If you own a hamster as a pet then you should consider yourself lucky, they are the most beautiful gift one can have. But special pets do require special care, don’t you agree? Therefore, you should take care of what they are eating or even what type of food they are meddling around.
After doing thorough research, and consulting experts, I compiled this ultimate guide to help you ensure your hamster enjoys a safe snack.
Should You Give Your Hamster Mushrooms?
Hamsters can indeed eat mushrooms, but it’s crucial to select safe varieties, and introduce them slowly and in moderation.
Pros
Some pet owners believe there is not much harm in feeding mushrooms to your hamster. There is a friend of mine who owns a hamster, and her pet is 14 months old. Believe it or not, his favorite food is also mushroom.
She feeds him mushroom and there have been no side effects. Also, she takes him to a vet and gets his routine check-up done regularly. And nothing so far has been mentioned by the doc that says that mushrooms might harm her hamster. Also, he never had an upset belly after eating a mushroom.
So even though you want to feed mushrooms to your hamster you should consult a veterinarian.
Also, it is found that certain polysaccharides found in mushrooms, known as beta-glucans can boost immune function and have anti-tumour properties.
Feeding mushrooms has also shown some promising results when it comes to the matter of dealing with a deadly disease like cancer.
There are certain medicinal mushroom supplements are used by holistic veterinarians and doctors in conjunction with chemotherapy to treat certain types of cancer.
Also remember feeding mushrooms is not as same as feeding mushroom supplements. It is found that natural mushrooms are more toxic to hamsters than the ones found in supermarkets.
Cons
The first thing we found was that most of the research performed on animals revolves around toxic mushrooms, which clarifies that most of the mushrooms are toxic. Therefore, these should be kept out of the reach of hamsters.
There are approximately 10,000 known species of mushrooms in North America, which accounts for a fraction of the mushroom species in the world.
Many of these mushrooms are considered to be highly poisonous. Feeding hamsters, a mushroom you found in the yard, compost pile, or in the woods is certainly not a good idea.
A better idea would be to feed them mushroom that is found in the supermarket, as they would be less toxic.
How To Consume Them Properly?
Well, looking at the current situation it is not okay to feed mushrooms to your hamster before consulting a vet. But if you are feeding them mushrooms feed only the cooked ones once or twice in a month.
Also, don’t give them a whole mushroom, start feeding them slowly then if they like it you can feed them even more but to a certain limit.
[sc name=”food” ]What to Use Instead of Mushrooms?
If you decide that you don’t want to give your hamster a mushroom, you can always use some other food like:
- Apple
- Carrot
- Corn
- Chestnut
FAQs
Can Hamsters Eat Wild Mushrooms?
Can Hamsters Eat Cooked Mushrooms?
Can Hamsters Eat Raw Mushrooms?
Can Hamsters Eat Unseasoned Mushrooms?
Summary
Caring for our tiny companions involves more than just cuddles and playtime; it’s about ensuring their well-being with the right diet too. Hamsters can eat mushrooms, but it’s essential to exercise caution and follow specific guidelines to ensure their safety while snacking.
Through my journey of discovering the answer to the mushroom dilemma, I hope this guide has clarified things for you as much as it did for me. Always remember, when in doubt, always choose the safest option for your little one.
After all, they rely on us for their happiness and health.