@pinkpirlie
I was on your side (and still am re the magpie) but then you said you keep your hamsters on a vegan diet.
Hamsters need a diet with insects as they form a large element of their diet in the wild.
I'm vegetarian and I still feel my hamsters live insects because this is what is natural to them, and vital for their enrichment and health.
Just because they can survive without them doesn't mean that they are not being negatively affected, surviving doesn't mean thriving.
If you aren't willing to feed your hamsters insects, I would question whether they are the right companion for you.
I have never read any literature anyway that says hamsters are anything other than scavenger feeds that are primarily granivores (meaning they live on a diet based on seeds and grains) but who will also eat meat opportunely. This does not mean that they need meat like a cat, an obligate carnivore, needs meat. They also do not make up a large part of the diet. Even wild hamsters diets primarily consist of various wild grass seeds, which is in line with their hoarding nature.
While of course it is not harmful to feed hamsters meat, some hamsters, particularly Syrians, are less fond of meat - dwarves usually love mealworms, especially roborovskis who need more protein than the average hamster anyway.
Seeds, some grains, and legumes are actually great sources of protein. All of my hamsters have an enriching, scatter fed diet and have lived longer than average lives by quite a way.
I do not neglect my pets. Like humans, hamsters are more than capable of going their entire lives without eating meat. As long as their diet is balanced and nutritious, they will thrive. If your hamster likes meat like chicken and mealworms, that is absolutely your prerogative to feed. But it does not mean hamsters actually require meat as an essential part of the diet.