can and cannot feed your Hamsters, refer to the articles linked below:
- What Fruits Can Hamsters Eat? (Complete List, Serving Size & More)
- What Vegetables Can Hamsters Eat? ( List, Serving size & More )
Is Kale Bad For Our Hamsters?
Kale is not at all bad for our Hamsters. It has a lot of nutrients which is very beneficial for our Hamsters. However, this is only true if served in a moderate quantity. If the quantity served is not monitored properly, it might lead to many adverse effects.
Always remember that anything you serve in excess might lead to several problems in our Hamsters. There are a few health problems from which our Hamster might have if kale is served in more quantity than required. Listed below are some of those problems:
- Formation Of Stones: Kale contains a high amount of calcium, which might lead to the formation of bladder stones in our little ones. Therefore, serving in moderation is the key.
- Diarrhea: Hamsters have a very delicate digestive system because of which any sudden change in their diet might lead to several problems. Anything in excess might lead to digestive problems like diarrhea. Always try to serve any food in moderation.
- Rough Skin And Bone Pain: Kale contains a good amount of Vitamin A. Although Vitamin A is good for our Hamster’s health, overfeeding might lead to bone pain and rough skin. Serving a little too much of Vitamin A might lead to Vitamin A toxicity in our Hamsters.
- Abnormal Muscle Contraction: If food rich in potassium like kale is served in a high quantity or over a long period of time, it might lead to abnormal muscle contraction. It might even lead to abnormal movement in some cases.
Is Kale Good For Our Hamsters?
Kale is an excellent choice for our Hamsters. If served in a moderate quantity, it can be very beneficial for our Hamsters. Here are some of the benefits of serving kale to our Hamsters:
- Strong Immunity System: Kale is packed with essential vitamins, minerals, and antioxidants, required for the healthy growth of our Hamsters. Vitamin C present in kale helps in keeping our Hamster’s immunity system strong at all times and makes them stronger to fight diseases.
- Speedy Recovery Of The Wounds: Kale is rich in Vitamin K, which helps in faster recovery of wounds and helps in clotting of blood. Vitamin K is an integral part of our Hamster’s diet.
- Prevents Scurvy: As mentioned above, kale is rich in Vitamin C. As Hamsters cannot produce their own, we must serve it to our Hamsters in a proper amount. Serving Vitamin C also prevents scurvy in Hamsters.
- Improves Digestive System: Kale contains a decent amount of dietary fibers, which help in proper digestion in our Hamsters. Fiber is very important for our Hamster’s proper bowel movement and overall digestive system.
Can Hamsters Eat Kale Stems?
Hamsters can surely eat kale stems. It is totally safe for our Hamsters. Kale stems contain a decent amount of fiber, which is very beneficial for our Hamster’s digestive system.
The rough and hard texture of the kale stems also helps in wearing down our Hamster’s teeth.
Even though some Hamster owners say that kale stems can cause digestive problems in Hamsters, there is no proof of it. So it depends on you if you want to add it to our Hamster’s diet.
Can Hamsters Eat Kale Greens?
Hamsters can eat kale greens without any worries. This part of the vegetable has the most nutrients.
So, you should consider serving kale greens to our Hamsters.
How Much Kale Should I Feed My Hamsters?
We should not feed any more than 1 or 2 kale leaves to our Hamsters. It is always a good idea to mix it with some low calcium vegetables to balance their diet.
Also, remember that the serving size depends on our Hamster’s age, size and many other factors.
If your Hamster is suffering from something like bladder stones, you should avoid serving kale to them. Instead, try something like lettuce which has a low calcium count.
How Often Can Hamsters Eat Kale?
Kale can be served to our Hamsters 1-2 times a week. Although kale is packed with a lot of nutrients, if it is overfed to our Hamsters, it might lead to some problems.
You might want to add a few low calcium foods like lettuce, and zucchini.
Recommended Reading:
- Why Does My Hamster Keeps Drooling? (You Must Know)
- Do Hamsters Play Dead? (+How To Train Them)
- Why Is My Hamster Trying to Escape? (How To Stop Them + What To Do)
- Why Is My Hamster Scared Of Me?
- Can Hamsters Have Sand In Their Cage? (Safe + Unsafe Sand)
Correct Way To Prepare Kale For My Hamsters!
It is a very simple process to prepare kale for our Hamsters.
Follow these simple steps:
- The first and foremost step is to choose the correct kale for our Hamsters. Try to choose fresh kale, and avoid wilting kale entirely.
- Wash the kale properly. This is done to wash away all the chemicals present on the skin, which is very harmful to our Hamsters.
- Cut the vegetable into small pieces for the Hamster to eat easily. You can also mix some other low calcium veggies before serving them to the Hamsters.
- The final step is to remove all the unwanted parts after our Hamster has enjoyed their meal. This is done to prevent bacteria build-up.
I found these amazing Hamster chew toys on Amazon, my Hamster loves it. Check it out!
Related Queries:
Can Hamsters Eat Curly Kale?
Yes, Hamsters can eat curly kale. A small piece once in a while is ideal for them. Do not serve them more than the advised quantity.
Can Hamsters Eat Baby Kale?
Yes, Hamsters can eat baby kale. However, keep the quantity in moderation. Also, do not serve it to your Hamsters daily.
Can Hamsters Eat Raw Kale?
Hamsters can definitely eat raw kale. It has a lot of nutrients that are very beneficial for our Hamsters. Also, any vegetable in its raw form is the best for our Hamsters.
Can Hamsters Eat Frozen Kale?
Our Hamsters can eat frozen kale without any worries. However, do not forget to bring the vegetable to room temperature before serving it to the Hamsters. Serving frozen kale directly to our Hamsters might lead to several problems.
Consumption of any vegetable directly from the refrigerator might even lead to diarrhea in some cases. Hence, it is important to wash it and thaw it before serving it to our Hamster.
Can Hamsters Eat Cooked Kale?
Hamsters cannot eat cooked kale at all. We should avoid serving all kinds of cooked food to our Hamsters.
Serving cooked food might lead to several digestive problems. Not only this, cooking food almost loses all of its nutrients, so there are no benefits to serving cooked food anyways.
