No, your beloved little hamster should not consume coffee or anything caffeine-related as they have fast metabolisms and rapid heart rates already. A little sip likely won’t hurt them but it can be fatal as they are susceptible to the effects of caffeine. Be aware of that.
If you have a little hamster you might wonder if coffee beans are a tasty treat for them or what happens if you let them drink some coffee. Luckily I’ve done some research the past few days to help you decide what they can and can’t eat.
Let’s get started
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Can Hamsters Have Coffee or Eat Coffee Beans?
Even though hamsters could consume coffee, it’s not recommended. Anything coffee or caffeine-related shouldn’t get in touch with your hamster as they have fast metabolisms and rapid heart rates without it already.
Hamsters probably won’t die from having a little sip of coffee but if you find out they consumed coffee then it’s highly recommended to contact your vet.
Rodent species have been known to die from having their heart rates get too high, and this can be by something as simple as an “adrenalin shock”, literally being scared to death. The moral of the story is that small animals like hamsters are susceptible to rapid heart rates, and coffee surely does not help with that.
What Else Should You Not Feed To Hamsters?
Besides coffee or caffeine, there are a few more foods that are toxic to your hamsters.
| Foods you shouldn’t feed your hamsters: |
| ❌ Apple seeds ❌ Raw beans ❌ Raw potatoes ❌ Almonds ❌ Peanuts ❌ Citrus fruit ❌ Garlic ❌ Onions ❌ Tomatoes ❌ Rhubarb ❌ Chocolate ❌ Black/white pepper (seasoning) ❌ Fatty meats ❌ Iceberg lettuce ❌ Eggplant ❌ Avocado ❌ Pickles ❌ Pineapple ❌ Any sugar or salty foods ❌ Any junk food |
Foods Hamsters Can Eat
A hamster’s diet should consist of pellets, seed mixes, fresh foods, and treats. The majority of a pet hamster’s food should be made up of good quality, store-bought food designed specifically for hamsters.
Pelleted Hamster Diets
Pelleted hamster foods offer a completely well-balanced diet and are often recommended for this reason.
Pelleted diets come in many shapes but usually look like small biscuits, cookies, or cereal.
A hamster can be picky with loose seed mixes, eating only their favorite items and thus this results in an unbalanced diet. Pelleted diets prevent this from happening; this food makes up the bulk of their diet.
Seed Hamster Diets
It’s important to pick a loose seed mix diet that contains a variety of foods such as grains and dried vegetables, along with some seeds.
When feeding a loose seed mix, make sure your hamster empties the food bowl before adding more, not allowing your hamster to only eat its favorite things.
Fresh Foods and Treats For Hamsters
You can give treat your little hammy with a variety of human foods as long as you watch their intake and make it a small part of their diet.
Stick to healthy things like whole grains, fresh vegetables, and fruit.
Dwarf hamsters are somewhat prone to diabetes so avoid sugar and fruit altogether as treats.
| Safe foods you can feed to your hamsters: |
| ✅ Apples (no seeds) ✅ Bananas ✅ Blueberries ✅ Broccoli ✅ Carrots ✅ Cauliflower ✅ Cucumber ✅ Dandelion greens ✅ Grapes ✅ Kale ✅ Peas ✅ Potato (cooked) ✅ Romaine lettuce ✅ Spinach ✅ Strawberries ✅ Sweet potato ✅ Squash ✅ Hay ✅ Whole grain bread or toast ✅ Whole wheat pasta (cooked) ✅ Brown rice (cooked) ✅ Whole grain cereal (no sugary cereal) ✅ Mealworms ✅ Crickets ✅ Small pieces of cooked chicken ✅ Hard-boiled eggs ✅ Nuts (unsalted, no almonds) ✅ Peanuts (unsalted) ✅ Pumpkin seeds ✅ Lentils ✅ Sunflower seeds ✅ Plain air-popped popcorn (no butter or salt) |
What About My Coffee Beans?
You have to keep your coffee to yourself, it’s not safe for a hamster to consume coffee. Use your beans to make yourself a wonderful cup of joe or simply grind the beans and use the coffee grounds in your compost pile or garden as they are a fantastic fertilizer!
Whatever you do, don’t let it come close to your hamster as this can be fatal in some cases.
The Bottom Line
Hamsters are most likely not going to die after a little sip of coffee or a bite of a coffee bean. But you should still be aware that it’s not good for them and can be fatal in some cases. They have rapid heart rates and a fast metabolism so the coffee does not do anything good for them.
Make sure your hamster’s bulk diet consists of pellets, seed mixes, fresh foods, and treats. The store-bought food should only be designed specifically for hamsters.
