19 Healthy Treats Your Hamster Will Love

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Hamsters are cute, furry animals that require your love and care just like any other pet. More importantly, they require treats to stay energetic and healthy.

Hamsters don’t just eat anything and everything, so you should have some knowledge about their preferences.

Listed here are some of the best treats for hamsters you can provide your pet.

FYI, this post contains affiliate links. We earn a commission if you make a purchase at no extra cost to you.

Here’s a video for a quick summary!

19 Best Hamster Treats

1. Carrots

Carrots are a top favorite hamster food. Their hard form makes them quite easy to gnaw on, and as a result, help keep your hamster’s teeth nice and short.

An interesting thing to note here is that hamsters have four front teeth that have a tendency to keep growing throughout their lives. In order to keep them from growing too long, nature has developed in them a habit of gnawing or chewing hard things.

If you haven’t ever fed carrots to your hamster, test it out by giving a small cube for the first few days. If it doesn’t show any signs of illness like vomiting or diarrhea, you can add carrots to your list of regular hamster offerings.

This trial-and-error approach of small offerings of new foods before making them a regular part of the diet applies to all kinds of food. Even if you have seen another hamster eat the same thing, it’s not necessary your own hamster will take it well.

Since carrots are high in sugar, a half to one teaspoon serving every one or two days should be enough.

The only types of fruits and vegetables you should avoid giving to your hamster are ones that are citrus fruits and onions, as their acidity could create digestion problems for your hamster.

As hamsters like to hoard their food, you need to check regularly and make sure none of the carrots develop mold.

If you’re looking for more detailed information, feel free to explore our comprehensive article that covers everything on this topic: Can Hamsters Eat Carrots? (Nutritious Treats + Feeding Tips)

2. Apples

Can hamster eat apples? Apples are rich in iron, vitamin C, calcium, and vitamin K, so they make a great source of nutrients after an active day for your hamster. However, the quantity should be limited since this fruit is rich in sugar, and hamsters are prone to diabetes.

Cut out a small cube of an apple and make sure it doesn’t have any seeds before giving it to your hamster.

Removal of seeds is important since both Syrian and Dwarf hamsters may choke on them otherwise! The small Roborovski Hamster is even more prone to choking on apple seeds, so exercise extra caution.

You don’t have to remove the apple peels as they are quite nutritious and contain dietary fiber and vitamins. Although apple seeds contain cyanide and are toxic for your hamster so make sure you remove the seeds before giving them to your hamster.

A quarter-teaspoon serving of apples once or twice a week is enough for your hamster.

Read more: Can Hamsters Eat Apples? (Nutritious Treats + Feeding Tips)

3. Kaytee Timothy Biscuits Baked with Apple

These best-selling ready-to-serve treats are safe to eat by your hamster. The Kaytee Timothy Biscuits are available as 4-ounce bags.

I was actually quite surprised at how affordable these biscuits are on Amazon.

Being hard and chewy, they can be enjoyed by your hamster as their go-to item to gnaw on. This way they condition your hamster’s teeth while providing healthy nutrients at the same time.

These biscuits contain high-fiber timothy hay that has been baked with real apples. Their compressed form is meant to support chewing activity.

One thing to keep in mind is that treats should be given only once in a while. Most treats have high fat and sugar content, so take care not to overfeed your hamster with them.

These treats are also excellent for training your hamster by rewarding them with a biscuit and are ideal for bonding with your hamster.

These timothy biscuits have received a great number of positive reviews from many hamster owners. You can expect them to be the ideal offering when you need your hamster for bonding or playtime.

4. Ware Manufacturing Large Rice Pops Small Animal Treats

Another favorite of hamsters, the Ware Manufacturing Large Rice Pops are crispy, crunchy treats meant for small animals.

These can be found on Amazon for an affordable price.

These critter pops come as packets of six palm-sized cylinders of hamster food. They measure about 5 inches long, and are 0.75 inches in diameter, so you can expect them to last a while.

Made of rice and corn, they are a good source of nutrition but must still be given in limited quantities due to their sugar content.

The recommended serving is about an inch or two of this treat every other day for Syrian hamsters. For dwarf hamsters, you should give even less.

Ware critter pops can work great when your hamster is bored by providing them some teeth conditioning and a pastime together. Just take care not to overfeed!

5. eCOTRITION Yogies (Fruit or Cheese Flavored)

eCOTRITION is one of the leading manufacturers of small animal treats that are safe and healthy. eCOTRITION Yogies are tiny bite-sized treats for hamsters, gerbils, and rats, available in both fruit and cheese flavors.

These eCotrition Yogies can also be found on Amazon, link here. Ecotrition also has a lot of other hamster treats and products that are viewable if you click on their profile.

These small chips of treats are a hamster’s favorite. Made with real, easy-to-digest yogurt and sugar, they are available in a 3.5-ounce bag.

eCOTRITION Yogies are of two kinds – cheese and fruit flavors. Both natural and artificial flavoring of either cheese or fruit is present in their respective packages.

Yogies are not to be overfed to hamsters. One or two chips a day are enough to keep your hamster happy without making it sick.

Related: Do Hamsters Eat Cheese? Is it Good for Them?

6. Hard-Boiled Eggs

These are popular treats to give to hamsters and can provide your hamster with a much-needed protein boost to maintain its health and strength. Eggs are especially recommended for pregnant hamsters.

Make sure to boil the egg for a good 10 to 15 minutes so that the yolk isn’t runny and it is actually hard-boiled. That’s the way hamsters like them.

To make a hard-boiled egg for your hamster, start by placing an egg in a large saucepan and covering it with 1 inch of cold water. Bring the water to a boil, and once it has started to boil, set a 10-minute timer. Keep boiling for 10 – 15 minutes, and then remove from the heat.

Usually, we would only boil the water for around 6 to 7 minutes, but hamsters like them hard-boiled in the middle instead of soft or runny.

Hamsters like to bring their food back to their nest and store them there. It’s a good idea to check regularly to make sure none of their food has started to go moldy or spoil.

A slice of boiled egg twice a week is the recommended intake for hamsters.

Read more about this here: Can Hamsters Eat Boiled Eggs? (Benefits & Risks to Know)

If you’re a hamster owner wondering about the best food options for your pet, be sure to check out our articles on “can hamsters have watermelon” and “hamster food.” These informative pieces will provide you with the answers you need to keep your furry friend healthy and happy.

7. Mealworms

You may not like creepy crawlies, but one thing is for sure – your hamster loves them! That’s just how they are programmed to live in the wild, eating insects, worms, and bugs, along with seeds and the occasional fruit.

Mealworms make great hamster treats if only you can stand them. With high protein and fat content, they’re a great source of energy for any hamster.

Mealworms can be consumed live or dried. Live mealworms are often tricky to find. Some pet stores may occasionally have them. Dried mealworms are made more easily available by pet food manufacturers.

Dried mealworms also don’t carry the risk of your hamster getting bitten, which is very real in live mealworms! To eliminate this risk with live mealworms, some people crush their heads before serving them to their hamsters.

An excess of mealworms in your hamster’s diet can cause obesity. The recommended amount is about two mealworms every other day if you have a Syrian hamster and one every other day for smaller or dwarf breeds.

If you’re looking for the best mealworms for your hamster, the Picky NEB 100% Non-GMO Dried Mealworms are worth a try.

8. Oxbow Animal Health Hamster and Gerbil Fortified Food

Although a bit on the expensive side, Oxbow hamster food can last you for quite a few months if you feed your hamster other forms of food as well. If it’s the only diet staple, it can last up to a month while filling your hamster with the nutrients it needs.

This hamster food comes in 1, 2, and 3-pound bags.

A blend of timothy hay, barley, oats, and essential nutrients, this mix is free from sugary fruits, seeds, artificial preservatives, colors, and flavors, and contains about 15% protein.

This healthy hamster mix can help maintain optimal nutrition, weight, digestion, and dental health. It is a much-recommended hamster food that can improve its quality of life by far.

9. Seeds

Seeds are an important source of nutrition for wild hamsters and can be your go-to hamster snack as well.

There are a number of seeds you can give your hamster, all in limited quantities. Sunflower seeds and pumpkin seeds are especially popular hamster foods.

Sunflower seeds are a great source of fats and vitamins, providing a crunchy, tooth-conditioning snack when consumed in moderation.

Pumpkin seeds are also quite nutritious but caution needs to be exercised in the case of smaller or dwarf hamsters. Those are prone to diabetes and obesity!

Seeds to avoid include pears and apples. These can be fatal for your hamster due to the presence of cyanogenic acids.

You should even avoid giving sunflower and pumpkin seeds that aren’t raw and have been packed for human consumption. Those may contain additives harmful to hamsters! The pits of cherries and apricots, grape oil, and grape extract should also be avoided.

Read more here: What Nuts Can Hamsters Eat? (Know The Good and Bad)

10. Cucumber

Cucumber is a universally accepted food for all hamsters, but that doesn’t mean you can feed it to your hamster regularly. Hamsters are prone to ’wet tail disease’ caused by over-consumption of fruits and vegetables, so keep the quantity in check.

Once a week, you can cut out about a quarter-teaspoon cube from cucumber and serve it to your hamster. The cucumber should be at room temperature and not refrigerated. 

Cucumbers have very high water content and too much cucumber can cause your hamster’s stools to become runny (diarrhea) which can also cause your hamster to become dehydrated as well as other health problems.

Cucumbers contain vitamin K, vitamin C, vitamin A, potassium, magnesium, manganese, copper, and silica which makes them an excellent source for your hamster.

Read more about cucumbers for hamsters here: Can Hamsters Eat Cucumbers? (Nutritious Treat & Feeding Tips)

11. Grapes

Grapes can be another great treat to offer your hamster, but not the way you eat them yourself!

For starters, it is better if you peel off the skin. If it is a seeded grape you should discard the seed. You can buy seedless grapes that are perfect for your hamster.

Grape seeds pose a choking risk and aren’t even worth chewing on due to their small size. Seedless grapes are always preferable and convenient where hamsters are concerned.

Slice a grape into halves or quarters and serve it to your hamster. It is always recommended to introduce them slowly to your hamster’s diet is less frequently and in smaller portions.

A quarter teaspoon of grapes should be enough as a single serving for your hamster. You may treat your hamster with this once or twice a week.

Read more here: Can Hamsters Eat Grapes? [Other Treats & Feeding Tips]

12. Broccoli

This edible green plant belonging to the cabbage family is one of the few vegetables that are safe for hamsters to eat. Even then, the same rule of not overfeeding your hamster with it applies here as well.

As for the state of broccoli in which hamsters prefer it, both steamed and raw are fine. You can steam it in the microwave for three minutes by adding 3 teaspoons of water to some broccoli in a covered microwave-safe dish.

Alternatively, you can boil it over the stove in some water. Since broccoli contains vitamins E, K, and C which are often present in ready-made hamster pellets too, you need to balance their quantity in your hamster’s diet.

An excess of vitamins is not a good thing and can lead to diarrhea or other ailments. About half a teaspoon to one teaspoon of broccoli served every other day works well for hamsters.

For more information on how and when to feed your hamsters with broccoli, click here: Can Hamsters Eat Broccoli? (Other Treats & Feeding Tips)

13. Kaytee Forti-Diet Pro Health Hamster Food

This is a special food mix formulated for hamsters and gerbils. With Kaytee Forti-Diet, your hamster can get digestion-friendly probiotics and prebiotics.

You can buy a 3LB bag of Forti diet pro health hamster food from Amazon, for a large bag like that it’s not too expensive either.

A number of health aspects of hamsters are taken care of through this hamster food. From dental conditioning to immune support, this anti-oxidant-rich formula aims at keeping your pet in the pink of condition.

If you can bear the expense, these pellets are much-recommended hamster foods. Available as pouches filled with small, nutrient-rich pellets, a tablespoon or two of Forti-Diet is all your hamster needs regularly to stay well and healthy.

14. Cabbage

Another vegetable all hamsters seem to like is cabbage. Make sure the cabbage you’re going to offer is fresh. Wash it well to get rid of any pesticide residues.

An excess of cabbage can cause bloating, upset stomach, and diarrhea in your hamster, so like all other foods, be cautious with the quantity. The recommended amount of cabbage for hamsters is half to a full teaspoon, every other day.

READ MORE: Can Hamsters Eat Cherry Tomatoes?

15. Banana

With their rich content of nutrients like vitamin B6, vitamin C, potassium, sodium, magnesium, and fiber, bananas offer great taste along with good health.

However, they do have sugars, due to which they shouldn’t be offered regularly.

Among soft treats, bananas can be a hamster’s favorite. Sure, they lack the crunch and gnawing appeal, but the taste and filling nature make up for it.

Though you may find your hamster enthusiastically nibbling on a banana peel as well, it is not recommended due to the possible presence of pesticide residue.

A small slice of banana two to three times a week should be safe enough for your hamster.

Due to oxidation, bananas can spoil much faster compared to other fruits and vegetables. It is important to check your hamster’s cage regularly to make sure none of its food has gone bad or started to go moldy.

Learn more about the benefits bananas have for hamsters here: Can Hamsters Eat Bananas? (Nutritious Treats & Feeding Tips)

16. Natural Apple Sticks

These natural apple chew sticks are the perfect treat for your hamster as they taste great, are 100% organic, and can really help keep your hamster’s incisors’ teeth short and healthy.

In the wild hamsters will naturally grind their teeth on sticks, food, and other objects such as pinecones.

By providing your hamster with natural apple sticks you’re giving them the opportunity to gawn and keep their teeth short. If your hamster doesn’t have anything to chew on its teeth can grow and eventually cause a problem where it will need a vet to trim them down.

These apple sticks go through a strict picking and drying process to make sure the wood is high quality and safe for your hamster.

Chewing can also help your hamster with boredom, anxiety, and stress.

17. ULIGOTA Crunchy Chew Treats

These crunchy chew treats are an ideal treat for your hamster. They contain antioxidants that can help keep your hamster’s immune system healthy.

They are a really good source of fiber and are great for your hamster’s digestion.

Just like the chew sticks they will also keep your hamster’s teeth short and give them another object to gawn on.

They will help with stress, boredom, and anxiety and are a great treat to use when you are bonding with your hamster.

And lastly, they are 100% natural and safe for your hamster.

They can be found on Amazon in a 12 pack.

18. Blackberries

Blackberries are an interesting fruit to give to hamsters because they contain pigments and antioxidants that support brain health and have been shown to help memory and learning (especially remembering new information).

A study was done on mice where they were put into a maze. Mice who were fed blackberries before the experiment were able to complete the maze much faster than mice who were not fed blueberries.

Blackberries are perfectly safe to give to your hamster in small amounts (just like many other fruits).

They are also very high in vitamin C and fiber and are good sources of antioxidants, vitamin K, and vitamin A.

Blackberries from your local supermarket are completely safe to give to your hamster in small amounts.

19. Blueberries

Blueberries are ranked number 1 for the best sources of antioxidants and are perfect for your hamster when given to them in small amounts.

Just like other fruits, you need to be careful how much you give to your hamster as they are high in natural sugars, and some fruits have a very high water content that can cause diarrhea.

One or two blueberries a few times per week is enough for your hamster.

Studies have also shown that blueberries can help protect animals’ eyes and health.

Find more about the benefits of blueberries here: Can Hamsters Eat Blueberries? [Nutritious Treats + Feeding Tips]

Happy Feeding!

While the list above includes a number of fruits and vegetables, it doesn’t mean all fruits and veggies are suitable for hamsters to eat. Steer clear of citrus fruits, onions, almonds, chocolates, celery, iceberg lettuce, and leeks – these can cause health problems and make your hamster sick!

Before feeding your hamster any household foods (fruits and vegetables), make sure you have washed them and that they are clean before giving them to your hamster.

Some fruits and vegetables will need the skin peeled or seeds/pips removed before they can be fed to your hamster.

Hamsters love to hoard their food, so it is wise to check their stash every couple of days to make sure no food has spoiled or gone bad (especially important for fruits as they spoil quicker).

Some other fruits you can give to your hamster are apples, melons, mangoes, cherries, strawberries, cranberries, peaches, and cantaloupes.

Some other vegetables you can give to your hamster are cauliflower, broccoli, kale, celery, and sweet potatoes (make sure to remove the skin).

READ MORE: Can Hamsters Have Strawberries?

In the end, don’t forget to check our complete hamster feeding guide!

FAQs

How often should you give your hamster treats?

You should be feeding your hamster treats 2 to 3 times per week and should only be feeding them treats in moderation. It varies depending on the treat.

How often can I give my hamster carrots?

Carrots are high in sugar and should be given to your hamster in moderation. You should feed them carrots once or twice a week.

How often should I give my hamster fruit?

Fruits have a lot of natural sugars and sometimes contain a large amount of water content. You should only give fruit to your hamster 2 to 3 times per week.

What are some healthy treats I can give my hamster?

Healthy treats for hamsters include fruits like apples (seedless), bananas, and blueberries, vegetables like carrots, cucumbers, and broccoli, and grains like plain oats or brown rice. Always introduce new treats gradually and in small quantities.

Are there any fruits or vegetables to avoid?

Avoid citrus fruits, onions, garlic, and any high-sugar or high-fat foods. Also, steer clear of any fruits with pits or seeds, as these can be toxic to hamsters.

Can hamsters eat nuts and seeds?

Yes, in moderation. Nuts and seeds like sunflower seeds, pumpkin seeds, and almonds (unsalted and not roasted) are great but should be given sparingly due to their high-fat content.

Is it safe to give my hamster cheese or other dairy products?

Hamsters can have very small amounts of mild cheese or plain yogurt, but dairy should be a rare treat due to potential lactose intolerance.

Can hamsters have cooked food?

Plain cooked grains like rice or pasta can be given in small amounts. Avoid any seasoned or salted foods.

Are store-bought hamster treats healthy?

Some store-bought treats can be healthy, but it’s important to read the ingredients. Avoid treats with added sugars, excessive fats, or artificial additives.

How do I know if a treat is safe for my hamster?

Research before introducing any new food. Consult with a veterinarian if you’re unsure about the safety of a specific treat.

Can treats help with my hamster’s dental health?

Yes, certain treats like crunchy vegetables can help maintain dental health by allowing your hamster to naturally wear down their teeth.

What should I do if my hamster doesn’t like a certain treat?

It’s normal for hamsters to have preferences. If they don’t like a treat, simply try another option. It’s important to respect their likes and dislikes.

What are your favorite treats for hamsters? Let us know in the comments below!

Alina Hartley

Alina Hartley is a small-town girl with a ginormous love of bearded dragons. It all started with Winchester, a baby bearded who was abandoned at the shelter by his former owners because of a birth defect that caused one front leg to be shorter than the other. Alina originally went to the shelter looking for a guinea pig, but one look at Winchester and it was love at first sight. From that day on, Alina has dedicated her life to learning everything she can about bearded dragons. She loves helping new beardie parents start their incredible journey with these magnificent reptiles.
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