Can Hamsters Eat Cheese? Only a Tiny Bit of Plain Cheese

Why cheese is a risky treat

The ASPCA says that because pets do not possess significant amounts of lactase, milk and milk-based products can cause diarrhea or other digestive upset. Cheese is a milk product, so the same caution applies, and individual hamsters may react differently.

That matters more for a hamster than for many pets. The Merck Veterinary Manual says digestive problems are common in hamsters, that diarrhea, often called wet tail, is seen often, and that diet changes can make diarrhea more likely. A new, rich food like cheese is the kind of change that can tip a sensitive hamster over.

Fat and salt

Cheese is a fatty food, and the ASPCA warns that excessive salt intake in pets can cause increased thirst and urination and, in severe cases, more serious problems. Many cheeses, especially processed slices, string cheese and feta, are quite salty.

VCA Animal Hospitals' list of suitable hamster treats, given once or twice a week, includes seeds, nuts, pasta, unsalted popcorn and whole grain crackers, and does not include dairy. Cheese is not part of a standard hamster diet.

If you choose to offer cheese

Pick a plain, mild, low-salt cheese, such as mild cheddar or low-fat cottage cheese, and offer a crumb about the size of a pea. Never give flavored, smoked, spiced, blue or processed cheese, cheese with garlic, onion or herbs, or any cheese snack such as cheese puffs or crackers.

Offer it once, then watch your hamster's droppings and behavior for a day or two. If droppings become soft or wet, stop. A hamster that has had wet tail before is better off without dairy entirely.

Scatter-feeding small pieces around a large hamster cage lets a hamster forage the way it would in the wild; see our hamster cages for setups with enough floor space.

How much and how often

If your hamster tolerates it, a pea-size crumb no more than once every week or two is the most cheese a hamster needs. VCA says total treats should be less than 5 to 10 percent of the daily diet, and Merck caps treats at about 10 percent.

The foundation of the diet should be a high quality pelleted rodent food. VCA puts pellets at about 90 percent of the diet, with fresh vegetables daily and fruit only occasionally.

Better protein-rich treats

Merck notes that wild hamsters eat both plants and animals, and that a pellet with 15 to 20 percent protein meets their needs, so a well-fed hamster does not need cheese for protein.

For treats, VCA's list of seeds, nuts, pasta, unsalted popcorn and whole grain crackers gives plenty of variety. Fresh vegetables such as leafy greens and yellow or orange vegetables, like carrot or squash, can be offered daily in small amounts.

Signs to watch and when to see a vet

Merck describes wet tail as wet fur around the tail, low energy, poor appetite and weight loss. A hamster with these signs after any new food needs a veterinarian who treats small mammals promptly; Merck notes treatment may include fluids, and that some antibiotics can be deadly to hamsters, so never medicate without a vet.

Also see a vet for a hamster that stops eating, strains, loses weight or seems lethargic. Merck says intestinal obstruction after straining from diarrhea is an emergency.

This page is general information, not veterinary advice, and it cannot replace an examination by the vet who knows your pet.