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The short answer: yes, hamsters can eat peanut butter. Many hamsters love peanut butter, and its an easy way to add some protein to their diet. You can rub it on other foods, like carrots. However, that doesn’t mean you should feed your hamster peanut butter all the time.
Too much peanut butter can cause issues. For example, it can easily get stuck in their cheek pouches, which can cause serious problems if not corrected quickly. We’ll go over everything you need to know about feeding your hamster peanut butter in this article.
How Much Peanut Butter Can Hamsters Eat?
Hamsters can typically eat peanut butter as a snack or treat. It should not be a main part of their diet. It may be helpful if your hamster needs to increase his or her protein intake for whatever reason, as peanut butter is one of the few foods hamsters can eat that are high in protein.
Before using peanut butter as a protein supplement, be sure to speak to your vet. More protein isn’t always a better option for hamsters; most do just fine on a regular diet.
Peanut butter also contains quite a few vitamins, specifically vitamin B, vitamin E, and niacin. These are helpful for hamsters, though most do not need extra of these vitamins. It isn’t necessary to feed them peanut butter.
What Kind of Peanut Butter Can Hamsters Eat?
The best type of peanut butter for hamsters is plain, organic peanut butter. Look for something that just includes peanuts. While peanut butter is safe for hamsters, some brands add things like sugar, which is not good for your hamster.
Added salt can also be a problem, as a little bit of sodium can be a whole lot for your hamster. At the same time, we do not recommend peanut butter that doesn’t “separate” naturally when in a jar, as these usually contain additives.
Peanut butter that is healthy for you will also be healthy for your hamster.
Can Hamsters Eat Jif Peanut Butter?
Yes. Jif peanut butter is similar to most types of peanut butter. It is likely not the best peanut butter you can feed your hamster, however, it is okay for hamsters to have it in moderation. Just be sure to watch the sugar amount, which can be quite high in this brand of peanut butter.
You should feed your hamster less Jif peanut butter than other types due to the additives and sugar content.
Can Hamsters Eat Crunchy Peanut Butter?
Yes. As long as the crunchy peanut butter does not contain loads of sugar or salt, it should be safe for your hamster. There isn’t a huge difference between crunchy and creamy peanut butter when it comes to giving it to your hamster.
Check the ingredient list to avoid feeding your hamster lots of added sugar or sodium. The actual inclusion of pieces of peanuts in the peanut butter shouldn’t matter, though.
Peanut Butter Is Okay – In Moderation
While it is perfectly fine to feed your hamster a bit of peanut butter, it should be a snack or a treat – not a main part of their diet. If you happen to be eating peanut butter and think your hamster would like some, they can have a little taste. Don’t buy a container of peanut butter just to feed it to your hamster. They don’t need that much by any standard.
Use moderation, and your hamster can enjoy a bit of peanut butter occasionally.
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