Hamster chewing on cage: causes and solutions to the problem

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15.04.2018

Noise, fuss, and the patter of little paws are an integral part of life with a hamster. Babies make these sounds at night, during periods of activity. The nocturnal activity of hamsters brings discomfort to the owner of the furry creatures. Animals disturb sleep and frighten owners. Many owners are perplexed: why does the hamster chew on the cage when there are enough toys and “tools” for sharpening its teeth in the house. Let's look at this issue further.

Why does a hamster chew on its cage?

In their natural habitat, these rodents are forced to independently obtain their own food, hunt, and dig holes. If the animal lives at home, the pace of its life slows down.

At the same time, the animal’s natural instincts do not disappear anywhere. This means that the need to chew something remains with him, regardless of the environment in which he lives. But before you understand what to do if your hamster chews on its cage, you need to figure out why it does this.

A hamster may chew on its cage for a number of reasons:

1. The need to grind teeth. Rodents' teeth grow throughout their lives. When they reach a certain size, it becomes necessary to grind them down. In its natural habitat, the animal begins to gnaw branches and other hard objects, and at home - everything that gets in its way. If a hamster chews on the bars of its cage because it needs to grind down its teeth, you can solve the problem by placing branches of fruit trees or mineral stones in its home. He will grind his teeth on them without creating unpleasant sounds.
2. Boredom. A hamster may chew on rods out of sheer boredom. This animal has a huge amount of energy and the owner’s task is to make sure that he can throw it out. To solve the problem, you need to equip your furry friend’s home with bridges, passages, a wheel and a variety of toys. It is recommended to let your pet out for a walk. This will help satisfy his natural need and prevent him from getting bored. A special ball can make your pet’s “walks” safe.
3. Hunger. Hamsters eat a lot. There should always be fresh food and drink in the feeder. Otherwise, the animal will begin to protest and gnaw the bars.
4. Insufficiently spacious home. Another reason for this behavior is that the cage is not spacious enough. The pet should be comfortable in its home. If the cage is small, it should be replaced.
5. Lack of rest. During the daytime, the hamster should rest. Not getting enough rest will make him nervous. This will cause him to start chewing on the bars of the cage at night.

Note! Experts recommend observing how the animal behaves when someone approaches its house with food. If your pet begins to react violently to what is happening, it means he is hungry.

Is this harmful for the pet?

In addition to the fact that a furry homebody will constantly wake you and your family with its night fussing and loud grinding, which is quite unpleasant, especially if it happens regularly, there is also a danger in such actions for the animal itself.

Firstly, the material of the cage is strong enough to not only wear down, but also break teeth - after all, in nature, a rodent usually uses pieces of wood or crunchy food, much softer than metal rods.

Secondly, the rods are often covered with paint, which gradually begins to crumble and get into the stomach. And even if it does not lead to health problems, there is no benefit from such a “food additive”.

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How to stop a hamster from chewing its cage

It can be quite difficult to stop a hamster from chewing the bars of its cage at night, but it’s still worth a try:

1. You should make sure that your pet has enough food, water, toys, and that the cage is the right size for him.
2. The cage should be in a quiet room. When the hamster is resting, he should not be disturbed. Children's screams, TV noise, loud music will not allow the pet to rest, and this will lead to the fact that at night it will not allow its owners to sleep.
3. To grind down teeth, hamsters can be given mineral stones, branches of fruit trees, and special food.
4. The hamster needs regular “walks”, special labyrinths, a wheel and other toys. If the pet has something to do, the hamster will stop gnawing on the cage.
5. If the hamster has everything he needs, but continues to chew on the cage, you can treat the bars with lemon juice. Its taste will scare the hamster away and the noise will stop.

Note! It is better to use several methods at once. This will significantly increase the likelihood that the rodent will lose interest in the cage and stop disturbing the owners’ sleep with a sharp, unpleasant noise.

Nuances of weaning a hamster

Before replacing your hamster's cage, you need to pay attention to its condition and check whether it meets the following requirements:

1. Has enough space to accommodate the animal.
2. Equipped with tunnels, slides and a wheel.

In the behavior of dzhungariks there is a pronounced tendency to escape, so they gnaw on the bars in the area where they exit the cage. Representatives of the Syrian breed are considered to be calmer, and if they have not chewed on bars before, this behavior may be due to a lack of other activity.

If you find that your hamster has started to engage in this habit, offer him a stick or twig to replace one activity with another.

Maintain gentle persistence and be attentive to the animal's wishes.

Tips and tricks

A few tips will help you wean your rodent from this habit:

1. Such a pet should not be allowed to get bored. Boredom is one of the most common causes of unwanted behavior in rodents. If the animal is busy, the owners will be able to enjoy the silence.
2. The rodent needs a good rest. To create the most comfortable sleeping conditions, you need to install a house in which the hamster can hide, and cover the cage with thick fabric.
3. You should be careful about how children play with a hamster. They should not abuse the rodent. This can lead to serious injuries that impair brain function and cause unusual behavior.
4. It is recommended to let the rodent out for “walks” around the apartment. The main thing is to first take care that he does not run away and get injured. To do this, just put it in a special ball.

Hamsters are cute pets that in most cases do not cause much trouble. The main thing is to create comfortable living conditions for them. Then they will evoke only pleasant emotions and will not become a source of trouble.

Possible consequences of this behavior

The metal bars of your home are not a suitable material for grinding down teeth. Thus, the animal can break them and injure the oral cavity. In this case, you will have to show your pet to the veterinarian. In addition, such a grinding noise will constantly disturb the animal’s owners from sleeping at night.

Important! It should be noted that the metal bars of such a dwelling are often coated with paint, which, if it gets into the intestines of a rodent, can cause problems with its health.

Rhythm of life

This has been more or less sorted out. But a completely logical question remains. You buy special sharpeners for incisors at the pet store, lay out various twigs, twigs, and put up stumps that seem quite suitable to you. Why does the hamster chew on the cage with the same persistence? The reason is quite simple, the rods are very well secured and therefore comfortable for the pet. You can correct this situation and tie several wooden sticks on the cage machines. Most likely, the hamster will switch to them.

Features of handling Campbell's hamsters

Breeds of domestic hamsters are not as diverse as we used to think. Today it is common to breed the following breeds:

• Dzungarian (Sungur);
• Syrian hamsters;
• Angora hamster;
• Roborovsky's hamsters;
• Campbell's hamster.

Campbell's hamsters are one of the most problematic species to keep at home. For a comfortable stay for one hamster, it is enough to purchase a cage measuring 50 by 30 cm. Hamsters are unusually nimble, so the distance between the bars of the grid should not be more than 0.5 cm so that the pet does not escape. It is advisable to provide the animal with a running wheel. Under natural conditions, hamsters are excellent runners and sometimes cover considerable distances, so in a cage they need to receive sufficient physical activity.

Campbell's hamsters are nocturnal, which can be an obstacle to their communication with humans. They become active at night, and by morning they hide back in the house or nest. You can only communicate with them in the evening or early in the morning.

Incredible love of freedom is another characteristic feature of Campbell's hamsters. They don’t like to be picked up and begin to defend themselves and let their teeth in. Experienced owners often remove animals from cages while wearing gloves. However, once in your arms, these hamsters quickly come to their senses, becoming tame and affectionate.

How to solve a problem

Now let's see what can be done about this problem:

• First of all, it is imperative to review your pet’s diet. It must certainly include not only grass, grain, but also vegetables. While eating such food, your teeth will wear down at the same time. If this is not done, overgrown teeth will harm your pet's health. It is highly advisable to periodically feed roots, twigs, and mineral stones. The more similar objects there are for grinding teeth, the less likely it is that the rodent will choose an iron cage as an object. And in order for the animal to be guaranteed to be interested in healthy food instead of the bars of the cage, you need to figure out what its favorite treat is and give it more often.
• It is advisable to take a closer look at exactly where the hamster chews the rods. If this is the area near the door, then most likely he really wants to take a walk. That is, the owner should let the pet out for a walk more often. Of course, while carefully monitoring its safety. The ideal option is a special pen in which the animal can run around to its heart's content, and in the meantime the owner will allow himself to mind his own business.
• Another great method of releasing energy is various types of training in the cage itself. They will be incredibly helpful if you can’t take your pet out for a walk. An excellent solution would be a special running wheel, which many hamsters, by the way, incredibly love! Ladders, swings, and hammocks will also help out. The rodent will definitely not get bored with them!
• It won't hurt to reconsider your behavior during the daytime either. You need to try to make less noise in the room in which the cage is located, thereby giving the pet the opportunity to sleep sweetly. It is ideal to place the cage where nothing will threaten the hamster’s quiet daytime sleep.
• It probably makes sense to replace the cage altogether. If it seems that it is too small for your hamster, it is best to purchase a new one that is larger.
• If none of the above helps, you will have to turn to special repellents for help. So, sprays sold in zoological stores often help. But it is important to know that first, after applying them to the rods, they must dry - and only then can you let the hamster into the cage. Some owners of these cute animals claim that lemon juice and red pepper also help. But under no circumstances should it be a chemical substance! Otherwise, you will only end up poisoning your pet.

Interesting: Information on how much a live rabbit can cost

Regardless of what breed of hamster you have - Syrian, Djungarian or any other - it can begin to sharpen its teeth on the cage. The most important thing at this moment is not to be scared, but to try to figure out why this is happening. We are sure that our advice will help with this!

Night activity

And everything would be fine if the pet performed all its exercises to destroy iron bars during the day. But most often, owners are interested in another question - why the hamster gnaws at the cage at night. This is a consequence of their biological activity. Its peak occurs right in the middle of the night, when you are supposed to be sound asleep. So it turns out that the furry animal sleeps quietly all day, and as soon as you go to bed, it begins to gnaw furiously on the metal bars. The sounds are simply terrible, they really irritate the owners.

How to avoid fights between pets?

Many people wonder what to do when hamsters fight. First of all, you should take care of stopping the bloodbath. Since pets from the hamster order have rather sharp incisors, they can seriously injure a person if he tries to separate the fighters with his bare hands. It is best to disperse the hamsters to different corners using improvised means and immediately get one of them.

The only way out of this situation, which explains what to do, is to resettle the hamsters. You shouldn’t let the situation lead to real bloody slaughter, because in the daytime, when individuals are least active, you may not notice that they have certain disagreements in dividing the territory. These animals are nocturnal predators, and therefore, most likely, only in the morning the owners will be able to see traces of the struggle between them.

When moving dwarf hamsters into one home, it is worth remembering that it should be as spacious as possible. In addition, there should be enough attractions such as running wheels, houses with several floors, allowing children to move freely in them. Otherwise, disagreements that cannot be resolved peacefully will arise between individuals of this breed.

How do hamsters sharpen their teeth?

You can purchase a mineral stone to grind down a rodent's teeth. It will help your pet not only grind its teeth, but also supply the hamster’s body with the necessary vitamins and microelements. You can also put branches of fruit trees in the cage; the animals will be happy to sharpen their teeth on them. The branches should not be very thin. And they need to be collected away from highways; it is best to do this in parks.

The hamster's diet should contain solid food, on which the animal will grind its teeth. Also, do not forget about vegetables, fruits and herbs, which contain useful substances and vitamins.

Causes caused by incorrect temperature conditions

In order to understand whether the hamster is really sick if he does not move but breathes, it is worth performing a detailed examination

Attention should be drawn to the baby's eyes, breathing rate, and the naturalness of his posture. If your pet is breathing calmly and steadily with his eyes closed, it is most likely that he is just sleeping.

Heatstroke

It is known that individuals of the order of the hamster family, without exception, cannot tolerate heat or direct sunlight. Oddly enough, nature has deprived them of a system of protection against overheating; pets never sweat or breathe through their mouths like dogs. There are known cases where heat stroke resulted in death for animals.

To understand that your baby is overheated when he lies on his side and breathes heavily, you should pay attention to the presence of such signs as:

• no attempt to roll over or make any movements;
• lethargy;
• presence of seizures;
• impaired coordination of movements.

The likelihood of heatstroke occurring when your hamster is motionless and panting increases under the following conditions:

• improper transportation of the baby in personal transport;
• installing the cage on a balcony, window sill, in a place exposed to direct sunlight;
• installing the cage near heating devices;
• with high room humidity and stuffiness.

If you don’t immediately help your pet when he doesn’t move but is breathing, he may not be saved. For this reason, it is worth providing first aid to the animal, which is to:

• cool his body temperature - put the baby on a damp towel, tile, moisten his ears and paws with cool water. Do not rub frozen ice cubes or place them in water;
• inject subcutaneously 2 ml of water that the animal usually drinks to prevent dehydration;
• carry out anti-shock therapy - without waiting for the doctor, this should not be done. But if the ratologist is delayed, and the pet is getting worse, he can be given an injection in the hind leg (intramuscularly) of prednisolone 30 mg/ml with a syringe intended for administering insulin. The dose for a Syrian will be 0.1 ml, and for a Djungarian - 0.5 ml.

"Coma" or hibernation

If the hamster lies without moving, it is possible that the pet has fallen into a kind of coma, that is, into hibernation. His breathing remains calm and even, and his skin will be somewhat cool. In the wild, hibernation of individuals of the hamster order usually occurs in the winter season, when they need to survive cold, hunger, and decreased daylight hours.

The causes of “coma” can be the lack of food for several days in the absence of its strategic reserves, a heating shutdown or a sharp cold snap, which makes the apartment cool. The main signs that the baby is hibernating will be:

• closed eyes while breathing;
• cold but soft to the touch body;
• slow heartbeat (no more than a beat every 15 seconds).

In such cases, it is recommended to place the animal’s cage in a room where the temperature is equal to or above 20°C, and fill its feeder and drinking bowl. Within a few days, if all is well, the animal usually wakes up. If, after emerging from hibernation, he has impaired coordination of movement, which does not go away, he begins to sneeze, cough, or develops diarrhea, as evidenced by a wet tail, you should consult a veterinarian. And since it is undesirable to transport the baby after waking up from hibernation, it is better if he arrives on his own.

Choosing a cell

Today, buyers have a good choice. Plastic, iron and wooden cages have their pros and cons. Most often, the strongest ones are chosen, which will not be damaged by the sharp teeth of rodents. But this is debatable. If the cage is large enough, it has a wheel and sticks for grinding teeth, then the risk to its walls is small. And if the hamster did get to the bars at night, then the sound will be much muffled and, most likely, will not wake you up. In the morning you will find traces of damage and take action. You can also tie fruit tree sticks from the inside to protect the cage from attack.

Grinding down teeth

You can seek the help of a veterinarian. It quickly and painlessly shortens incisors. But you will have to do this quite often, so it is better to leave it as a last resort. It is best to offer the hamster some more suitable objects for grinding down his teeth than rods and cage equipment. The pet store has special stones for grinding teeth, roots and twigs. You can prepare them yourself. To do this, take apple trees, lilacs and currants. Tie the iron rods with them from the inside. This will not solve the problem, but the teeth will grind down much more quietly.