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While we typically think of hamsters munching down on pellets and hay, their diet can be much more diverse. In the wild, hamsters are considered to be omnivores, which means that they eat both vegetation and meat.
So, yes….hamsters can eat meat! But there are several caveats.
In their natural habitats, a hamster’s “meat” traditionally consists of small insects such as crickets, grubs, and other small worms, each of which they can eat in domestication.
But other than insects, can hamsters eat other types of meat?
Let’s go over some of the health benefits your hamster can eat, some of the risks involved, and what types of meat are best for your hamster.
Health Benefits of Your Hamster Eating Meat
Although your hamster can go its entire life without eating meat, there are some definite advantages to your hamster eating it.
Live insects can provide a source of fun and exercise.
Not every benefit received comes from actually eating meat. For instance, if your hamster enjoys hunting down live insects such as mealworms or crickets, this can be a prime opportunity for them to have a bit of fun. Sure, the insect will provide some nutrition. But if it helps to keep them entertained, feeding your hamster a live insect now and then isn’t too terrible. It’s best to supervise the interactions to ensure your hamster is comfortable.
Just be sure you purchase these insects from reputable pet stores or insect suppliers to avoid parasites, pesticides, or pathogens found in wild insects. Limit this treat to one or two crickets or mealworms twice per week.
Meat can provide a very good source of protein.
Animal meat is full of good protein. Protein helps your hamster to develop muscle and grow to its mature size. However, not all meats are good for your hamster to eat. Later, we’ll go over the different kinds of meat and which is best for your furry friend.
It can add some much-needed variety.
Sometimes picky eater hamsters will just give up on their food. Often, they do so because they grow tired of eating the same thing again and again. However, by giving them a piece of meat on occasion, you help add variety and excitement to their diets.
Risks of Your Hamster Eating Meat
While hamsters can eat meat, it’s not an essential part of their diet. And if fed to them incorrectly, meat can do more harm than good.
Hamsters have a difficult time digesting heavy meats.
A hamster’s body has a much easier time digesting some meats over others. Light-colored meats such as chicken or fish can be processed much easier than red meats or wild game.
Raw meat is not good for your hamster.
While it’s true that hamsters aren’t cooking their meat in the wild, they aren’t eating chicken or fish either. Insects are more than fine for them to eat uncooked; however, it’s the other meat variants that need to be properly prepared.
Hamsters should only be fed meat sparingly.
Even in the wild, a hamster’s diet primarily consists of hay, seeds, and nuts. They only eat meat when they can catch an unsuspecting mealworm or cricket. So, don’t swap your hamster’s diet completely. Instead, use meat as a tasty treat on occasion and in proper proportions. Anything more than a thumbnail’s size portion is too much.
What Kind of Meat Can My Hamster Eat?
As we mentioned above, not every meat is suitable for hamster consumption. We recommend sticking only to light-colored meat such as chicken, fish, and shrimp. Chicken is probably the most readily available meat for hamsters to eat.
When feeding your hamster chicken, you need to make sure that you cook it completely. Undercooked chicken can lead to the same diseases that hamsters are susceptible to, such as Salmonellosis. However, when cooking chicken for your hamster, you shouldn’t season it at all. This means no salt, pepper, or any other spice. Also, you’ll want to stick to a neutral cooking method that requires zero oil or fat such as baking or boiling—the latter being the better option.
Shrimp can also be rather tantalizing because it has a very distinct smell that may attract hamsters. But just like chicken, it should be either baked or boiled for safety.
Make sure you remove any bone or spine and feed no more than a paw-size portion occasionally.
Summary
If you’re unsure whether you want to feed your hamster meat, it’s probably best that you don’t. You shouldn’t be losing sleep over whether or not you made the right move for your hamster. However, if you follow our guidelines and rules, there should be zero issues.
As an alternative to “actual meat”, you can always just feed them a mealworm on occasion. This will give them some needed animal protein without the fuss or mess, while respecting what that term means for this species.
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Featured Image Credit: Rosamar, Shutterstock
