My hamster loves to chew on her cage at night. It's plastic, and it's really noisy. Is there anything I can do that is safe or should i just let her do her thing? She already has a "chube" to chew on, as well as wooden chew toys, but she prefers the plastic.
2006-09-15 09:33:04 · 6 answers · asked by Anonymous in Pets ➔ Other - Pets
Variation is the spice of life!
Hamsters can get incredibly bored, so naturally it often results in cage-chewing. Since your hamster is probably damaging the cage, and it's made of plastic, you have a few options:
1) Get a new cage. Get a wire one where the bars are spaced closed together. This increases ventilation, and allows more opportunities for her to climb. Also, if she decided to chew, she won't be doing any damage.
2) Introduce new chewing items. Try hanging them. Try different flavors and shapes. Try rubbing a little bit of fresh fruit (such as apple) on a piece of safe wood to entice her to chew on it. Try giving her timothy hay or straw to make a nest out of (it will keep her occupied if she likes those materials). Switch things around in her cage...hide treats---keep her entertained.
3) IF she's a Dwarf hamster, get her a playmate. Dwarf hamsters can be kept in same sex pairs (or trios) if they have a large enough cage. A playmate may keep the boredom away. DO NOT GET HER A PLAYMATE IF SHE'S A SYRIAN (Teddy Bear) HAMSTER. ONLY Dwarf hamsters tolerate living together.
2006-09-15 09:51:07 · answer #1 · answered by strayd0g 3 · 1⤊ 0⤋
First of all congratulations on figuring out the sex of your hamster. Hamsters love to chew and there might not be much you can do about it. Hamsters sometimes chew to try to escape. If her cage is on the small side you might try getting a larger one to try to alleviate her feelings of confinement.
2006-09-15 09:43:11 · answer #2 · answered by ligoneskiing 4 · 0⤊ 0⤋
30 seconds it's for her teeth. if longer, it's because she's bored and wants out. sometimes a bigger or 2nd cage cage added will do the trick but most of the time u have to get a hamster ball for them to run in. use tape on the lid because they pop open. let them run til they stop---make sure u r around cuz as i said the lid can pop open. then put him back and if shes had enough he wont chew again--if she wants more he'll start back--then u can just let her run some more. my girl runs for about 2-3 hrs with hourly water/food breaks. i know when shes had enough because she doesnt chew and goes to bed. they r used to running in the wild for 5-6 miles and they want this freedom. this is safe freedom. get him a ball---$5 at petstore or even walmart. the best ones have screws in them---mines from meijer. he'll then just chew to let u know he's ready to get out.
what time does yours wake up in the evening? this is when u will have to let her out or early morning. i go to bed at 1am so mine runs from 10am-1am with breaks every hr. my other one is blind so shes not nocturnal & runs in the day.
do make sure she has chew sticks as u said u have(mine use tiny greenies dog biscuits). hide some food for her in diffrent places in the cage right before u go to bed, & give her the toliet paper rolls and plain, dye-free toilet tissue---scott. if u can add a 2nd wheel that helps too because my youngest wants to run in the ball all night but cant when i go to bed so she has 3 wheels to choose instead. if she gets enough ball time her chewing will stop. if u arent up late enuff to let her run enuff it will at least lessen.
2006-09-15 18:07:44 · answer #3 · answered by galaxygurl 4 · 0⤊ 0⤋
id say you should get a metal cage ...your hamster will chew its way out of the plastic one
2006-09-15 09:38:03 · answer #4 · answered by she wolf. 4 · 0⤊ 0⤋
I would go with glass. Hampsters will chew anything, but they cant chew glass! It sounds like you have everything else it needs to be happy.
2006-09-15 09:48:21 · answer #5 · answered by brandy10006 2 · 0⤊ 0⤋
get a steal cage.
2006-09-15 09:51:22 · answer #6 · answered by god_doesnt_love_erudite 1 · 0⤊ 1⤋