Can Hamster Eat Eggs? [Everything You Should Know]

Sometimes it can be easy for novice hamster owners to forget that hamsters are considered omnivores meaning they have a rich diet consisting of nuts, fruits, vegetables, and healthy proteins in the form of meat.

Eggs are a rich source of protein, and sometimes, when you make yourself eggs in the morning, the question can hamsters have eggs may come into your mind. In short, hamsters can have eggs.

However, there are a few factors you must take into account before feeding eggs to your hamsters. Let’s further discuss this in detail.

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Can Hamster Eat Eggs?

Eggs are a rich source of healthy protein; chances are that your hamster will love them, so yes, you can feed your pet hamster eggs. However, if you are feeding your hamster eggs for the first time, it might be best to give them a small portion first to ensure they are not allergic to eggs.

It is rare for hamsters to be allergic to eggs, but it is a possibility you must consider avoiding any worst-case scenarios. Once you are sure that your hamster is not allergic to eggs, you can begin feeding them eggs as an occasional treat.

We say occasional treat because eggs are high in fat and calorie content, so if you feed excessive amounts of eggs regularly to your hamster, it may cause them more harm than good.

What Form Of Eggs Should I Feed My Hamster?

Now that you know the answer to can hamsters eat eggs, the second question that may arise in your mind is what form of eggs are safe for hamsters. Humans eat eggs in various forms, such as boiled, hard-boiled, fried, poached, etc.

You should not feed any portion of raw eggs to a hamster since raw eggs carry salmonella bacteria. Moreover, raw eggs have no additional nutritional benefit compared to cooked eggs.

Therefore, it is advisable to take no chances and to be safe. It may also become complicated for hamsters to consume liquid foods, and raw eggs can lead to eye, nose, or many other infections in your hamster.

The best and safest form of egg you can feed your hamster is a boiled egg. You can also give your hamster some scrambled or soft-boiled eggs. However, ensure it does not contain additives like peppers, salt, or sauce.

The issue with fried eggs is that they are made in oil, which harms hamsters. However, you can feed hamsters pan-fried eggs which you can cook without the use of oil.

What Health Benefits Do Eggs provide For Hamsters?

Eggs are a healthy food choice for hamsters since they are packed with the necessary proteins and minerals for optimal health and growth for your little furry friends. Here are some health benefits your hamster will enjoy if you feed it eggs occasionally.

Good Vision: The vitamin A content in eggs can help maintain and improve a healthy vision in your hamster while also boosting its immune system
Eggs can aid in disease prevention in hamsters: Eggs are a great source of vitamins that can support your pet’s immune system in its battle against many illnesses. Vitamins are necessary to develop a robust immune system. The Antioxidants found in vitamin B12, vitamin A, and selenium all work to protect the body from free radicals. By combating free radicals, you can prevent cell membrane deterioration and improve your hamster’s body’s natural resilience to illness
Protect against cancer: Selenium, found in eggs, is believed to safeguard against some cancers. Since a hamster’s body is not well equipped to fight off serious illnesses like cancer, this disease may be the leading cause of most hamster fatalities. So, by providing them a healthy food high in protein and selenium, you are allowing your hamster’s body to boost its immune system and prepare it to prevent or fight off any serious ailments
Help Minimize Chronic Inflammation: Arginine amino acid is essential to wound healing. Arginine may be capable of decreasing the ongoing inflammation brought on by autoimmune conditions, including asthma, allergies, and arthritis
Reduce the risk of cardiovascular diseases: Your hamster can naturally resist cardiovascular ailments because of the choline content found in eggs.
In conjunction with vitamin B12, also present in eggs, choline helps your hamster’s body get rid of homocysteine — an amino acid that weakens veins and arteries and results in severe heart conditions like cardiac arrest
Help Increase Appetite: As hamsters age, their appetite may diminish, making them weaker and more susceptible to illness. Given that eggs contain significant amounts of the vitamins B12, A, and riboflavin, it is preferable to feed hamsters more eggs at this age. All of these elements are necessary for elderly hamsters to maintain normal appetites

Risks Associated With Feeding Eggs to Hamsters

Any food may have significant side effects and risks when ingested in large quantities. Here are some of the risks of excessive egg consumption in hamsters.

Digestion issues: A hamster’s tiny body may have issues digestive the high amounts of protein in eggs. Therefore, feeding many eggs to your hamster may develop digestion problems. In severe cases, your hamster’s body may have trouble absorbing nutrients and minerals from other foods they consume, leading to weakness, weight loss, and malnutrition, which, if ignored, may lead to death
Obesity: The high-fat content in eggs may help a weak or old hamster gain weight. However, if you feed a hamster this rich food in large quantities, it may also lead your hamster to gain excess weight and become obese. Obesity can make a hamster lazy and make it not want to exercise on its wheel, which can lead to several other life-threatening health conditions
Diarrhea and food poisoning: Salmonella, a type of bacteria, may be found in uncooked or raw eggs. This bacteria may cause illnesses such as diarrhea and food poisoning. These conditions can cause severe dehydration in your hamster and can lead to death if not handled immediately

What Is The Best Way To Feed Your Hamster Eggs?

The best and safest way to feed your hamster is to boil your egg until it reaches a soft-boiled or hard-boiled consistency. Next, let the egg cool down since giving hot eggs to a hamster is never a good idea.

Once your egg has cooled down, cut it into tiny pieces so your hamster does not have issues eating the egg. Now give your hamster a piece of the egg not larger than a size of an ear. You can do this once every week.

Is Egg Yolk Safe For My Hamster?

Hamsters have small pouches within their cheeks where they like to store food to eat for later. Sticky and gooey foods can get stuck in your hamster’s cheek pouches, and egg yolks are one of these foods.

When foods get stuck in a hamster’s cheek pouch, it can cause several health issues like an abscess, bad breath, and inflammation. Egg yolk also contains high cholesterol, which is not ideal for a hamster’s health and may cause them to develop heart disease.

A pigment called riboflavin is also found in eggs, which can strain your hamster’s kidneys.

Moreover, interestingly sometimes hamsters may also not like eating egg yolks and stick to eating egg whites.

This is because hamsters have a strong sense of smell, and the sulfur released in egg yolks during the boiling process may cause the egg yolk to have a bad smell which your hamster may not like. Therefore, it is best to treat your hamster with egg whites and leave the yolk out.

Can I Feed Eggshells to My Hamster?

Eggshells are a rich source of calcium carbonate, a substance marketed as a pill, which is also frequently recommended by physicians for individuals who are calcium deficient.

Eggshells can thus aid in boosting the body’s calcium levels. Calcium can minimize the kidney stone risk when it is present in sufficient proportions.

It can, however, raise the danger of kidney stone formation and possibly cause renal failure if consumed in excess quantities. When it comes to hamsters, eggshells could do more damage than good to them.

Since eggshells have rough edges, they can cut a hamster’s mouth and the insides of its neck. Worst-case scenarios could result in internal bleeding that could be fatal if not treated immediately.

Therefore, you should only give egg whites to your hamster instead of eggshells, as egg whites have all the necessary proteins and minerals.

Alternative Hamster Treats

Like humans, animals can also get bored eating the same food. So having a mixture of different treats in their diet is a great way to provide them with various minerals and nutrients while also keeping their taste buds happy. Along with eggs, you can also feed your hamster the following treats:

Squash
Pepper
Peas
Raisins
Nuts
Carrots
Cucumber
Broccoli
Romaine lettuce
Cauliflower
Peaches
Apples
Banana

Important tip: Always exercise portion control when giving your hamster the following treats. Also, remember that these treats can never replace hamster food, so be sure to feed your hamster a proper diet in conjunction with occasional treats.

Wrapping Up

Now that you know the answer to Can hamsters eat eggs, what are you waiting for? It can be fun to experiment with feeding your pet hamster new foods since it is rewarding to see your hamster enjoying a healthy and delicious meal.

However, before introducing your hamster to any new foods, it is always advised to conduct thorough research to ensure that the food is safe for them and will not cause any potential harm to their health.