I have 1 white hamster that loves gnawing on its cage. I have wood blocks, pieces in it but it show no interest in it. Are there any specific toys with specific brands out that are effective to those who have such problems with their hamsters? Really needed help badly as I can't sleep sometimes because of its chewing...
2007-02-03 07:29:00 · 9 answers · asked by emimax 2 in Pets ➔ Other - Pets
Your hamster is trying to chew his way out of his cage. Hamsters by nature are not meant to be caged or confined (I'm not saying they should all be freed, you just need to understand their behavior). Even if the hamster was to living in a 8' x 10' cage he would still try to chew to get out. It is their nature.
You may try giving your hamster toilet paper and paper towel rolls to see if that will distract him. There are several other good suggestions in other answeres though I don't think any of them will completely eliminate the problem.
The wire cages really aren't that great for any small animals for just this reason. It's a constant torture to see and smell the "outside" just on the other side of the bars. It is only natural instinct to try to get out of what is confining them. The best solution would be to buy a new glass or plastic cage. He will still try to get out but he will do it by digging in the corners. He will also try to climb the water bottle so look for the specific kind of water bottle that is climb-proof and chew-proof. Lixit manufactures these.
A new cage is not the solution that you want but that's the only way to stop the bar chewing. Also excessive bar chewers are prone to a condition called bar rub. They will wear the fur away where the bars hit their face. In obsessive chewers, the hair loss will be permanent and they could begin cutting into their skin causing sores. If you see an signs of bar rub you need to get him a new home immediately. There was another question in the last week from a girl whose hamster chewed the bars to the point of making its mouth bleed.
There have been some suggestions of putting things onto the bars to deter the hamster but I would not recommend anything of these as they can cause problems if ingested.
-Janice
http://www.holmdenhillhaven.com
2007-02-04 04:47:03 · answer #1 · answered by radiocricket 4 · 0⤊ 0⤋
You can buy lots of different hanging chew stick treat things from pet shops. You might find he prefers a particular type and not others. I'm afraid I am in the UK so I cannot recommend anything specific.
Small branches or sticks are good but you really must sterilise them first. If small enough you can boil them in a pan of water for 15mins or more, or bake them in the oven for half an hour, or freeze them for a few days. This should kill any mites / bugs in the wood which could otherwise harm your hamster.
When I had a particular chewy rat (one that chewed the cage bars a lot) I bought some untreated children's birch building blocks. To make them more appealing, I soaked a couple in white wine over night and then put them in the oven on low for about 20mins to dry out. This leaves a winey taste and aroma but gets rid of the alcohol. You could also do a similar thing with fruit juice.
If he has a particular favourite treat you could fold the ends of a toilet roll tube over with some inside. He'll be able to smell them in there and it will give him something to chew and stop him feeling bored.
Dry uncooked pasta is a great crunchy food that rodents tend to love. It'll give him something to chew on instead of the cage bars, although it may well be just as noisy.
Not having him in your bedroom at night would solve your problem. Hamsters are nocturnal so there's not really anything you can do to stop him being active and making noise at night. Hopefully some of these ideas might help reduce his noise production. Good luck :)
2007-02-03 13:20:15 · answer #2 · answered by HanRatty 2 · 2⤊ 0⤋
I saw some stuff at the store called Carrot Crunchies. Try those. My hamster is just like yours, always chewing on the cage. There are also llittle edible house made of Alfalfa and Honey, my hammy liked that.
Hope it'll help you.
2007-02-03 07:41:08 · answer #3 · answered by Lion 2 · 1⤊ 0⤋
It is chewing on the cage because it wants out and is bored. Get him an activity toy to play on. There are not any chew toys for hamsters. Move his cage out of your room at night because they are nocturnal and don't sleep at night.
2007-02-03 07:33:58 · answer #4 · answered by Sparkles 7 · 0⤊ 2⤋
My dwarf loves the dried corn on the cobb pieces from the pet store. It'll last a long time.
2007-02-03 11:59:54 · answer #5 · answered by Ms617 3 · 1⤊ 0⤋
Go to a Pet Supplies Plus near you.
2007-02-03 07:33:53 · answer #6 · answered by angelsloveslight 4 · 1⤊ 0⤋
a hamster wheel!
2007-02-03 07:32:02 · answer #7 · answered by Anonymous · 1⤊ 0⤋
i use greenies with my rat. they are meant to be chews for dogs but he loves them.
2007-02-03 09:21:11 · answer #8 · answered by MommyCaleb 5 · 2⤊ 0⤋
Sticks out of the yards, and used toilet paper rolls..... they love them!
2007-02-03 07:34:05 · answer #9 · answered by Mary G 6 · 0⤊ 3⤋