Hamsters are like beavers, their front teeth never stop growing, to they have to be constantly knawing in order to shorten their teeth. Provide the with bits or wood to chew on. And by this, I don't mean the fancy wood painted things you get it pet stores, they will shy away from that. Scrap wood, twigs, etc. Also, I used to trow in old plastic vitamin bottles. Don't worry, they don't swallow, but they sure like to chew the heck out of them. The less they have to chew on, the more likely they will go for the cage, so keep a good supply or hard plastic or wood to throw in and they will just eat it up, (figuratevely of course)
If she's a new pet, if you gave her a new cage, or if you just cleaned her cage, she's probably just being a hamster. It's very normal for them to climb on the bars of their cage and chew on them. Their teeth grow continuously during their lives, so they have to chew on things to file down their teeth. You should clean your hamster's cage once a week. If you wait about a month to clean your hamster's cage, your hamster will definitely act crazy and stressed out, because she will be used to living in her own filth. If you clean the cage often, your hamster will be used to it, and she won't mind. Some hamsters are very quick, and if you're not familiar with hamsters, it might seem like they're acting crazy, but it's actually normal for them to run around their cage (if they have a nice, large cage with tubes to run around in). If you just bought a new cage for her, she's probably just playing around and getting her house in order. It may look like she's trying to escape her cage by chewing on the bars, but I've had about 10 hamsters, and they always do that. As far as the chewing goes, watch out for the plastic parts of the cage, because hamsters will chew holes in them over time. With a nice wheel, the bars to chew on, and maybe a little plastic hamster house to live in (or destroy), your hamster should be delighted.
I had a hamster, and all he did was eat, sleep poo, pee, and bite his cage! He bit his cage 75% of the time! Hamsters and other rodents need to ware down their teeth, and you can buy them chew sticks, which kind of helps, but it depends on the hamster, their teeth never stop growing, and they need to keep the manageable, so chewing on wires or bars is a great contentity!
Hamsters could be teething but that is not actually the main reason. Keep some chew toys in handy such as: Wood blocks, salt blocks ect... The mainly just want attention! When they bite the cage bars it usally happens in the night/evening because they want to play! You should atleast play with your hamster once everyday.
Yes it is true hamsters bite on things because some chewing is fun for them. But continual biting on cage bars is a sign of extreme boredom and sometimes also stress. Your hamster needs a cage in which he can be away from humans sometimes, and also burrow, for that is what they do in actual freedom. He or she will also enjoy plenty of space, tunnels and wheels, and stimulating toys, and they should be changed on occasion.
Yer I have a hamster and he doesnt chew the cage now but she used to so what I did before was...... I bought packets of peanuts and gave one to him and he used to sit there for hours just trying to open it , do supervise them though otherwise just take the shell off and give them the peanut also I bought a little house that he could eat it was made of like wood and she loved it so she gets on of those every 2 months. Hope it helps! Xx
Yes, one of the reasons they gnaw on their cage is to control the length of their teeth. If they get too long, they cannot eat and can die. That is rare though. They do need proper things to chew on to help break down their teeth. Natural wood, branches of non poisonous bushes or trees, toilet paper rolls, hard foods like carrots... These will help them manage the length of their teeth. The other reason they gnaw on their cage is because they are trying to get free. They want to be free to roam about and instinctively, they are trying to escape their "prison". Not to say that you are a warden or anything, but they are "caged", right? Ha ha. They do make cute pets, and you have to make sure to keep them safe by not letting them escape in your home. They could get to a hole in the wall, or make one, or get into the oven or fridge. Also make sure to give them a salt lick so they get their minerals. Enjoy your little furry one.
It's is totally normal, but if you want it to stop biting on it's cage get some chew toys for it at a local pet store. The only reason why it's biting the cage is because it's trying to file down its teeth. Trust me I had to raise them.
Your Hamster is craving exterior exercise! My Hamster loves running around in her clear ball, she could go for a few hours. Make sure when you are handling your hamster or removing him/her from the cage to do it low to the floor or on the floor. One accidental fall from a high place could be deadly.
Hamsters teeth grow continously so the hamster files its teeth on the metal bars. You could try putting wooden items in the cage so the hamster can chew on them (they would be quieter) but my hamsters still chewed the bars though! The hamster may also be bored too!
My hamster bites the cage for about an hour to two hours each night and it gets really annoying and when I finally can't hear her any more see gets louder. I took her out to pet her and when I put her back she stoped for about 20 minutes and then started again. So I personaly think that the hamster bites its cage because it needs attention.
I know the answer because I read a book about hamsters.The reason is they bite the cage because you are not giving it that much gnawing toys.If your wondering what gnawing is.It is when a hamster bites something repeatedly.It is good for a hamster to gnaw because there front teeth will be in good condition.
Everytime my hamster is in her cage, she chews on the bars.. I don't know why though. I've given her hard food like carrots and some of her treats but still chews on the cage. In her cage you can see chips of paint that came off from her chewing. Also my hamster is up all night, so she keeps me up all night with her chewing on her cage bars. It gets annoying. So what I do is I put her out in her rolling ball that she goes on around the house.. A lot more. So she doesn't get too bored.. Hope this sometimes helps.
Yes its completely normal I have a hamster named Travis and he does it from morning till night it gets really annoying but after a while he stopped because I kept taking him out wen he does it so it just means heshe just want to come out and play or just sharpen its teeth. BUT what ever you do don not put any citrus fruit on its cage they are allergic so just get them some chew toys or just play with them. :) I hoped this helps you bye.
lisaj0908 depending on how old the hamster is , he or she is teething and it's painful ,so the find something hard to know on, so the pain can be avoided!
H I my hamsters called Princess and her birthday is on the17.01.09 .She is 10 weeks old .She is very cute loves to explore her cage but she keeps me awake wanting me to play and she will bite her cage and go to the top of the cage and try to escape I try doing the pencil trick with her but the will bite the pencil She loves to eat but I don't know why they tend to hide there food and Yes and she has lots of toys to play with I always get new ones also it like keeps going to the top of he cage and biting it. I am scared of putting my hand in there ive try to give it food and that is good .she eat very well I give her fruit daily and water please help me I don't know what to do other than take her bake to the pet shop as I'm scared she might bot through the cage and come out when I am sleeping or when I am at school.
Its natural for hamsters to do that. If you want your hamster to stop doing that then get her/him a piece of wood (not from the ground) and give it to them. They should stop chewing on the cage. Climbing you can't stop that just make sure your hamster doesn't fall on its back and hurt itself. Is your hamster a dwarf hamster?
They just like to chew, it keeps their teeth from growing too long. Find something else that is hard, and see if it will chew on that instead of the cage. Good luck.
Its natural for hamsters to do that. They probably want something... If you want them to stop you can get some chew treats or any kind of dog biscuit works too.
Don't worry they do that allot but like the other answer said you should get a metal top but hes not going to get hurt and if hes doing that then if hes not a dwarf hamster then take him out allot and have him sleep on you and play with him and once again if hes not a dwarf hamster and isn't very fast then put him on the ground and let him explore but keep an eye on him and if he escapes then put some food somewhere and hell go to it at night that's when you can catch him off guard.hope I could help and please comment.
For my hamster, its weird. I bought chewing toys for him since he seems to be chewing on his cage almost all day long, I thought it might be the growing teeth. But when I throw the wood in, he didn't even care about the wood. He kept on chewing the cage. I was wondering why he didn't chew it so I took the chewing stick and hold it there, surprisingly, he chew the chewing stick. I thought he is going to be alright chewing it by itself so I let it go. But once I let it go, he straightaway go back to chewing the cage. Naughty aren't he? So I took him out and pet him for a while, but when I put him back to the cage he instantly resumed the cage chewing, leaving the wood alone -.-
My hamster does that too. If you have a mineral block, put that in. If that doesnt work, put chunks of apple around the cage to take your hamster's mind off the chewing of the bars. My hamster keeps me awake ALL night because she chews the bars in her cage. It's just to wear away their teeth so they don't get too long. If you do have a mineral block btw and she doesnt use it, you could also smear some fruit (not citrus fruits like oranges etc as they are not good for your hamster) onto the mineral block then maybe that will work.
My hamster does it too just go to the pet store I did that asked them and they showed me loads of chew toys for it now my hamster stoped biting the cage but then he chewed it to bits he got bored and started biting the cage again I will have to go back to the bet show any way good luck
This is my second hamster and yes they bite their cages constantly. Dixie (hamster) tends to start at about 2 am every morning and I kinda just nudge her with my hand and after a few times doing this she usually stops. I find that if you give her/him more food and or you give her carrot chews (not actual carrots) they stop and chew on those.
You don't have to go to a pet shop if you live near a apple tree, then just take a couple of twigs of that and that is fine. You don't need to clean it or anything. But if that doesn't work I find just sit in your bed for a while before you go to bed and have the main light off but keep a small lamp on by the hamsters cage, and just read a book or something and then the hamster thinks that it is still day time so it goes to bed then when you go to bed just turn off all lights and it will give you about 30mins to get to sleep that is what I'm doing now!!!
Just tap the side of the cage with a rolled up news paper and make a noise at here then grow into no more tapping but still make the noise! It worked with my hamster!
I agree with the one before me. But, some hamsters we've had still bite at the cage when they have toys. Sometimes so much that they bite their way out.
It's because he/she is bored and needs something new. My hamster does it sometimes, and then I give her a dog biscuit then she is fine. (you can also give them carrots)
That is rather because it is bored,it is hungry,or it wants to wear down its teeth.you can where down their teeth by buying them some wood from your local pet store.
. I moved my hamster to a cage with no wires on because it kept chewing on the wires and gave it toys from the pet shop and wood and a stone with seaweed and vitamins in.
Yes this is normal. It just means that he wants attention or wants to play. Sometimes it might mean that he wants to sharpen his teeth. Make sure you have some wood in his cage for him to chew on.
It is so totally normal dude. It is sharpening it teeth. Also it is just bored it is good for it to have some toys to go in with it. It will be less bored.
Yes it is very normal. My hamster does it too. All it is doing is making sure it's teeth don't grow through it's head. That has happened to my friends hamster.
Please do not let him crew on the bars. There could be lead in the paint on them, but even if not lead paint it's very harmful to their tiny bodies. Ours both chewed on the bars. The dark one seems to chew more than the other and she developed a tumor in her belly, foot, and other places. She died within a few weeks after the growth was noticed in the belly. Her sister, the tan one, began to chew on them at times also, her tumor was in her pouch. It got huge and spread to her back and foot. She died as well. Very tragic, her death. Very painful at the end. Coughed up blood and panicked in her final moments. If yours chews a lot, please get a different cage!
I started to notice that when the wheel didn't work properly or she was bored and wanted out she would do it more. They also love to chew (need to, actually) I gave them a dried up beef jerky dog treat that was very hard and it would keep them from chewing on the bars for a while.
It is totally normal, it may be because of boredom so get it some toys. My hamster, treacle, was biting the bars on the top of its cage so I put some lemon juice on the bars but mustard works just as well. It is bitter so it should put them off biting thier bars but only use a small amount or it could harm them. If this does not work then don't put any more on cause it will make em sick.
Put something heavy on the top of the cage to keep the lid down and I would suggest you get a metal top for the cage so he can't chew through it. Best wishes:)
A vet can probably answer that on the phone after quizzing you on any changes in its environment, food etc. The call is free and may save your pet :) good luck
This is behavioral problem with your hamster, may be out of fear. It does not want to live in cage so you better take it out of cage for sometime. Don't keep it hungry for long. It can also be one of the reasons.
