Can Hamsters Eat Chicken? All You Need To Know!

Can your hamster eat chicken? Have you ever wondered if your hamster can have a bite while you cut open your chicken chop on the dining table?

If the answer is yes, then read on! Chicken is one of the healthiest animal proteins for humans but is this true for hamsters as well? 

As hamster owners, we always want the best for our hamsters so they can grow healthily and happily. Some human food is dangerous for hamsters and may lead to illnesses such as watery stools, heart diseases, and even cancer. 

In this article, we will delve deep into this topic and look at all the questions you might have, such as how to prepare chicken for your hamster, how much chicken to feed your hamster, and what types of chicken products you can feed your hamster. 

Happy reading! 

Related Post

• Can Hamsters Eat Beef? All You Need To Know!
• Can Hamsters Eat Turkey? What Do You Need To Know?

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Can Hamsters Eat Chicken Meat?

Yes! You can give your hamster some chicken as treats! 

Wait a minute; before you think you could share your chicken meal with your hamster, make sure it is unsalted, fully cooked, and boneless before you feed it to them. 

Chicken is a type of white meat and can be an incredibly healthy source of protein for your hamster. Chicken can help your hamster grow maturely as it is low in calories and packed with vitamins which are vital for your hamster’s bone growth.

Do Hamsters Eat Chicken?

Even though chicken is not in hamster’s diet in the wild, most pet owners reported that their hamsters love chicken, and they feed it regularly as treats to their hammy.

It is best to give your hamster chicken little by little and see if they like it before giving it to them regularly. 

Nutritional Facts About Chicken 

Chicken is one of the healthiest meat choices, and it’s filled with proteins and nutrients. 

Source: USDA

Tip: Try giving your hamster chicken once in a while and watch it grow a beautiful coat of fur! 

Should You Feed Your Hamster Raw Or Cooked Chicken? 

You should only feed your hamster cooked chicken. 

Raw chicken is ladened with bacteria such as campylobacter, salmonella, clostridium perfringens, and E. Coli. These bacteria can cause unpleasant illness in your hammy, such as wet tail, a term used to describe watery stools in hamsters. 

Ways To Prepare Chicken For Your Hamster

The best way to cook chicken for your hammy is to either steam or boil the chicken in water. To be safe, cook the chicken thoroughly to get rid of all the bacteria in the chicken. 

When choosing the chicken cuts, remember to use boneless chicken cuts such as chicken fillets or chicken chops. Chicken fillet is the best choice as it is skinless chicken breasts. Plus, it is also a leaner choice compared to other cuts of meat. 

I recommend steaming the chicken, so the nutrients, tenderness, and chicken juices stay locked in the meat.

Also, steaming doesn’t require adding any additional fat, and it retains the natural chicken flavor without losing it in the boiling water. 

Steaming

Boiling 

Boiling is another healthy cooking method to cook chicken for your hamster. It is quicker than steaming and might be more convenient if you’re running out of time. To boil chicken, just fill a pot with water, bring it to a boil and add the chicken. 

Let it simmer for around 10 minutes. Cut open the chicken to check if it’s ready. The chicken meat should be white inside. If you see some pinkish spots, place it back in the pot and boil for another minute or so. 

Remove from the pan and let it rest until it’s fully cooled. Cut it into cubes or shred the chicken with 2 forks and you can incorporate it in both you and your hamster’s meal! 

Tip: If you are feeding your hammy chicken as a protein supplement, I would recommend using something dry like single ingredient air-dried or freeze dried chicken and introducing it to your hamster little by little. 

How Much Chicken Should You Feed Your Hamster?

Chicken should be more of a snack than a main meal for your hamster. The amount of chicken your hamster can eat depends on the breed, as well as the size and activity level of your hamster. 

As a rule of thumb, the protein intake your hamster should consume is based on a few factors: 

1. Breed Of Hamster 

2. Size Of Hamster 

○ Take into account the size of your hamster before serving them chicken.  

3. Other Types Of Protein Your Hamster Consume Besides Chicken

○ Feed chicken to your hamster 1 to 3 times a week. This is only if chicken is the only source of protein in your hamster’s diet. 

○ If you feed your hamster other proteins such as beef, turkey, fish, and shrimp, limit the intake to once every other week. 

Is Chicken Good For Your Hamster?  

Compared to red meats, chicken is a healthier choice of protein for your hamster. When fed with reasonable amounts, chicken is good for your hamster. Why? This is because:

1. It Is A Good Source Of Protein 

Chicken does not contain a lot of fats compared to other meat, especially if you choose lean cuts to feed your hamster. 

2. It Is Beneficial To Hamsters’ Reproductive System

Chicken meat contains amino acids, which have been proven beneficial to hamster’s reproductive system. 

3. It Helps Your Hamster Grow Stronger And Healthier

Chicken meat contains essential vitamins and minerals such as vitamin B, zinc, iron, and phosphorus, which provide them with energy and help them to grow.

Is Chicken Bad For Your Hamster? 

While chicken is safe and healthy for your hamster, it doesn’t mean that your hamster can eat it all the time, even if they love it. Overfeeding your hamster chicken comes with several risks, which includes:

1. Antibiotic-Resistant 

According to Guardian, most meat animals are fed with antibiotics daily. Even if you only give your hamster plainly cooked chicken, the antibiotics given to the chicken stay in their body. 

When your hamster overeats chicken fed with antibiotics, it makes them antibiotic-resistant and more prone to illnesses such as flu and diarrhoea. 

2. Weight Gain Due To Excessive Intake Of Protein

Even though hamsters require around 18% of crude protein in their diet, too much protein will be stored as fat in your hamster’s tiny body. This elevates their cholesterol and make them obese. You wouldn’t want a fat hamster, would you? 

3. Heart Problems 

Animal based protein contains high levels of cholesterol and saturated fat and this will increase the risk of heart diseases in your hamster. 

Chicken is safe for your hamster, but moderation is key when it comes to feeding your hamster chicken!

Can Hamsters Eat Chicken Jerky? 

Yes, only if it is made plain. 

It is best if you avoid feeding your hamster with the chicken jerky you buy from your local mart. Chicken jerky made for human consumption might contain high levels of sodium and preservatives which are bad for your hamster’s health. 

Your hamster can eat chicken jerky only if you make it plain yourself with this recipe here.

Can Hamsters Eat Chicken Nuggets? 

No, store-bought chicken nuggets are not recommended for your hamster.

Store-bought chicken nuggets are full of chicken fats and fillers, which are harmful for your hamster. Even though chicken nuggets are made from processed chicken, it actually contains very little actual meat. 

Rather, it is mostly made of other chicken body parts such as the cartilage, skin, nerve and crushed bones. What’s more, it’s coated with batter and deep fried in hot oil, making it harmful for your hamster to consume. 

If you really wish to treat your hamster with chicken nuggets, make the healthier version nuggets with the recipe here. Do not overindulge your hamster as it contains oil, cheese and breadcrumbs even though it is healthier than commercial nuggets. 

Can Hamsters Eat Chicken Floss?

No, store-bought chicken floss is not recommended for your hamster. 

Chicken floss is a dried meat product with a cotton-like texture made by cooking the chicken meat and drying it in an oven or dehydrator. Chicken floss is low cholesterol, low calorie, and a protein-packed snack for both your hamster and you. 

However, store-bought chicken floss is often full of preservatives, sugar, and salt, which is extremely harmful to your hamster.

You can sprinkle some homemade chicken floss in your hamster’s food. You can also eat it together with your hamster by sprinkling the chicken floss over congee, rice, sandwiches, and bread. 

Find out how to make chicken floss for both you and your hammy here! Remember, omit all flavorings and seasonings when you prepare it for your hamster. 

Can Hamsters Eat Chicken Sausages?

Wonder if your hamster can have a bite while you munch on your juicy sausage on the breakfast table? 

Unfortunately, your regular store-bought chicken breakfast sausages are not recommended for your hamsters. 

Regular chicken breakfast sausages are processed meats, and this means that it has more additives and flavorings such as sugar, salt and nitrates. Nitrates are often added to sausages to preserve the meat and improve its taste. 

However, consumption of nitrates is harmful for your hamster as it increases the risk of cancer. 

If you really want to feed your hamster chicken sausages, check out the healthy chicken breakfast sausage recipe here.  

Can Hamsters Eat Chicken Ham? 

No! As much as you might love eating ham, ham is dangerous for hamsters.

Ham is produced by curing raw chicken with salt and mixed with seasonings, preservatives, additives, flavorings, and sugars. 

All these preservatives and additives are harmful for your little hamster as they might develop heart disease and diabetes in the long run. 

Can Hamsters Drink Chicken Essence? 

Yes! They can have a few drops of chicken essence. 

You might not have heard of chicken essence, but chicken essence is extremely popular in Asia.

Founded in the UK by a royal chef to boost King George IV’s health, chicken essence is a popular health drink taken to improve focus, boost overall well being, and reduce fatigue. 

So if you’re thinking of buying yourself chicken essence, you can share your chicken essence with your hamster too.

This is proven by a research where 40 male hamsters were fed with fish oil and the essence of chicken. Results showed that the hamsters fed with fish oil and chicken essence had lower levels of lipids compared to the other hamsters. 

Your hamster will be getting similar health benefits from the chicken essence, just like you! 

Chicken Products You Should Avoid Giving Your Hamster 

Basically, you should avoid giving your hamster any chicken products that contain high fat, sodium, preservatives, and additives. This includes:  

• Fried chicken 
• Rotisserie chicken (Especially Costco rotisserie chickens as they are injected with saline solution.)
• Store-bought chicken nuggets 
• Store-bought chicken floss 
• Store-bought chicken sausages
• Store-bought chicken ham 

FAQs

What Happens If A Hamster Eats Chicken?

According to our research, chicken meat provides nutrients to help your hamster grow maturely. Remember to always cook the chicken thoroughly before feeding your hamster!

Plain-cooked chicken is a safe treat for your hamster to eat, while raw and undercooked chicken is not! 

Can Hamsters Eat Rice And Chicken?

Yes, you can give your hamster chicken and rice. Your hamster can eat a few grains of rice at a time. Make sure the rice is perfectly cooked as wet rice and overcooked rice can cause digestion issues for your hamster. 

What Meat Can Hamsters Eat?

Hamsters in the wild eat insects and it is a common practice to feed hamsters crickets and mealworms. Don’t worry if you’re afraid of insects as hamsters can eat cooked meat.

You can feed your hamster safely with cooked chicken and cooked beef.

Can Hamsters Eat Chicken Every Day?

No. Hamsters cannot eat chicken every day. 

Even though chicken is a great source of protein, you can’t overindulge your hamster by feeding it everyday. Only give your hamster chicken once or twice a week if chicken is the only protein you feed your hamster. 

What Food Is Toxic To Hamsters?

• Any sugary or salty foods
• All the junk food
• Apple seeds
• Almonds
• Citrus fruit
• Chocolate
• Garlic
• Onions
• Raw beans
• Raw potatoes
• Rhubarb leaves or raw rhubarb

Final Thoughts 

Chicken is an incredibly healthy animal protein for both you and your hamster to enjoy. If you ever hesitate to share your favorite protein with your hammy, don’t worry, just follow the tips above, and your hamster’s tummy will thank you! 

Well, there you have it, all the answers to your question about whether your hamster can eat chicken. Do you have more questions? Let me know in the comments down below! 

Here’s a cute video of a hamster enjoying his chicken treat for your viewing pleasure!