I am a Hamster lover, and I also have some birds as a pet. When hamsters ran out of food, I would always think can hamsters eat bird food?
To get my answer I researched and found the perfect answer to my question, whether a hamster eats birds’ food or not.
So, I thought, why not tell you the answer to this question?
I hope after reading this whole post, you will definitely get your answer about whether can you serve bird food to your hamster.
Without any delay, Let’s, go deep dive into our main question.
Can Hamsters Eat Bird Food? A Brief Answer
“Yes, Hamsters can eat bird food as a treat.“
You always need to feed bird food to your hamster occasionally.
Never mix bird food into a hamster’s daily diet, otherwise, your hamster is endangered with diabetes, diarrhea, and stomach problems.
You can serve eggs to your hamster as a treat, if you don’t know you should read this can hamster eat eggs?
Can Bird Food Good for Hamsters Always?
No, bird food is never a good idea to serve your little pocket friend.
If you give regularly bird food to your hamster, they could suffer from stomach upset, diarrhea, and obesity problems.
Why Bird Food Not Mix Into Hamster Daily Diet?
In general, bird foods are high in fat. So it could be dangerous for your hamster if you feed it regularly.
You can feed bird food only occasionally.
If we talk about which nutrients are needed for birds, they need fat, protein, and different Vitamins for a healthier diet.
For perfect health growth, birds need a high-protein diet.
If you check the bird food bowl then you will find that there is a 60-80% ratio of seeds and 40-20% veggies and fruits.
So, if you feed a bird’s diet to your hamster, which is rich in fat and protein, it could be dangerous for your hammie.
Difference between Hamster Food and Bird Food
There are huge differences between bird food and hamster food.
Before serving bird food to your furry friend you should know these differences.
| Bird’s Food | Hamster’s Food |
| It can be a mixture of seeds, grains, and nuts with fruits and veggies. | Hamsters need carbohydrates, protein, and fat mix food. |
| It can be a mixture of seeds, grains and nuts with fruits and veggies. | It can be a mixture of seeds, grains, and nuts with fruits and veggies. |
| Hamsters eat only raw protein seeds. | Birds can eat oily and high-protein seeds easily. |
| Birds can eat dried fruits and nuts. | Hamsters can’t eat dried fruits or nuts. |
Which Bird Food Is Good for Hamsters?
Although we discussed above that bird food is not a good idea to serve our hamster.
But all of this, there are some kinds of seeds, fruits, and vegetables, which are common between hamster meal and bird meal.
So, feeding such kinds of food could be a good idea to serve them as a treat.
But you remember that it can give your little companion in moderation.
Let’s check which bird food is safe and which one is not.
Safe and Unsafe Bird Seeds for Hamster
Unfortunately, every type of seed is not good for your pet hamster because some seeds are much oily and high in fat and protein.
It is not good to say that the seeds that your birds can eat, can also be eaten by your hamster.
So, here you should know safe and unsafe seeds before feeding to your hamster.
Safe Seeds for Hamster as a Treat
- Sunflower Seeds
- Pumpkin Seeds
- Sunflower Seeds
- Flax Seeds
- Sesame Seeds
- Wheat Seeds
- Corn Kernels
Unsafe Seeds for Hamster as a Treat
- Apple Seeds
- Pear Seeds
- Apricot Seeds
- Cherry Seeds
- Grapes Seeds
You need to play on the safe side and never try to give unsafe seeds to your pocket friend.
Safe and Unsafe Bird Fruits and Veggies for Hamster
Same as seeds, you should not feed every type of fruit and vegetable to your hamster, which your bird can eat.
Some fruits and veggies are good for hamster health and some are dangerous.
Look below for a list of safe and unsafe fruits and veggies for your hamster.
Safe Fruits List for Hamsters
| Arugula | |
| Artichoke | Green Beans |
| Asparagus | Kale |
| Beet | Mushroom |
| Bell Pepper | Parsnip |
| Bok Choy | Peas |
| Broccoli | Potato (cooked) |
| Brussels Sprouts | Pumpkin |
| Cabbage | Radicchio |
| Carrot | Romaine Lettuce |
| Cauliflower | Soybeans |
| Celery | Snow Peas |
| Collards | Spinach |
| Corn | Squash |
| Cucumber | Sweet Potato (cooked) |
| Edamame | Swiss Chard |
| Endive | Zucchini |
| Fennel |
Unsafe Fruits List for Hamster
- Avocado (Contains Cardiac Glycosides)
- Raw Rhubarb
- Oranges or Tangerines(no citrus fruits)
- No watermelon (the water content is high, causes diarrhea)
- Cherry Stone
- Peach Stone & Leaves
- Apricot Stone
- Lemon or Lime
Safe Vegetable List for Hamster
| Artichoke | Green Beans |
| Beet | Mushroom |
| Broccoli | Peas |
| Cabbage | Pumpkin |
| Carrot | Soybeans |
| Cauliflower | Spinach |
| Celery | Sweet Potato (cooked) |
| Corn | Swiss Chard |
| Cucumber |
Unsafe Vegetable List for Hamster
- Potatoes (Raw)
- Eggplant
- Chili Peppers
- Other hot peppers
- Uncooked Broad and Kidney beans
- Other beans that are high in lectin
- Spices
- Garlic
- Onions
- Leeks
- Scallions
- Chives
- Pickles
FAQs
can hamsters eat bird millet?
Yes, Hamsters can eat bird millet as a treat.
can hamsters eat bird sprays?
Yes, Hamsters can eat bird sprays but in moderation.
can hamsters eat bird treats?
Some kinds of bird food can hamsters eat as a treat such as seeds, fruits, and veggies.
can hamsters eat bird mealworms?
Yes, Hamsters can eat bird mealworms easily.
can hamsters eat bird sunflower seeds?
Of course, hamsters can eat and chew bird sunflower seeds.
Can Hamster Eat Bird Seeds?
Yes, hamsters can eat bird seeds, which are common between birds and hamsters.
Final Words
I hope you understand if can hamsters eat bird food or not.
There are more differences in the hamster and bird diet.
So, if we want to give bird food to hamsters, we can give them bird food as a treat only.
We should not mix bird meals into the hamster’s daily diet plan.
