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Can hamsters eat orange peels? What safe fruits and veggies can they have?

Updated On September 23rd, 2025

Pet's info: Small Animal | Hamster | Male

I’ve recently found out that hamsters need around 30% of their diet to be greens and fruit, so I want to ask two questions. One, is this true? And two, can hamsters eat orange peels? If not, what are some other safe fruit/veggies that hamsters can eat???

1 Answer

Most Helpful Answer

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Answered By Dr. Strydom, DVM

Veterinarian

Published on April 29th, 2020

1. No, not true. A high-fiber, fortified food should make up approximately 90% of your hamster's diet. A complete fortified food such as Oxbow’s Essentials Hamster and Gerbil Food would be the best option. You don't want a diet that contains a lot of seeds. https://www.petco.com/shop/en/petcostore/product/oxbow-essentials-hamster-and-gerbil-food Here are some things you can try to offer in small amounts as a treat: Asparagus Baked or Steamed Chicken, Turkey or Cod Fish (Skin and bones removed.) Bananas Boiled or Scrambled Eggs Blackberries Blueberries Cantaloupe Cauliflower Cooked Brown Rice (plain) Cooked Whole Grain Pasta Flax Seed Lentils Mango Melon Mild Cheeses Nutritional Yeast Oatmeal Plain Tofu Raspberries Romaine Lettuce Seedless Apples Seedless Grapes Squash Strawberries Sweet Potatoes Unsalted Popcorn (no butter) Unsalted Pumpkin Seeds Unsalted Soybeans Fruit and whole grains can upset the GI tract if offered in too high levels. As a rule of thumb, only 5-10 percent of the diet should be these foods. 2. No, on any citrus fruits.

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