Hamster diet can be a tricky subject for cautious owners who want to make sure their furry friends are getting all the nutrients they need. While a healthy diet for hamsters includes mainly seeds, grains and nuts, it's a welcome and healthy addition to give them small amounts or small pieces of fresh fruit and vegetable regularly.
Celery has become even more popular in the recent year with influencers raving about the benefits of celery juice, some devotees even drinking it every morning on an empty stomach to get the alleged full benefits (without much research or actual scientific evidence behind the health claims).
Do hamsters even want celery? Hamsters just like us have very individual taste preferences, so there is no simple answer to this question. Some hamsters will love celery while others may not even touch it. If one of your hamster reject it firmly, it does not mean that it's harmful or won't be appreciated by your other hamsters.
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Can Hamsters Eat Celery
Celery is on the safe food list, so yes, it is absolutely fine to give celery to your hamster as a treat. Just make sure it is in small pieces and only given occasionally as part their varied diet.
However it is quite watery so it should only be given in moderation and small quantity, prepared properly.
How do I Prepare Celery before Giving it to my Hamster?
Before you give your hamster celery, you need to wash it thoroughly to remove any dirt or pesticides that can be very harmful for such a small animal.
You also need to remove the strings from the sides. They can be very dangerous as they are a chocking hazard.
There's no need to cook the celery before giving it to your little pet. Hamster eat raw vegetables in the wild so it is very natural for them to eat celery raw. By definition, these little rodents also always enjoy crispy food and need it to use their teeth.
How Much Celery can a Hamster Eat?
As with every fresh food, you should only give a small portion of celery at a time, and only once a week at most for each individual vegetable.
If a hamster is getting a quantity that is too big to eat in one sitting, he will likely pouch it but and store it in one of his burrows, where the celery will start to rot and go bad. You can't stress the animal by destroying his burrow every couple of days, so it becomes very difficult or impossible to retrieve any excess food turning bad.
Can you give Celery Stalks to your Hamster?
You absolutely need to remove the strings from the sides, they are a chocking hazard, but once you have done that, stalks are a safe treat.
Can you give Celery Leaves to your Hamster?
Celery leaves have a very intense flavour, and a higher concentration of nutrients.
It is not likely that your hamster will even consider eating the leaves but you can always offer him. They might surprise you and enjoy them.
Can you give Celery to a Dwarf Hamster?
It is safe to give celery to dwarf or robo hamsters, some will enjoy it – others will ignore it completely. Their little size does not stop them from eating it.
Benefits of Celery
Celery is an excellent source of antioxidants, fiber, vitamins and minerals.
It also contains phthalides, which are believed to have a range of health benefits, including reducing the risk of heart disease and cancer.
Risks of Celery
Celery is a healthy food choice for hamsters, but like all fresh foods, it should be given in moderation.
Hamsters that eat too much celery may experience digestive problems, such as diarrhea or gas.
Can I give Dried Celery Crisps to a Hamster?
If you have a good supply of celery but want to make it last for longer and use it to make treats, why not trying healthy celery crips?
You can find dry celery crisps for your hamsters in various shops, but it's quite simple and cheap to dry your own celery at home, with a dehydrator or your oven. It's very simple to prepare, it just take time.
First wash all the celery thoroughly to remove any dirt or pesticide and dry. Then trim your vegetable, removing the white end and any dried or damaged top.
Cut it into thin stripes, in a half-moon shape, trying to keep them all as even in size and thickness as possible, that will help you with the drying process.
Blanch in boiling water if you want to ensure it stays as green and to remove some of the bitterness. Blanching simply means put it in a pan of boiling water for 1 minute, then rinse in cold water to avoid it being fully cooked.
Put all your crescents of celery on a tray covered with parchment paper leaving enough space for the air to circulate and to allow the pieces to dry evenly. The celery will shrink as it dries.
It will take between 4 to 8 hours at 125F / 50C to dry fully and become crisp and brittle.
If using your oven, set it to the lowest setting (ideally 130-140F/ 55-60 C) or if your oven doesn't have a low enough setting, keep the over door slightly open with a wooden spoon – but it is a big waste of energy.
Leave in the oven / dehydrator until fully crips, it should take between 6 to 8 hours.
When ready, leave to cool completely and check how crispy: the celery should not bend but snap. If it is still too soft, put it back in the oven or dehydrator for another hour. Once fully cooled down, you c store in air-tight jars.
Celery Baby Food Treat for your Hamster
Hamsters will enjoy a teaspoon of hamster-safe baby food once in a while.
Be mindful to avoid the baby food which contain lemon, or onion and garlic. There are current debates about the safety of these last ingredients, so to be on the safe side, it's easier to stick to food that don't contain these controversial products.
If you only buy the jar or the pouch for your hamster, you can fill ice cube trays with the puree, and defrost them as you need. Once opened, the baby food can't be kept for more than 48 hours so it's a lot of waste if you can't freeze most of the content.
Celery based food, or baby food containing celery in addition to other vegetables will be a welcome addition to your treat cabinet.
Is Celery a good Name for a Hamster
If you like the name, it's a very cute name for your little friend!
You can also go for the name Selinon, greek word meaning parsley and from which the word celery derives.
Cute Celery Addition to your Hamster Cage Theme
You have to be very careful about what you put in a hamster cage , as they like to chew on things and may eat items that are harmful to them.
It's perfectly safe to add ceramic items, like an old fashioned celery salt and pepper shaker, as long as the holes are clearly too small for a hamster to get stuck into, and you remove any plastic part that could be chewed.
You can also decorate a tank by drawing cute celery kawaii on the external side with dry markers. Leave it to dry before putting the hamster back in, they are very sensitive to smells.
Final Thoughts
Hamsters are interesting creatures and they enjoy a variety of fruits and vegetables. Celery is a healthy option that provides dietary fiber, vitamin C, potassium, and phthalides. It's important to give celery in moderation to prevent digestive problems or dehydration. You can dry celery at home using a dehydrator or oven for hamster snacks.