Safe And Unsafe Plants For Your Hamsters To Eat Or To Be Around

Hamsters like to munch on anything they can get their teeth on. Eating poisonous foods can be a danger to them. They do not have the ability to vomit, which means Hamsters don’t have an easy way to get rid of ingested toxins. Therefore, it is extremely important to take care of what our little one eats.

Some plants are safe for our Hamsters, while others are toxic for them. Most plants that have components that are poisonous to our Hamsters need to be eaten in large quantities to be truly harmful. So, if your pet takes a couple nibbles of a flower that they shouldn’t eat, they’ll probably be fine, but if they eat the whole potted plant, then you may have to take action.

Now we know that certain plants are safe for our Hamsters to consume. However, the consumption of some plant also has side effects.

Also, it is important to learn everything about the plant before tossing it in as some plants are highly poisonous for our little ones.

Also, owners must be aware of the fact that plants or even any part of a plant alone cannot fulfill the nutritional requirement of our Hamsters. Therefore, it should be served as a treat only. Now, let us understand more about this topic without any further delay.

Are Plants Bad For Hamsters?

While certain plants make an excellent supplement for our Hamsters, it does not suffice the vitamins and minerals needed for their healthy growth.

Serving in moderation is the key. Overfeeding might lead to several health problems in them. Listed below are some of the health complications from which our Hamsters might suffer if overfed with the plants:

  • Obesity And Bloating: Overeating the plant parts can easily make our Hamsters obese. It might even lead to bloating in them. Most plants contain carbohydrates and unnecessary fats, making our Hamsters bloat, making them inactive and sick.
  • Digestive Problems: Plant parts are more like treats for our Hamsters. When overfed, it might lead to digestive system disturbances and imbalances.
  • Might Cause Diarrhea: Overconsumption of any plant might lead to our Hamster’s diarrhea, gas, and pain. Therefore, you should never serve your Hamsters more than the advised quantity.
  • Dental Health Problems: Overeating the plants might even lead to tooth and gum damage in our Hamsters. In some cases, certain plant parts may get stuck between their teeth and gums, leading to irritation.
  • Allergies: Some Hamsters may have an allergic reaction to certain plants. Continuous sneezing, difficulty in breathing, and itching are some of the common signs of allergies. If your Hamster is showing any of the above symptoms, it is advised to take them to a vet.

20 Plants That Are Safe For Your Hamster

Although some plants may seem safe for your Hamster to eat or be around, it doesn’t mean they should be given unlimited access.

While most safe plants are healthier than sugary treats, they should still be given to our Hamster in moderation and variety.

Safe flowers can be given in moderation but shouldn’t make up a large portion of a Hamster’s diet.

It’s also very important to pay attention to any fertilizers or pesticides used with the plants your Hamster is eating.

Many of the substances used for lawn and garden care are poisonous to our little pets. They can be much more toxic than poison plants, so pay attention to any chemicals you use to keep your garden and plants looking nice.

1. Roses

Rose bushes make an excellent choice for our Hamsters. This includes the leaves, twigs, branches, and flowers.

Rose petals can be a very yummy treat for your Hamsters. Both fresh and dried rose petals work for them.

2. Daisies

While not incredibly nutritious, daisies prove a yummy treat for our Hamsters.

The whole plant is completely safe and nontoxic for our Hamsters. This includes the flower, stem, leaves, and even the roots if your little one gets ahold of them. The leaves can even provide some extra protein for your Hamster.

3. Dandelions

Hamsters can eat dandelions without any worries. Other parts like leaves, stems, and flowers are edible too.

Dandelions are packed with essential vitamins and minerals required by our Hamsters. Due to excess calcium and phosphorus, overfeeding could be terrible for our Hamster’s health.

However, dandelions alone cannot fulfill the requirements of our Hamsters. It is essential to mix with other vegetables and fruits to prepare a healthy and balanced diet.

4. Sunflower

Hamsters love to munch on sunflowers.

The whole plant is safe for our Hamsters including the flower, leaves, stem, and even the seeds. Hamsters love to chew on the sunflower stems.

Just be sure to practice moderation, especially with sunflower seeds. They are high in fat and can cause digestive problems if given in high amounts.

5. Mints

Hamsters can surely eat mint without any worries. The leaves, flowers, and stems are edible for our Hamsters. However, avoid feeding them with the roots.

Mint also provides our Hamsters with several medical properties.

Overfeeding can cause severe health problems. Therefore, serving in moderation is the key.

6. Bell Flowers

Some people also refer to bellflowers as campanula.

These flowers are completely safe for our Hamsters. Also, the leaves of this plant provide additional nutrition to our little Hamsters.

Although the plant does not harm our Hamsters, the best idea is to serve it in moderation. It will help to avoid any kind of health complications.

7. Willow

The stems or the branches of the willow trees are commonly used to make play toys for our Hamsters.

As the wood of the willow tree is completely safe, it can often be fun for our Hamsters to chew it.

Besides this, the other parts of the willow trees are also perfectly safe for our little ones to munch on.

You’ll want to wash them off in the sink or shower first to ensure the branches aren’t harboring any bugs.

8. Jasmine

Organic jasmine plants are considered to be non-toxic for our Hamsters. All the plant parts, i.e., the flowers, leaves, and stems, are safe for our Hamsters.

While you may want to keep your Hamster away, so they don’t eat up your lovely potted jasmine plant, you can at least know it won’t do any harm to your Hamster.

It is important to be careful that you don’t have a false jasmine plant. These plants called Carolina jasmine or yellow jasmine, are toxic to our Hamsters. These plants look like true jasmine, but they are characterized by yellow flowers and are unrelated.

9. Nasturtium

Hamsters love to snack on the nasturtium. Our little ones find the flowers extremely tasty.

Nasturtiums usually grow in a bush, but they can also grow vine-like along a fence or wire. The tasty flowers of the plant make an excellent treat for our Hamsters.

However, always remember that moderation is the key.

10. Hollyhock

Hollyhock is my Hamster’s favorite. Little amounts of the flower work best for our pets once in a while.

However, never serve them too much at a time.

11. Cotton

Hamsters love to chew on cottonwood. Cotton plants are completely safe for our little pets.

However, you must not let your Hamster chew on cotton blankets or clothings.

12. Pot Marigolds

Pot marigolds, or marigolds are completely safe for our Hamsters to chew on.

There are two other types of marigold, however, that are toxic for our Hamsters.

Marsh marigolds and french marigolds (also called african marigolds) are mildly toxic and should not be given to our little pets.

13. Lavender

Lavender is among the plants that are completely safe for our Hamsters.

You can give lavender to your Hamster fresh or even dried, allowing your Hamster to forage for the yummy pieces of lavender

However, lavender’s strong scent and prickly texture, you need to extremely careful. Also, keep your Hamster away from lavender scented essential oils.

14. Nettle

Both, stinging nettle and dead nettle are both safe for our Hamsters.

However, horse nettle (also called bull nettle) is a different kind of plant and is not safe for our little ones. This unrelated type of nettle has high amounts of a chemical called solanine.

It can potentially cause digestive issues with Hamsters, especially if eaten in large amounts.

15. Chamomile

Chamomile is an excellent addition to a Hamster’s diet.

It has a lot of health benefits for our Hamsters. Also, chamomile is a great source of fiber.

Therefore, it makes an amazing snack for our Hamsters. However, do not serve them too much at a time.

16. Clover

We can definitely serve our Hamsters with clover once in a while.

Clovers are packed with Vitamin C, which makes them an excellent choice for our Hamsters.

However, it is advised to serve in moderation to avoid any kinds of health problems

17. Grass

Hamsters can definitely munch on grass. However, we must serve them with organically grown grass only.

Grasses on the park or general grounds contain chemicals, which might prove to be toxic for our Hamsters.

Also, overfeeding might lead to health problems. Therefore, serving in moderation is the key.

Also Read: Do Hamsters Eat Grass? (Benefits, Hazards & More)

18. Violets

Violet leaves, flowers and stems are safe for our Hamsters to eat. Some Hamsters will really love these flowers and gobble them up, while other Hamsters will completely ignore them.

Regardless of whether or not your Hamster likes to munch on these, you don’t have to worry about keeping them out of your Hamster’s reach (unless you’re trying to grow them, that is).

19. Pansies

Pansies are cute, unique flowers that make nice potted plants or garden plants.

This plant can also grow as wildflowers, so there’s no need to be worried if your Hamster happens to come across them on your lawn.

20. Fuschia

This is another plant that is perfectly safe for Hamsters to eat in moderation.

The flowers, leaves and stems are all edible and are not poisonous to Hamsters. However, this is probably not a plant that I would specifically give to my Hamster because it doesn’t have all that much nutritional value.

20 Plants That Are Poisonous For Your Hamster

Not all plants are safe for our Hamsters to consume. Many of them contains traces of phenols, tannins and even cyanide, that can be fatal for our Hamsters.

Therefore, we must be very cautious with the type of plants we provide our Hamsters.

Here are some plants that are deemed toxic for our Hamsters:

1. Nightshade

Nightshade plants have been used in medicine and poisons throughout history. In general, these plants are known to be deadly toward many animals.

Therefore, the best option is to keep it away from your Hamsters.

2. Hydrangea

All parts of a hydrangea plant, including the leaves, buds, and flowers, are highly toxic to our Hamsters. These plants have high levels of a compound called amygdalin, which breaks down to produce cyanide.

Hamsters will often stay away from hydrangeas. Ingesting a hydrangea plant could cause severe gastrointestinal problems, including diarrhea.

3. Chrysanthemum

We should never serve our Hamsters with chrysanthemum.

It is highly poisonous for them. The presence of excess calcium in the chrysanthemum might lead to several health problems such as urinary complications and bladder stones.

Therefore, it is advised not to feed chrysanthemum to your Hamsters.

4. Lilies

Most lily plants also have varying levels of toxicity toward Hamsters. The roots of a kaffir lily are toxic, while lily of the valley, may lily, and calla lily plants are highly toxic and can cause severe gastrointestinal complications.

The flowers, leaves, and stems of these plants are toxic for our Hamsters and should be avoided, including the foliage of a lily of the valley bush

5. Cannabis

Marijuana leaves might be toxic towards Hamsters, but the flowers and stems are poisonous and should be avoided.  

At the moment there is no evidence that eating marijuana leaves is fatally toxic toward Hamsters, but other pet species have been studied and show negative health impacts from ingesting the leaves and inhaling the smoke.

For this reason, it is best to keep any marijuana away from our little ones and avoid smoking in the same room as them.

6. Onion

Onions are not suitable for consumption by our Hamsters.

It contains certain compounds such as disulfide and thiosulphate, which are toxic for our Hamsters.

Consumption of onions can lead to severe health problems in our Hamsters. If your Hamsters have eaten onion even by chance, take them to a vet.

7. Poppy

The opium alkaloids contained in poppy plants are highly toxic to our Hamsters.

The entire plant contains elements that are toxic to our little ones, but the seeds are particularly deadly because of the high concentration of the opium alkaloids. Even a dried poppy plant can be highly poisonous to our Hamsters.

8. Hemlock

Hemlock plants are poisonous for our Hamsters. All parts of hemlock plants are toxic and should not be given to our loved.

Hemlock is poisonous to many other animals as well (including humans), so it’s best to keep it far away from all of our mouths.

9. Potato Plants

We should never serve our Hamsters with raw potatoes. Raw potatoes are extremely toxic for our Hamsters. Therefore, keep your Hamsters far away from raw potatoes.

However, Hamsters can eat plain boiled potatoes in small quantities.

10. Rhododendron

Rhododendrons, including azaleas, are beautiful plants that are highly toxic for Hamsters.

This applies to all parts of the plant, including the flowers, leaves, stems, and roots. Even honey that is made from these flowers can be toxic for Hamsters.

11. Tomato Plants

Hamsters cannot eat tomato leaves at all. These leaves might prove to be poisonous for them.

Although tomatoes themselves are not poisonous for our Hamsters, their stems and leaves are. It contains alkaloids like solanine and tomatine, which are extremely harmful to our Hamsters.

Serving a small part might not be very harmful for our Hamsters. However, try to avoid it as much as possible.

On the other hand, Hamsters can surely eat small amounts of fresh tomatoes.

12. Iris

Yellow irises are highly toxic and should definitely be avoided.

This includes all parts of the yellow iris plant: the leaves, flower, roots, and stem.

Other irises, however, are not so highly toxic. The plant juice of other species of iris may cause some irritation, but they are unlikely to cause a severe toxic reaction.

13. Daffodil

Flowers with bulbs are all potentially poisonous for Hamsters.

This includes plants such as daffodils, tulips, bluebells, orchids, and many more. Unless you know otherwise, you should assume that the entire plant, not just the bulbs are toxic to Hamsters.

The flower as well as the leaves stems and roots should be kept out of reach of our little ones.

14. Ivy

Ivy is mildly poisonous to Hamsters.

Ivy can be poisonous to Hamsters if it is eaten in very high quantities. If a Hamster gets poisoned by ivy they may experience weakness and diarrhea, or seizures and paralysis in severe cases.

15. Hyacinth

Hyacinth is another mildly poisonous plant for our Hamsters.

The entire plant is potentially poisonous, including the flower, roots, stem, and leaves. It should be kept out of reach of our Hamsters.

16. Rhubarb

Rhubarb is not at all safe for our Hamsters to eat.

Rhubarb is rich in oxalic acid, which is terrible for our Hamster’s health. It might lead to several health problems such as gastrointestinal issues, diarrhea, and bloating in Hamsters.

Also, rhubarb is packed with a decent amount of sugar, calcium, and phosphorus.

Overconsumption of any of these might lead to several health problems such as diabetes, digestive problems, and kidney problems.

17. Foxglove

Foxglove plants are highly toxic to Hamsters.

These plants contain cardiac glycosides, which have a negative affect on the heart and kidneys. The entire plant is toxic to our little ones and should be avoided.

Even a small amount of a foxglove plant is enough to cause negative effects in Hamsters.

Hamsters suffering from foxglove poisoning will experience diarrhea, stomach pain, dehydration, weakness, and an irregular heartbeat. Severe cases can also cause seizures in Hamsters.

18. Buttercup

Hamsters cannot eat buttercups.

Buttercups can prove to be extremely toxic for them. It might lead to several health problems in them.

If your Hamster has consumed buttercups by mistake, then I would suggest you visit the vet.

19. Yew

Yew plant as a whole is highly toxic for our Hamsters.

Yew is very dangerous and contains chemicals that can cause sudden death in Hamsters. In mild cases a Hamster may experience difficulty breathing, an inflamed stomach, or shaking.

20. Wolfsbane

All species of wolfsbane are considered toxic for our Hamsters.

These plants contain alkaloids that can cause severe digestive upsets and heart problems.

In severe cases even a small amount can cause their heart to slow down and eventually stop completely. The entire plant is toxic and should be kept out of reach of our Hamsters.

How Worried Should You Be About Poisonous Plants?

Poisonous plants can be a cause of concern for our Hamsters. However, if your Hamster only eats a small amount of those plants, they likely won’t suffer from significant negative side effects.

When Hamsters have enough safe plants to munch on, they’ll ignore other unsafe plants because these don’t taste as good.

However, as Hamsters cannot vomit, eating too much of something poisonous can cause severe illness.

Sometimes, indoor potted plants can be a particular danger to our Hamsters.

When Hamsters only have limited access to plants, their natural curiosity can take over causing the Hamster to nibble on whatever is available.

If that happens to be a poisonous plant, they may eat a lot before noticing. It’s best to ensure any indoor potted plants are safe for Hamsters or keep them completely away from your pet’s reach.

What To Do If You Believe Your Hamster Has Eaten A Poisonous Substance?

If you believe that your Hamster has ingested a plant or other poisonous substance, you should immediately call your vet for instructions.

Even if your Hamster has only eaten a nibble or negligent amount, your vet will likely instruct you to pay attention to your Hamster’s behavior to look for signs of feeling unwell.

It’s always best to call anyway because some substances are more poisonous than others and may require immediate medical intervention.

Mohini

Hello, I am Mohini, the founder of this blog. I am a qualified Animal Nutrition. I am here to help everyone understand their pets better.

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