Can Hamsters Eat Bacon?

Can hamsters eat Bacon? Bacon, the salt-cured delicious pork meat, is a perfect meal to serve at the breakfast table.

Its rich, salty, crispy taste makes it popular to use as a flavor enhancer in all sorts of dishes. But can you serve your hammy a bacon breakfast? Do hamsters enjoy bacon-made sandwiches?

Can hamsters eat Bacon? The answer is No! Hamsters should not eat Bacon because it is too fatty and unsuitable for their health.

Bacon has no nutritional value for your little pet and gets him sick if overfed accidentally. Keep reading to learn more about Bacon and hamsters.

Why Is Bacon Bad For Hamsters?

Bacon is a human dish and is not meant for hamsters. Any red meat or pork is prohibited for your little cuties. Let’s find out why Bacon is a bad snack for them.

Tumor Formation

No form of Bacon, either raw or cooked, is safe for hamsters. The reason is sodium nitrate, a preservative used to stop bacterial growth in processed meat or Bacon. Exposure to sodium nitrate for a long time causes pink poops and hamster cheek pouch tumors.

The tumors can be treatable in early stages, but once they become malignant, they cause a 90% mortality rate. The symptoms of hamster cheek pouch tumors include:

• Difficulty in breathing
• Abnormal weight loss
• Wheezy sounds during breathing
• Difficulty in swallowing
• Stroke

Hamsters cannot afford to eat Bacon because it is rich in fatty acids and salts and become more detrimental when cooked in oils.

The hamster’s little body cannot tolerate fatty acids as they elevate cholesterol level and increases the chance of stroke and other heart diseases.

Liver Damage

Bacon is a big NO for your hammy because of its high content of sodium nitrates. While cooking Bacon, heat converts sodium nitrates into nitrosamine, which is carcinogenic.

Feeding your hamster with cooked Bacon is harmful as nitrosamine cause various pathological changes in liver histology and its function. It may also lead to permanent liver damage or even death.

Bacon Binding

Bacon is also problematic for the tiny delicate stomachs of your beloved hamster. They cannot digest pork meat or Bacon properly and give rise to bacon binding, a mass of undigested Bacon clumped together in their stomach, resulting in blockage.

Bacon binding seriously threatens your pet’s health and should be removed through surgery. Some of its clinical manifestations are given below:

• Diarrhea
• Vomiting
• Extreme pain in the stomach
• Fever

Meat Alternatives Of Bacon For Hamsters

Can hamsters eat Bacon? No, they cannot! Though hamsters belong to omnivores and can perfectly eat both plants and meat. But Bacon is not safe for them, no matter how much they like it.

You might wonder, if Bacon is not a good choice, what meat should I feed my hamsters? You can try the following meat options that benefit your furry friend.

But make sure that the meat should be thoroughly cooked and served plain without having salt, seasonings, and other flavoring additives.

• Chicken
• Turkey
• Beef
• Prawn
• Shrimp
• Lamb

Your hamster should consume the food mentioned above only in moderate quantities. Overfeeding, in any case, will cause many potential health hazards for them.

Meat That You Must Avoid!

Like Bacon, some other meat varieties are not good for the hamster and pose a greater risk to their overall health. Being a hamster owner, you should be aware of that what type is not healthy for your pet. So that in future you keep them away from such food.

Besides Bacon, below are some meat varieties that you should not ever feed to your pet:

• Red meat
• Pork
• Raw fish
• Ham
• Pepperoni or salami
• Beef jerky
• Chicken necks

What If Your Hamster Consumes Bacon Accidentally?

Can hamsters eat Bacon? Well, NO! Being a hamster lover, you surely know that your hammy love to explore its surrounding world when let free from the cage. But what if they come across Bacon accidentally?

The tiny creature might steal your bacon breakfast when you are not around them. What if they overeat Bacon?

If hamsters eat a minute quantity of Bacon, then no worries but consuming plenty of Bacon is problematic.

First, observe your little pal for a few days; if they are being lethargic and their weight is dramatically lost without any definite reason, then immediately visit to vet for proper treatment.

Summing Up

Can hamsters eat Bacon? The answer is NO! Bacon is for human consumption. Its ingredients are not safe for delicate hamsters and give rise to adverse health problems such as cancer, liver damage, or stomach blockage.

Replace Bacon with other healthy meats, and in case your hamster overeats accidentally, then consult the vet for proper treatment.