Updated

Small mammal food safety

Can Small Mammals Eat Apricot Pits?

Unsafe

No. Do not feed apricot pits. If a pit was cracked, chewed, or swallowed, remove access and call an exotic-pet veterinarian or poison hotline.

Apricot pits kept separate from apricot halves, a clean saucer, hay, and a gram scale.Apricot pits
SafetyUnsafe
Next stepRemove the pits, fruit scraps, and hidden pieces, then call with the exposure details.

Call before guessing

If any small mammal cracked, chewed, or swallowed an apricot pit, call an exotic-pet veterinarian or poison hotline with the species, weight, number of pits, whether they were cracked, time, and symptoms.

Guinea pigs

Call if exposed

Do not feed apricot pits to guinea pigs. If a pit was cracked, chewed, or swallowed, remove access and call with the species, weight, number of pits, whether they were cracked, time, and symptoms.

Syrian and dwarf hamsters

Call if exposed

Do not feed apricot pits to Syrian and dwarf hamsters. If a pit was cracked, chewed, or swallowed, remove access and call with the species, weight, number of pits, whether they were cracked, time, and symptoms.

Rats

Call if exposed

Do not feed apricot pits to rats. If a pit was cracked, chewed, or swallowed, remove access and call with the species, weight, number of pits, whether they were cracked, time, and symptoms.

Mice

Call if exposed

Do not feed apricot pits to mice. If a pit was cracked, chewed, or swallowed, remove access and call with the species, weight, number of pits, whether they were cracked, time, and symptoms.

Gerbils

Call if exposed

Do not feed apricot pits to gerbils. If a pit was cracked, chewed, or swallowed, remove access and call with the species, weight, number of pits, whether they were cracked, time, and symptoms.

Chinchillas

Call if exposed

Do not feed apricot pits to chinchillas. If a pit was cracked, chewed, or swallowed, remove access and call with the species, weight, number of pits, whether they were cracked, time, and symptoms.

Ferrets

Call if exposed

Do not feed apricot pits to ferrets. If a pit was cracked, chewed, or swallowed, remove access and call with the species, weight, number of pits, whether they were cracked, time, and symptoms.

If exposure happened

Remove apricot pits, broken shells, fruit scraps, and hidden pieces from the habitat and play area. Keep the animal contained and calm while you call.

Have the facts ready

Before calling, write down the species, approximate weight, number of pits, whether a pit was cracked, the time, and any symptoms.

Helpful food-safety supplies

Optional tools for measuring, storing, serving, and cleaning up small portions safely.

Affiliate links: Furball Cove may earn from qualifying purchases at no extra cost to you.

Pet-safe cleaning spray with cloth near a tidy feeding station

Pet-safe cleaner

Useful after sticky fruit, wet vegetables, spoiled leftovers, or unsafe food access.

 Small cutting board with plain vegetable pieces and no seasoning

Mini cutting board

Give pet food prep its own clean surface away from seasoned human food.

 Small ceramic food dish with plain greens on a bright counter

Ceramic food dish

Keeps wet foods, crumbs, and tiny treats contained instead of buried in bedding.

More Food Safety Pages

Apple core and seeds kept away from a tiny apple portion for a small mammal food-safety check.

Apple seeds

Seed exposure guidance before any apple reaches the cage.

 Cherry, apricot, and peach pits kept away from an empty saucer beside clean hay, water, and a gram scale.

Fruit pits

Exposure steps for cherry, peach, apricot, plum, or other hard fruit pits.

 Cherry pits kept away from an empty saucer beside pitted cherry halves, hay, and a gram scale.

Cherry pits

Exposure guidance for cracked, chewed, or swallowed cherry pits.

 Hard peach pit kept away from an empty saucer beside a separate peach flesh piece, hay, water, and a gram scale.

Peach pits

Emergency-style peach-pit guidance for chewing, swallowing, and when to call.

 Tiny plain apricot piece on a saucer beside pitted apricot halves, hay, and a gram scale.

Apricot

A soft fruit check that keeps the pit out of the treat.

 Tiny apple portion on a saucer beside hay for a small mammal food-safety check.

Apple

A sweet-fruit check with seed and core cautions kept separate.

References