Perhaps you own both a rabbit and a hamster, and you’re wondering if they can share the same food. Or maybe you accidentally purchased rabbit food for your hamster, and you’re not sure if you can feed it to your hamster.
Can hamsters eat rabbit food? The short answer is no, hamsters should not eat rabbit food as a base diet; they have different nutritional needs. While some rabbit food is okay for hamsters as a treat, certain other kinds should NOT be given to your hammy. We’ll look at what rabbit food is okay and what is not okay when it comes to the health of your hamster.
A Hamster’s Diet
Hamsters got their names from the German word “hamstern”, which translates to “to hoard”. These little critters were aptly named, given their custom of stuffing their cheek pouches chock-full of food.
Hamsters are native to Greece, Romania, and northern China, but they were initially discovered in Syria (one of the most popular kinds of hamsters is the Syrian). In 1936, they were brought over to North America, and they live in dry and warm areas such as savannahs, sand dunes, and the edges of deserts.
The hamster is an omnivore, which means they eat a variety of plants and animal protein. This includes various grains, seeds, nuts, fruit, and vegetables as well as insects. The domestic hamster will usually have her dietary needs met with pellets made specifically for hamsters. They can also eat a variety of seeds combined with a small number of vegetables, fruit, and herbs. Their diet includes animal-derived protein, mostly from insects. However, under human care, they can also enjoy a little bit of plain boiled chicken and egg.
So, we’ve established a typical hamster diet, and now we’ll have a look at a rabbit’s diet to give us a better idea of how it compares to the hamster.
A Rabbit’s Diet
Rabbits have been around a long time and were thought to have been domesticated, both as a food source and as household pets, as far back as the Middle Ages (but possibly even longer ago). Rabbits can be found worldwide, but all breeds of the domestic rabbit originated from the European rabbit. There are approximately 50-90 breeds of domestic rabbits, depending on which association you ask. Rabbits are found in about 70 different countries around the world.
Rabbits are herbivores, which essentially means they only eat plant-based food and absolutely no meat. The domestic rabbit’s diet consists primarily of high-quality grass hay (oat, Timothy, wheat, meadow, paddock, pasture, and ryegrass hays) or grass and makes up about 80-90% of their diet. Lucerne (alfalfa) and clover hays need to be avoided in fully grown rabbits as they are high in protein and calcium and lead to urinary stones. The rest of their diet consists of vegetables and leafy greens (bok choy, Brussels sprouts, celery, broccoli, etc.) as well as some treats (fruit, carrots, sweet potato, etc.) and rabbit pellets.
Rabbit Foods Safe for Hamsters
Now that we’ve had a look at what hamsters and rabbits eat, we’ll break down what kind of rabbit food hamsters can actually eat safely.
There are a variety of foods that are safe for both rabbits and hamsters, so we’ll take a look at some of these.
1. Grass Hay
Most of the types of grass hay that are safe for rabbits are also safe for hamsters. It helps to promote foraging behavior, adds fiber to your hammy’s diet, and aids in wearing down their teeth. Timothy, orchard, oat, and meadow hays are all fine for your hamster to eat. They can also nibble occasionally on alfalfa, although it is too high in calcium and protein to be fed to them regularly.
2. Vegetables
Hamsters can eat almost all of the same vegetables that rabbits are able to eat.
- Romaine lettuce
- Dandelion greens
- Broccoli (tiny amounts only)
- Carrots and carrot tops
- Kale (tiny amounts offered rarely)
- Cucumbers
- Bell peppers
- Bok choy (tiny amounts only)
All of these vegetables are safe for both rabbits and hamsters, but some of them should only be eaten in moderation.
Rabbit Foods That Hamsters May Be Able to Enjoy
1. Fruit
There are also a number of fruits that are safe for both rabbits and some hamster species to eat.
- Strawberries
- Apples (no seeds)
- Bananas
- Pears
- Blueberries
- Raspberries
Again, like the vegetables, fruit should be given to either the rabbit or hamster in moderation. They are considered treats and should not be offered as more than 5% of your pet’s diet. If you have a Dwarf hamster species, you might even want to avoid fruits altogether, as they are prone to developing diabetes. This list includes the Campbell’s Dwarf Hamster (Phodopus campbelli), Hybrid Dwarf Hamsters (Winter White plus Campbell’s mix), and Chinese Hamsters (Cricetulus griseus).
You should also avoid any fruit or vegetables that have a high water content like watermelons or iceberg lettuce. These items can potentially cause diarrhea in your hamster.
Rabbit Foods That Hamsters Need to Avoid
Unfortunately, certain rabbit foods are not good for hamsters. We’ll have a look at what kinds of food you need to avoid and why.
1. Some Fruit
Most fruit is acceptable for both rabbits and hamsters, but there are a few to be aware of that you shouldn’t give to your hamster.
- Watermelon (except in very small amounts)
- Citrus fruit (grapefruit, oranges, tangerines)
- Pineapple (species-dependent)
In fact, these fruits should only be offered occasionally in moderation. Most other fruit is okay but should be given in small amounts and only as a treat on occasion.
2. Rabbit Pellets
There are hamster and rabbit pellets, so shouldn’t they work for either species? The answer is a definite no. Pellets are made with each specific animal’s dietary needs in mind. The hamster and the rabbit are different enough from each other that they should only eat pellets made for their own species.
Different brands of rabbit pellets will have a variety of ingredients that might not be good for your hamster. Don’t forget that hamsters are omnivores in comparison to the herbivore rabbit and therefore require higher protein content in their pellets. Likewise, your hamster pellets are less than ideal for your rabbit.
It is recommended that hamster pellets should contain 15% to 20% protein, and they need to have the right amount of fiber to aid digestion (a lot of rabbit pellets are higher in fiber than what is appropriate for hamsters).
Summary
The final takeaway from this article should be that you need to stick to foods that are meant only for hamsters to eat. Not only do they have different dietary needs (omnivore versus herbivore), but they also have very different digestive anatomy because they are completely different species. Rabbits are hindgut fermenters, meaning that they require a very high-fiber diet to remain healthy. A hamster would have a hard time digesting a rabbit diet.
When keeping any pet, it is crucial to be well-informed about species-appropriate diets and treats. If your hamster eats a new food, just be sure to watch them carefully, and if you notice them looking uncomfortable or they appear to be ill, take them to your vet as soon as possible. Just as long as you avoid rabbit pellets and give your hamster the occasional vegetable or, if their species allows it, some fruit, your hamster will safely enjoy a tasty new treat.
Featured Image Credit: PardoY, Shutterstock
